My Urban Garden Deco Guide

As promised, first a quick update on www.OutdoorzGallery.com, run by Beth Boutry and Deborah Sommers which opened earlier this fall  > It has now become an actual company, which is good news  ...though their terms and conditions really need to be read if you shop their cool pieces .

I would certainly not be satisfied  with them given the high ticket value of the products sold, the international nature of the orders and the fact they have no real control it seems over the stock amongst other things.
I hope that these  terms of business will indeed evolve as the company grows.

This inspires me to encourage checking your transactions are really safe and your guarantees are meaningful.

As the holiday season approaches, I am concerned over the issue of security of transactions in online shopping. I was defrauded recently so I learnt to be a little more cautious.The police told me fraud was up 60 % in the past quarter...

A few tips from someone who did not follow them:

> Really check terms and conditions in full- however dull and boring that is ! Ask yourself if these seem to be designed to protect you first or the seller only?
> Though the recession seems to be behind us, many online stores are going bust: check what would happen if your provider went out of business?
> Are they in control of stocks they sell etc...? If they do not you are at increased risk something goes wrong as more people in the process can drop the ball.
> Does the 'store' comply with general online standards and are they a member or an affiliates of regulatory bodies? Remember this is key if a dispute happens > you will have some kind of possible leverage ensuring things are put right.
> Do they have the 'safe to trade' icons such as ?

> Remember that guarantees are only as good as are your ability to enforce them:
If you shop a piece from the comfort of your Nantucket home ...and the company is based in Europe : how will you enforce your rights?

A great example of a well managed online store  is http://www.madeindesign.com/