Techno Tips
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By Elliot Otchet
Information Systems '95
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My girlfriend and I saw the Broadway musical Rent while it was playing at the
Mechanic Theatre www.the mechanic.org. After the show,
I wanted to listen to the music again. So I bought the CD. Except I didn't pay
the $32.97 list price. I found a copy on the Internet at Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
for about 30 percent less.
I had visited Amazon before to buy books for work, but never for music. I had previously registered for a service from them called "1-click ordering." All I had to do was search the site for the CD using their keyword search button and click a button on my screen indicating I wanted the CD. Amazon already had my credit card number and shipping address on file and two days later, the CD arrived in my mailbox. It really was that easy. There were no lines to wait in, no return trips
to pick up a "special order."
Shipping Charge
You really didn't think that shopping online was without catches, did you? Well, you're right. One of the most common online charges not experienced in a store is the shipping charge. For my CD it added an additional $2.95
to the total order price. You can expect the charges for shipping to be similar
to what mail order catalogs will charge.
Tax Free (Right Now)
One of the costs you don't have to pay right now (in some states) is sales tax.
+ The government is giving this new "net economy" time to develop before adding any taxes to the merchandise. Thinking about buying a new PC? Visit your local computer store, find what you like and hit the Internet. In Maryland, that's a five percent savings. Some things like cars and investments are not tax-free.
What You Can Buy Online
Almost anything that can be shipped can be purchased online. Want to go grocery shopping? Get all your
non-perishable food at the Net Grocer www.netgrocer.com. Bank online at www.netbank.com. Buy and sell stock at www.etrade.com. Want to buy a car? You can do
that too www.autobytel.com, but
unfortunately that's not tax exempt.
Note about Privacy and Security
Whenever you provide sensitive information to a website, make sure your
connection is secure. Browsers like Netscape Communicator or Microsoft Internet
Explorer both indicate your connection is secure by using a small gold, locked
padlock icon at the bottom of your screen. This means your browser's connection
to the site is encrypted. Never provide sensitive information, such as a credit
card, social security number or driver's license number over an unencrypted
connection. For more information on Internet privacy, visit www.truste.org.
Elliot Otchet is a senior consultant with Netscape Communications Corp. in Bethesda, MD.
He can be reached at ellioto@netscape.net or
people.netscape.com/ellioto.
+Check with your state's comptroller office or certified public accountant to see if your purchases are subject to state sales tax.
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