Holiday Guide: Online Shopping

Washington Post staff writer Yuki Noguchi was online to host an online holiday shopping discussion. Yuki shared her experiences as a relatively recent Web-commerce inductee in the 2005 Tech Gift Guide .

A transcript follows.

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Yuki Noguchi: Hi, thanks so much for joining me on my chat! I cover consumer technology for the Post. I'm a relative newbie to the online shopping experience, but I invite veterans to offer tips and pointers for other readers. I will try to get answers to questions as we go along. Keep sending in questions and comments!

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Quad Cities, Iowa: I have been tempted to shop online but am hesitant due to the security issues. I'm not worried about someone intercepting my transaction but more that an internet company will fail to safeguard my privacy after the transaction is completed. Is that a realistic concern? How does one deal with it?

Yuki Noguchi: Quad Cities, very good point. I suffer some of the same concerns. I was online last night, comparing comparison shopping sites. I noticed that most offer some system of validating sites where buyers have had good experiences. It's a kind of rating system so, for example, oft-visited and tested sites get good ratings. Also, as you start the buying process, there are somethings that the site should tell you, like whether they have a privacy policy (to prevent a deluge of junk mail), they may ask you for your mother's maiden name, or for the security code on the back of your card...all these things point to having a secure system. You might also see if the site lists a toll-free number for you to call and talk to a sales agent.

Of course, I can't tell you that everything is 100 percent foolproof. So if you're really concerned, you can ask your credit card company whether they offer virtual credit cards. These are dummy numbers they assign to you to mask your actual credit card number, and once your transaction is finished, the dummy number is no longer valid.

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Arlington, Va.: At some level, doesn't online shopping diminish the gift-giving experience? You don't have to put any effort into shopping any more, so the impact of the gift is lessened for the person who receives it and the person who gives it....

Yuki Noguchi: Great point. In fact, I talk about the limits of digitized gift giving in my story. There are some people who care, and some who wouldn't, but if *you* care, you can just have the gifts delivered to you, then repackage them as a real gift. (I've done this.)

I also see how putting in the sweat and effort of pounding the pavement for hard-to-find gifts is also rewarding. I guess it just depends. If you've got a long list, you could knock off some of the obvious ones online

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Alexandria, Va.: Shopping malls have replaced main streets, now your home computer is replacing shopping malls. Are we doomed to live in isolation, except for an occasional visit from the UPS driver?

Yuki Noguchi: I guess that's possible, though I hope not. I'm not a big fan of the mall, either. But consider this: Being able to get most of your shopping done online frees you up to spend more time at the corner coffee shop, chopping firewood, mulling cider, basting turkeys...

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washingtonpost.com: Slow to Convert, A Shopper Warms To Web Bargains

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Burke, Va.: Do you have a dollar cut-off for online purchases? I don't have a problem buying items for under $50, but would rather make larger purchases in person.

Yuki Noguchi: Great question. I guess you need to decide what you're comfortable with. My level keeps ramping up, I must admit. I just spent a lot of money online....more than I care to disclose....and it was fine. But for bigger purchases, like a TV or a computer, it might put your mind at ease if you check it out at a store before buying it. As I mention in my story, returning things can be enough of a hassle that it's not worth the amount of savings you might make by buying online.

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Annapolis, MD: Hi, Yuki. I also consider myself a "newbie." I was curious, are your readers finding that the "Black Monday" deals are as good as the "Black Friday" in-store specials that take place so early in the morning? Thanks!

Yuki Noguchi: That's a good question. My readers haven't told me yet what they've found. But I was just trying to figure that out myself, shopping for a gift for my Dad last night. It would take a lot of in-store shopping to know for sure. If I were you, I'd adopt a hybrid strategy. Comparison shop online first, take down a list of prices for the items you think you want, then hit a couple of stores and see if they're matching or beating it. Let me know!

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Too Close to Pentagon City: What do you think the shopping landscape will look like in five years? 10? 20? Will we just walk past a poster and say, "I'll take two," and it reads our account info off the RFID chip implanted in our scapulas?

Yuki Noguchi: Very funny. And possible. I write about cell phones, too, and cell phone companies are coming out with technology that allows you to scan in products by taking a photo of the bar code on products, posters, etc. So you could actually walk around, scan bar codes of items you want, and take one more step out of the buying experience.

I'm still waiting for technology that implants the cell phone chip subcutaneously. No joke: They do do that in some places with RFID chips.

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Annapolis, MD: As far as security online....I've been shopping online since maybe 1997. You want to know your CC company's policy, and I keep a separate one for online transactions, only. Just in case anything would happen, I still have a CC in my wallet to use for gas and stuff. Also--when you're ordering from someone other than a major retailer, you can Google to see if anyone else has had issues. I also read once that it adds legitimacy if the site has physical address/phone info available.....

I've (knock on wood...) not been burned yet. I also do a lot of ebay-ing.

