Web Shopping: A Cart Full of Frustration
Buying online should be simple and pleasant. Here's how to end the hassles.Anne Kandra is a contributing editor and Grace Aquino and Andrew Brandt are senior associate editors for PC World. You can send them e-mail at consumerwatch@pcworld.com. Click to read previously published Consumer Watch, Privacy Watch, or On Your Side columns.
Illustration by Mick Wiggins
Cheaper to Keep It
Got a gripe concerning the goods you bought? Unless you have indisputable proof that the glitch is the retailer's fault, you can count on picking up the tab for return shipping (and often, the cost of insurance as well). This expense can add up fast, especially for heavy items such as computers and appliances. In fact, the cost of returning the item may be steep enough in some cases to convince you to settle for an item that's less than satisfactory.
Your best bet is to make sure at the outset that the item you order is exactly what you want, and then read the return policy carefully. You might also consider purchasing from a Web site that has a physical store nearby, but only if you're sure that the store will accept returns on items ordered online. (For electronics, don't forget to check for restocking fees, which may add 15 percent or more to your tab.)
Rebate Roulette
What is it about rebates that brings out the cheapskate technophobe in companies? Setting up a simple form that consumers could fill out and submit online ought to be a no-brainer for these Web geniuses. But even at sites like Rebateplace.com that are dedicated to the black art of rebate tracking, you'll find only downloadable PDF files that you have to print, fill out, and (gasp!) physically drop in a mailbox. If I didn't know better, I might suspect that companies aren't interested in making rebates easier to get.
Account for This
When was the last time you had to create a special account with a supermarket just to buy a gallon of milk?
That's what I thought. So why do so many shopping sites insist on trying to start a long-term relationship when all you want to do is buy a printer cartridge?
As far as I'm concerned, a good shopping site should treat customers like a well-mannered first date: First you spend some quality time together. And then, if things work out, the two of you can take it to the next level and start choosing log-in names, passwords, and preferences.
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do
Speaking of commitment, music fans might recognize this tactic, which some Web-based services use to lure folks into an LTR: The site offers a short-term, no-strings-attached free trial subscription.
But if you decide to end the relationship after the trial period--or even after you've subscribed for a while--things can get dicey. Some online services (especially ones that already have your credit card number) seem to guard the secret of how to cancel a subscription as if it were a nuclear-missile launch code.
So the next time you're tempted to check out some new music site or other online service, don't hook up until you know how to break up. Look for direct contacts to customer service and clear, concise billing policies; and be wary of sites that are long on promises but short on details. And to all the Web services that just can't seem to take no for an answer: It's not you, it's us, okay? Give up and move on.
Bargains That Aren't
There's nothing like the thrill of finding a hot piece of gear, a rare CD, or a fancy software application on sale at a rock-bottom price. Congratulating yourself on your online shopping savvy, you hustle it into your shopping cart and jubilantly click the checkout button. But when the site recalculates your total charges, that bargain-basement price suddenly doesn't look like such a bargain anymore.
It's those sneaky shipping and handling costs again. Just when you think you've snagged a steal, the site tacks on costs that are steep enough to send the package via Tahiti on a first-class plane ticket.
Don't get taken in. Before you seal any deal, compare the cost of the item plus shipping at three or four different sites. The sites that engage in this practice presumably hope that customers can't--or won't--do the math. Does that sound like a company you want to do business with?
Whose Site Is It, Anyway?
If you've ever purchased electronics, tools, clothing, food, housewares, or anything else besides books or music from a certain online vendor whose name rhymes with "Shamazon," you may have experienced this one first-hand. You order a widget from your favorite retail megasite. A few days later it shows up, sent by some company you've never heard of.
Granted, this isn't a problem if your widget arrives in perfect condition. But what if it's DOA? That's when you'd better start hoping that the sending company has as responsive a customer service department and as accommodating a return policy as the site that you thought you were buying from.
Note to big online shopping sites: If you're going to partner with every Tom, Dick, and Harry and David.com on the Web, make sure your customers understand that they're doing business with another company. And provide a clear link to that company's return policies and restrictions before checkout.