With the invention of the internet buying goods has become even simpler and certainly in some cases cheaper. In fact when it comes to shopping online there are thousands of places from which you can buy a variety of goods from. However, as well as having its advantages there are disadvantages one needs to be aware of and which can cause you problems.

As well as buying from online stores you can purchase items through auction sites as well. However, in this article we take a look at just a few things you can do to prevent yourself ending up buying the wrong thing or not receiving what it is you purchased at all.

Tip 1 Be wary of those online shopping sites that use PO Boxes or based abroad. With these kinds of sites if you have a problem or something goes wrong it may well be more difficult to contact them.

Tip 2 It is important that when buying any goods you know exactly all the costs relating to it. Not just how much the product is itself, but if there are going to be any costs relating to insurance, taxes, shipping and handling which the seller will add on as extra items on to the price of the item you are purchasing.

Tip 3 You need to know exactly what it is you are buying, so it is crucial that you read the description provided by the seller. Therefore if you are buying something new you won't be misled into buying something which has been reconditioned refurbished or has been used previously.

Tip 4 It is crucial that you keep your credit card details safe. If any site asks for you to provide prove of who you are then move onto another site and do not use the one you are at currently.

Tip 5 Make sure that you retain receipts and records of every purchase that you make online, plus copies of any terms and conditions which apply to the product that you have purchased.

Above we have shown you some of the basics when it comes to buying goods online and which will save you a lot of heartache and money in the future. However, when it comes to shopping online at auction sites such as eBay there are certain other things you need to take into consideration also.

Tip 6 Before you place a bid for any items on eBay it is worth doing some research into them so that you can actually compare the price that they are offering the goods for against what they would be usually. Normally this will only take you a few minutes to complete and could end up saving you quite a bit of money in the long run.

Tip 7 Once you have found an item that you are interested in bidding on check out the seller buy going through the feedback received from others who have purchased from them. Although there rating may be good it is only by reading through the feedback can you truly get a feel for what kind of service this seller does offer to their customers.

Tip 8 It is best if you bid for items which actually have pictures of the goods displayed on the page along with a description. This way you get a first hand view of what the goods really are like and don't be afraid to request more from the seller if unsatisfied with what they have already.

Tip 9 You need to spend time reading through the auction details including whether they have a minimum bidding limit on them or not. Normally those where a minimum bidding limit has been set are going be the types of items which would cost you the same in store. Also look for products where the seller offers a returns policy on them.

Tip 10 When it comes to paying for goods whether it be through eBay or through other websites then it is worthwhile setting up a PayPal account. Not only is it free to sign up to but is proving now to be one of the safest and securest ways for people to make payments online when shopping.

Above we have provided just a number of tips when you are going to be shopping online. Certainly the main advantage to shopping from home through the internet whether for your groceries or for much larger items such as TV's and furniture you can do it all from the comfort of your own chair. No longer do you need to traipse from one store to the next finding what you want just log onto the various websites you are interested in and see if they have the goods you want. Also this way you can quickly compare costs and see just where you are going to be able buy it more cheaply.