Go Online for a Terrific One-Stop Shopping Experience

online shopping isn't new, but it continues to grow. An increasing number of people are letting their fingers do the clicking rather than head out to the mall or to a specialty store. Moreover, online shoppers are choosing boutique one-stop shopping sites over the Web's traditional e-commerce giants. Why? Because, in doing so, they can support entrepreneurs while taking advantage of wholesale prices and dropship bargains.

What can you find at these one-stop shopping online stores? just about everything. These sites typically have everything from jewelry, electronics, and leather goods to automotive parts, supplies for pets, and toys. And, just like the mega sites, they have brand names in virtually every category imaginable.

You might, for example, find a Magnavox widescreen LCD TV with an integrated dvd player as well as Britney Spears' latest fragrance. You could find novelty items from your favorite sports team along with Olympus digital cameras. Or, you could shop for the latest Xbox 360 game along with a gorgeous pair of designer earrings.

online Buying Tips

How do you choose which online store to patronize? When I'm looking for a site, I first look for selection and brand names. Unless I'm looking for a rare item, I always go for the online store that has at least 5,000 items in stock. Next, I look for organization. I like to shop at sites that organize their items by easy-to-find categories. I don't want pet supplies to pop up when I'm looking for jewelry, or to search for personal electronics and have outdoor furniture appear in my search results.

I'm also a big fan of sites that dropship. When my items come directly from the manufacturer, I find that they arrive faster and in better condition. Plus, since the site doesn't have to worry about stocking inventory, the owners tend to pay more attention to customer service.

Since I'm somewhat of a privacy nut, I prefer to shop on sites that don't sell or disclose my personal information to third parties (other than the shipper) without first giving me the opportunity to prevent my information from being shared.

Security is also extremely important to me, especially since I'm sharing sensitive information like my credit card number. So, before I click, I always make sure the site uses a secure server with encryption technology. If a site accepts PayPal, that's even better.

If you've been stuck in the online mega-store rut, I encourage you to give the smaller one-stop shopping sites a try. You'll likely receive better service, and have an overall better shopping experience.

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Cable Vs. DSL - Which is Better?

As broadband Internet becomes more mainstream, one of the most common questions we get is: which is better, cable or dsl?

The answer to that question is not so definite. Many factors come into play when deciding which high-speed connection to choose. Regardless of which you choose (DSL, cable, or even Satellite) its going to be a ton better (and faster) than that ancient dialup modem youve been using. Not to mention, your Internet experience will be much more enjoyable.

DSL (Digital Subscriber Line)

Just like your existing dialup modem, DSL uses your existing copper wire phone line to deliver data at high speed. To qualify for DSL, you need the following:

- a phone line

- a DSL modem (which normally comes with the service)

- an Ethernet card or an available usb port ( most DSL modems allow both connections, but Ethernet is recommended).

- a phone company (ISP) that is offering DSL service (e.g., Verizon)

One important factor that will influence your DSL connection is the distance between your home or office and the phone companys central office. The farther away you are from the central office, the signal becomes weaker, thus a slower connection. With that said, DSL is not as available widespread compared to cable. Youll need to contact your local phone provider to check availability.

Speed wise, depending on the package you choose, DSL can range from 128 kbps to 3 Mbps. Generally, the faster your connection the more expensive your service will be. You can expect to pay around $25-$30 a month for a 768 kbps connection, which is roughly 13 times faster than a 56k dialup modem.

::Pros::
- Relatively cheaper than cable
- Dedicated line, so speeds are almost guaranteed
- You can talk on the phone at the same time while surfing the net

::Cons::
- Slower speeds compared to cable
- Speeds drop the farther away your home/office is from the central office
- Not available in all areas

cable Internet

cable Internet gets our recommendation. cable, which you can probably already tell, uses the coaxial cable that your television uses. To qualify for cable internet, you need the following:

- a cable modem ( which normally comes with the service)

- an Ethernet card or an available usb port (most cable modems allow both connections, but Ethernet is recommended)

- a cable company offering cable Internet (e.g., Adelphia)

Unlike DSL, cable Internet does not depend on the distance between your home or office and the central office. However, unlike DSL, cable connections are typically shared among your neighbors. Although, most cable companies provide pipelines with huge bandwidth that this rarely becomes an issue.

Speed wise, cable Internet typically ranges from 3 Mbps to 10 Mbps, up to 3-4 times faster than DSL. However, expect to pay more for the service - $40-$50 per month.

::Pros::
- Faster speeds than DSL
- More widespread than DSL
- distance does not affect speed

::Cons::
- More expensive than DSL
- Line is shared with other users

With all that said, you need to think about what type of user you are. If you are a heavy Internet user and downloader, you would highly benefit from a broadband connection. For the light users who use the Internet just to check emails, are probably better off with a dialup. However, if you are willing to splurge some cash on a broadband connection, then by all means, upgrade!

Mark Pascua is the webmaster of PersonalConfuser.net, a computer how-to and tips website.

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