Shopping just a 'click' away

b JenniferCoots assistantperspectives editor every time a member logs on to Amazon, a list of products the usermay be interested in is displayed Auction sites are also available for shoppers who are seeking items that are difficultto locate, are discontinuedor are too costly. The most popular auction site is Ebay.com. which has enjoyed continued popularity and growth.

With tons of convenient online shopping websites to consider when deciding to buy the latest CD, box office hit, Gucci sweater, or Prada handbag, it is tough to decipher which sites are better than others.

However,when shoppers know what they wish to purchase or simply want to browse a wide selection of products, but don't want to travel from shop to shop, deal with traffic,miserable retail workers or weather, with the click of a mouse, they can purchase goods and have them delivered to their home door.

To get a taste of the excitement of online shopping, check out the sites that offer every genre of products. An example of such a site is the ever-popularAmazon.com.

"My wife and I buy a lot of books and videos at Amazon," chemistry professor Dr. Louis Nudy said ''Every time we shopped at other online stores, everythingwas on back order.At Amazon, we always got what we expected."

Aside from Amazon's amazing selectionof everythingfrom electronics,beauty products and automobiles,the site regularly discounts their products. Products sold on Amazon are usually equal or considerablyI~ priced than those sold in retail stores. The security on Amazon.com is also above par. Do not worry about punching in your credit card nwnbers, because unlike other online shopping sites, like Cheaptickets.com,the site allows you to completely erase your card number off of the main database.

Also, if a customer logged onto their account at a publicly shared computer and has forgotten to log off, the next userwill be unable to purchase any items, even though the account is still active.

According to what the user purchasedpreviouslyon the site, working conditions and affirmative action. Production of television and film has been increased over the past few months. Both sides say that this inflation in production is normal this time of year. Entertainment news magazines, such as Entertainment Weekly and Extra, are not so optimistic. According to Entertainment Weekly Online, the effects of the strike on film will not occur until 2002 because of the backup of movies. However, television may be faced with perpetual reruns and previously-run movies as soon as the 2001 fall season.

Ebay was the first auction website to surface,becoming a pioneer in its field and earning respect from online auction gurus. Other online auction sites like Yahoo's Auction and AuctionAddict.comcannot compare to Ebay in tenns of size and product availability.

''I found everything from current concert tickets to vintage items,"junior Patty Boerckel said ''Everything I bid for I received at a great price."

In terms of customer service and satisfaction,Ebay houses a Fraud ProtectionProgram, which protects buyers when they are victims of corrupt sellers and offers a fixed amount of money back to cover seller damages.

Ebay also allows buyers to inspect products firsthandbefore purchasingthem by using the site's SafeHarborescrow service.

Those who are fashion savvy and have some extra disposable income, check out the Saks Fifth Avenue shopping site at Saks.com. This site is for those who cannot make it to the mother of all Saks, the main headquarters in Manhattan, or those who just want to preview the latest styles.

Although Saks sells high-end high-ticketed items, they are notorious for their sales racks, which a selection is easily previewed in the Sales category. Simply point, click and conveniently drop those 50 percent off Donald Pliner boots in your online shopping Saks Bag.

Most major retail stores have online shopping websites that are easily accessibleas well.

Check out: Amazon.com, Cheap~icketS.COII)1·'"}J,~tion,Aqdipt;C<?,lll~Epay.~swu1.~g 1 Saks.com.

If everything goes as planned, an agreement should be reached by the deadline. However, it might be advisable to save that movie money for a DVD-player. Watch the

TV Guide Awards

Wednesday, March 7

8 p.rn.

Fox.

Hosted by The Late Show's Craig KilJ::orn.

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