More than 2,000 companies carry the BBBOnLine seal of approval for reliability and ethical business practices. And a second program is being launched to certify companies that pledge to protect the privacy of personal data. Price competition is heating up. That makes it more price-sensitive. Books and recorded music are among the most competitively priced goods on the Internet.
Some sites offer free shipping of big-ticket items or purchases over a certain amount.
Many sites don't charge sales tax, and Congress has imposed a three-year moratorium on new state and local Internet taxes. Get ready for a whole new shopping experience. Holiday shoppers who got fed up with standing in line and dealing with surly sales clerks will become loyal online customers, predicts Maria Latour Kadison, a senior analyst with Forrester Research. But Web retailers don't have a lock on good service. New technology will personalize online shopping.