Yuki Noguchi: Here's one reader's perspective on security. Thanks for the tip!

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Potomac, MD: What kind of protections do Ebay buyers have? For example, if I use Paypal echeck to pay for my Ebay purchase, does Paypal offer some sort of buyer guard against fraud?

Yuki Noguchi: Excellent question. I will try to get you a more complete answer, but for now, here is what I found on PayPal's Web site:

The Resolution Team

If a buyer files a dispute with PayPal through the online Resolution Center, our Resolution Team will review and help both buyer and seller work toward a resolution so that the buyer does not file a chargeback. In many cases, our team's mediation expertise can resolve a dispute quickly and fairly so that both parties feel satisfied. PayPal is the only online financial service that provides arbitration free of charge.

If arbitration fails and the buyer decides to file a chargeback against you, PayPal is there to help. Our specialized team will review your case and work with you to ensure you have the best possible chance of winning a fraudulent chargeback. PayPal will ask you for information regarding the transaction and use it as evidence when disputing the chargeback with the credit card company. You're much more likely to win a fraudulent chargeback dispute with PayPal's team of experts on your side. Plus, you'll save time and frustration by letting us handle most of the work.

In addition to our Resolution Team, PayPal also provides an online Resolution Center so you can monitor PayPal's progress as we work to resolve the chargeback. And what's more, if the disputed transaction automatically qualifies for the PayPal Seller Protection Policy, you're covered for up to $5,000.00 USD per year.

The Web address for that site is:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=p/gen/protections-outside

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Arlington, Va.: What if you don't know what you want to buy someone? What's the best way online (if any) to duplicate the experience of finding a truly knowledgeable and helpful staff member at a bricks-n-mortar store?

Yuki Noguchi: Even if you don't know what you want to buy, the Internet can be a good place for random surfing. Let's say, for example, you think you might buy a jacket for someone. Or a bike. Surfing the Internet for me is like browsing a library that can help you narrow your options. What kind of jacket? Ski? suede? One with a protective waterproof layer? What are the range of prices for each? Same goes for the bike: There are so many kinds of bikes out there, it can help you figure out whether what you think you'd want is even in your price range, for example.

Also, in terms of online support, some companies are getting good at offering instant-messaging with customer service people. This allows you to send messages real time with someone, as if you were on the phone. But to be honest, I don't see that at most sites. I usually look for a toll-free number or a store location to call to see if I can talk my way through a concern. Let's face it, finding a truly knowledgable staff person is going to be hard, whether we're in a real or virtual store...

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Arlington, Va.: Do big name department stores have better deals online than in their physical stores? or do I need to learn to trust random websites if I want to save money?

Yuki Noguchi: Sometimes they do, just like airlines and car rental places sometimes offer better discounts online. Remember, the Internet is a lot lower cost for stores, because they can ship it to you directly from a warehouse, without having to make it look pretty in a store.

As for transacting with a web site you've never heard of, I won't say you have to do anything. As discussed earlier, though, there are ways to reassure yourself that you're still doing business with a reputable site.

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DuBois, Pa.: I gather Birkenstocks are still popular. Who should get Birkenstocks?

Yuki Noguchi: Ha! I bought Birkenstocks for a friend of mine recently, but he's from the Northwest, where Birkenstocks are always in style (I gather). I would not say that he's the arbiter of what's popular or stylish, though.

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Annapolis, MD: The problem is that "Black Monday" takes place after "Black Friday," so it would be hard to have a pre-Black Friday comparison of the best online deals. (Of course, this assumes that the best online deals take place on Black Monday.)

Yuki Noguchi: Yes, and the problem is that I'm not sure the Internet makes much of a distinction between days to begin with....

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Northern Virginia: What about eBay? They're making a big TV ad push to remind people that you can do your holiday shopping there, too. But it's never a sure thing when you have to engage in combat to get the perfect gift.

Yuki Noguchi: The online auction does add an element of sport to the holiday shopping experience. Are there any readers out there who can offer us tips on how to (comfortably, successfully) incorporate the auction process into the shopping routine?

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Blacksburg, VA: I disagree that online shopping diminishes the gift-giving experience. I think it's the thought that counts rather than the pain endured by the purchaser (traffic, crowds, aggravation). As a recipient who cares about the person buying a gift for me, I would rather have the shopper suffer less than more!

As someone who has bought nearly all gifts online for the last 5 years, I feel that my gifts are better than they would have been had I purchased them at the store. I have more time to think about the individual and find exactly the gift I think they'd like, as opposed to being limited to what I run across in a mall. I can also use other customers' feedback to make sure it is something that is actually useful and doesn't have some unanticipated flaw.

Yuki Noguchi: Excellent point, Blacksburg. It depends on how much you enjoy the crowds, the mall, the repetitive carols...

