Do you avoid online shopping because you're concerned about the risks, or do you just cross your fingers, grit your teeth and hope for the best?
Regardless of which category you fall into, here's a new tool to help you become a smart online shopper. It's called the buySAFE Shopping Advisor, and it will save you from the hassles and expenses of online shopping fraud. Even the gamblers among us will appreciate a "sure thing" - especially since this service is absolutely FREE. (The buySAFE Shopping Advisor is now in Beta, and they really WANT our feedback so the official release in July can incorporate our suggestions, along with their world-famous buySAFE $25,000 bond guarantee and 30-day identity theft protection, which will be added at that time.)
buySAFE bonds (insures) online purchases - virtually guaranteeing the credibility of the seller after an extensive vetting process, not unlike underwriting for mortgage loans in our industry. You could almost compare it to a pre-approval letter, except they back up their "pre-approval" with a $25,000 bond guarantee. Unless you're planning to buy something online that costs over $25,000, that should more than protect you! (You can get the buySAFE bond guarantee now on websites and products with the buySAFE seal. It will be integrated wth the buySAFE Shopping Advisor when the full version is released in July.)
Here's how the buySAFE Shopping Advisor works:
- When you do an online search for a retail product you'd like to purchase, the buySAFE seal will appear next to any merchants who have passed the rigorous buySAFE Certification Process to ensure they are trustworthy and reliable.
- The seal is not an advertisement or a certification they can buy - the merchants have simply agreed to permit buySAFE to continuously monitor their performance in every transaction; it's almost like an independent audit.
- Assuming the merchant qualifies, buySAFE guarantees their transactions with a bond issued by them and their surety partners - insurance "big guys" like Liberty Mutual, Travelers, and ACE USA.
How do I know this is legit? Easy... buySAFE is my son's company! (Well, his plus a partner and some investors...) I've watched buySAFE grow from a class project while Steve was an MBA student at Wharton to a multi-million dollar company that has bonded over 15 million online purchases in the past five years. Impressed? I am, even if I do bring some maternal pride to this endorsement.
Steve and buySAFE virtually created this new insurance product and, as far as I know, they're the only company with it. They began with eBay auctions and soon added online retailers to their client database; you can look for that buySAFE seal anywhere you shop online to protect yourself from online fraud - if you don't see it, move on. How else can you know for sure that Gucci purse, Rolex watch, or Flip video camera you buy online isn't a knock-off? How can you know someone won't take your money and then NOT send the item?
Be sure to install the buySAFE Shopping Advisor now, before you leave this blog and forget about it. It's free, and the next time you go shopping online, you'll be glad you have it!
Remember, this is the Beta version, and they want consumer feedback. Just click on the link of the buySAFE Shopping Advisor to make your suggestions. If the Beta version is installed on your computer, you will automatically receive the full version when it is released next month. At that time, the $25,000 buySAFE bond guarantee and one-month free identity theft protection will be included.
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Find a Home and learn about Real Estate Market Conditions in Crofton and Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Check out Today's Rates, use the free Mortgage Calculator, and watch a brief video about the Power of RE/MAX. These consumer-friendly real estate tools are provided by Margaret Woda for you to use at your own pace.
When you're ready to go from "just browsing" to "let's get serious", contact Margaret online or call her at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton Maryland. 410-451-1900
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For answers to your real estate questions about Bowie, Crofton, Davidsonville, Fort Meade, Gambrills, Odenton and other communities in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, contact Margaret Woda at Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. or simply click on a button below for information you can review online at your own pace:
I have been so nervous about on-line shopping that I rarely do so. This service is great -- Congratulations to your son. I'm checking it out now.
Thans for the information, I'll check it out.
Have A Great Day
Margaret, buySAFE sounds like a very good idea as insurance for online shopping. Oftentimes buying with a credit card online is actually safer than giving your credit card information live in a restaurant. But I think everyone worries about the little companies you may deal with online that you never heard of.
Margaret, your son did good! "College Hunks Hauling Junk" was one of my colleague's son's MBA project, and they are now franchising it around the country. And I gotta say, BuySafe sounds like a great serice and a great investment to boot!
Margaret, what a great tool. I'm always worried about buying online. This will help a lot! Thanks!
Margaret--Sounds like BuySafe is a system that is long overdue...Good luck to your son with the Beta test. I will be watching for the logo!
Hi Margaret this is a great thing to pass along to people. The on-line buying can be a real problem if you do not know who you are dealing with and how would you? Nice consumer post.
Morning Margaret,
Thank you for this imformative post. I have bookmarked the site. Have a great day!