Online identity theft is rampant today. Those who steal personal financial information are highly sophisticated and will take advantage of any purchase made on a site that is not fully secure. Stories of customers who entered financial information online and later found money missing from their bank accounts or massive charges made to their credit cards have caused some consumers to fear buying anything online. The rapid growth of products available for purchase online is due to the low prices and ease of buying through your computer. Low prices online are the norm as virtual merchants do not have to pay high costs of rental or utilities to run their business from a physical address. Major merchants with many stores throughout the country offer special deals to their customers online on special buys and seasonal products. Competition among sellers can often result in free shipping for buyers which make low priced purchases even more appealing.