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Online vs. Physical Store FYI: Once, I was at a Circuit City to buy a TV and ended up having my wife who was at home purchase it online to save few bucks (20-50?)and then I immediately picked it up in the store.

Yuki Noguchi: Great. That underscores the point about online offering some cost benefits...

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Bethesda, Md.: For a while now, I've found fun gifts on sites like redenvelope.com and uncommongoods.com can you recommend other sites that might have unique gifts that I wouldn't necessarily find on my trip to the mall.

Yuki Noguchi: Interesting....You've been able to replicate the window shopping experience online. I haven't, actually. I find that I do a lot more by searching for product, either by product name, or by general product category.

Does anyone have any advice on how to generate more good-gift serendipity while online?

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Annapolis, MD: Buying gifts on ebay, you have to know what you want. With new items, it's a matter of bookmarking a bunch of the same item, and waiting for the right price. You can do this with books, too, even out of print ones, sometimes.

With vintage or antique, it is almost a crap shoot. But, if you lurk there long enough, you see patterns, and it starts to make sense. I've been avidly using ebay since 1997 or so, mostly with vintage/antique dolls, textiles, jewelry, books, and electronic parts.

The Buy-it-now option also removes the competition. However, in that case you have to evaluate for yourself what is a good price, rather than having the market determine it. You can search a category by 'auction' vs. Buy-it-now.

Just remember, if the seller doesn't state a shipping/handling amount, that cost is variable, as well. I once had a $20 shipping charge for a small $12 item that could've shipped in a $4 priority mail box, because the seller insisted on using overnight mail. Most sellers will at least give you an estimate if you email and ask, if it's not already stated.

Yuki Noguchi: Thanks, Annapolis! I am not yet versed in eBay buying/selling, but these are all good points.

Also, before buying I would check how other buyers have evaluated the seller. eBay assigns an approval rating based on other buyers' experiences.

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Washington D.C.: Hi Yuki! I bought a Toshiba TV from Dynaco on E-Bay which they advertised as "Brand New Factory Sealed." The VCR function did not work, it was damaged in 2 exterior places AND...the packing consisted of old Pioneer Stereo cardboard cartons stuffed in a Toshiba box. Do I have any options to make this right? We did Ebay's "arbitrator" thing and Dynaco offered me $27! I passed. Wrote Toshiba but no answer. (Wasn't a bid, it was a "Buy It Now" purchase.) Thanks!

Yuki Noguchi: So sorry! That sounds like your basic online auction nightmare. I'm still working on trying to get answers to queries like this.

Did you, by any chance, see how other buyers rated this seller?

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Annapolis, MD: Some of the gifts for sale at www.thehungersite.com are nice--I've only ordered a couple, but am waiting for a recent order. Interesting things, most fair-trade imported, etc. And it benefits hunger.....

Yuki Noguchi: Excellent point. That's another feature that some Web sites offer, which is the opportunity to give some of the profits directly to a charity.

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Washington, DC: What about the unique quotient of online shopping? Surely it is much easier to find a truly unique gift in the realm of cyberspace than retail. It was higly unlikely that I would run across a jade coiled snake bracelet in the mall or even in an open air market. Online shopping allows you to be much more specific. I'm good at brainstorming but terrible at the search, and the searching is easier online.

Yuki Noguchi: True. There are lots of artists, small artisans that might be selling their goods online...hundreds of miles from where you are.

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Annapolis, MD....: With respect to ebay:

There are different levels of protection for buyers and sellers, via ebay, PayPal, and your credit card company. Make sure you read fine print before filing anything--I believe a denial from your CC company may negate Ebay's and PayPal's protection, etc. Just be careful to go through proper channels. And I also believe it's got to be over a $25 transaction to qualify for any of that.

You've also got to read feedback--often that gives a clue to the seller's nature....even look at the wording, as some people are scared to give negatives.

Yuki Noguchi: I still have a call out to try to answer the Toshiba TV question. This reader seems to be speaking from experience.

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To Arlington re: "Diminished" experience: Hey, dude, I HATE to shop, and detest the mall experience. If my sister likes Talbot's sweaters, I can buy it online a lot easier than running to the mall, and with a lot less aggravation.

Yuki Noguchi: I'm sympathetic to both sides. Not a big fan of the mall, but like the "high" you get when you stumble across the perfect gift and can come home with it right away.

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Annapolis, MD: With regard to the TV ebay transaction--there are several tiers to problem solving on ebay. I haven't been through them, but it's all very specific. I have a good friend who went through it with a very expensive item and finally had it made right.

If it was a buy-it-now credit card transaction, there's likely recourse through the CC company.

Yuki Noguchi: Thanks!

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Yuki Noguchi: Thanks for all the questions and comments. Sorry for the ones I couldn't get to. I will try to find the answers, anyway, and will keep you posted in the pages of the paper or in next year's chat. I really appreciate your time and feedback!

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