Let the buyer beware used to be the rule of thumb when purchasing an item. These days, that rule seems to be changing a bit as consumers become more savvy in their purchasing decisions. I'd have to say the trend is for the buyer to be aware.
The Internet/World Wide Web has the potential to be one of the greatest boons for consumers of all time. Buyers can sit in the comfort of their home or office viewing a massive pool of resources available on commercial online services and the Net to compare prices, get product specs and avoid scams.
I have put together a few sites that you should visit and bookmark. Frequent visits will no doubt help you in your research
The first site is found on America Online and Compuserve: Consumer Reports. This sort of consumer bible, is available on America Online at keyword: Consumer; and on CompuServe at Go Consumer. Back issues are available as well as the ability to search for information on specific products in categories such as automotive, electronics, computers, finance, home and health.
The Internet has an array of consumer resources. The best place to start your search for specific information is Consumer World (http://www.consumerworld.org), an index with links to more than 600 consumer sites. The index is divided into categories such as Consumer Agencies, Money & Credit, and Travel & Entertainment.
If you are planning on buying computer products and want to compare prices then check out TechPrice (http://www.techweb.com/shopper/price/), a joint venture of CMP Media and Price Watch. Tell TechPrice what kind of product you're interested in, and it'll sift through a database of more than 38,000 items to compile a list of models-from least to most expensive-that fit your criteria.
Those seeking information buying a car should head over to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's site (http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov) for the latest information on recalls, crash test ratings, and theft statistics for specific makes and models.
Another good site for auto buying information is CAR-LIST (http://www.car-list.com/)gives you information on a variety of new and used vehicles. You can search for cars by make and model, or use the on-line calculator to figure your loan payments out.
If you're worried about becoming the victim of a scam or of being cheated, the Advertising Law Internet Site (http://www.webcom. com/~lewrose/home.html), created by a Washington attorney, has 111 Federal Trade Commission brochures on topics such as how to avoid various kinds of consumer fraud (including credit-repair scams), how to choose a credit card, and what to do if you lose a card.
If you've already become a victim of fraud, you can file a complaint online by visiting the national site of the Better Business Bureau (http://www.bbbonline.org/council/main/index.html ). Your grievance will be forwarded to the Better Business Bureau office serving your area.
Bank Rate Monitor Infobank (http://www.bankrate.com) lets you keep tabs on interest rates, mortage rates and other financial happenings.
The Consumer Information Center (http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/) is a government-created site that has everything from what car-seat is safe for your child to latest information on how to avoid cyberscams.
Consumer World (http://www.consumerworld.org)An index of some 1,200 consumer sites on the Web shows you where to get information on the latest product recalls, discounts on travel, bargains on computers and much more.
The Federal Trade Commission has a nice site at (http://www.ftc.gov/).
Financenter (http://www.financenter.com/)Shopping for a mortgage? Some 35 on-line calculators help you sort out the options. You can even apply on-line.
Homebuyer's Fair (http://www.homefair.com)First-time home buyers will find excellent advice here as well as links to other real-estate pages. Relocating? A unique calculator tells you how much you'll have to earn in your new area to maintain your current standard of living.
Homes & Land Publishing (http://www.homes.com)Thousands of houses from 250 metro-area real-estate magazines are listed here-complete with color photos of their exteriors.
Legal dot Net (http://www.legal.net/)If you're seeking counsel, this site has articles and columns on the law, a live forum where you can discuss legal issues, and links to hundreds of attorneys' sites and other legal resources on the Web.
National Fraud Information Center (http://www.fraud.org/)Thanks to the National Consumers League, you can learn about fraudulent schemes to avoid, or warn others about any you may have uncovered.
Nolo Press Self-Help Law Center (http://www.nolo.com/) is packed with valuable articles on the law as it relates to intellectual property, estate planning, money matters,going to court and much more.
Nonprofit Resources Catalogue (http://www.clark.net/pub/pwalker)If you want to learn how to contact a specific organization or where to send a donation for disaster relief, this index has links to hundreds of nonprofit groups and resources on the Web.
These are just a small tip of a very large number of icebergs that make up the information available on the Internet/World Wide Web. You can always go to one of the major search engines on the World Wide Web, such as Alta Vista, Excite, Lycos or Yahoo, and enter your desired topic. The results will give you a list of sites related to your chosen topic that you can visit by clicking on the url. |
