Over 114 million people will shop online this month, if you're going to be one of them or if youre thinking about testing the waters, here are some things to consider.

Never do your online shopping at a cybercafé or public library. Make sure you are in a secure environment.

Know who you are doing business with. Has the website provided contact information, such as the physical address of the business, phone and fax numbers, email addresses? This is important if something goes wrong like your package doesn't arrive or your credit card is charged incorrectly.

Are the goods or services you are buying clearly described and exactly what you want? Make sure it is compatible with something else you may already have.

Do your homework; comparison shop before buying, especially with consumer electronics. There are many sites such as Froogle and Pricegrabber that will show you competing prices. (be advised that merchants pay these sites to list their products) I like to "google" the manufacturer, product name and part number followed by "reviews" to get a list of sites where my fellow consumers have rated the item I'm interested in. Sometimes a good deal really isn't.

Be clear about the final cost and that shipping and handling costs have been included. (Note: pay attention to what state the merchant is located in. If you live in a state where they do not do physical business you can avoid paying sales tax which saves you even more – combine that with free shipping and it can be a sweet deal.)

You should have an expected delivery date so that you know when to start following up if it hasn't arrived. Lots of merchants are offering free shipping over a certain dollar amount. This is normally ground shipping which will take longer. On average, you need to order by December 20, 2009 to get your purchase in time for Christmas so plan accordingly. You can save some serious money with free shipping. Most will ship directly to your gift recipient, saving you even more.

Make sure your order is correct before you hit the submit button. Print out and keep the receipt.

Do not use your debit card online. It is much, much easier to dispute a purchase with a credit card company with little or no out-of-pocket expense to you.

Make sure that your online payment by credit card is secure. Many online payment systems use secure sockets layer (SSL). The site should tell you that you are entering a secure online environment before you start to provide your credit card details. Usually an unbroken key or lock will appear in the bottom of your browser window to indicate you are sending information via a secure connection, or the web address will begin with https//:

Most reputable websites have privacy policies stating how they will deal with personal information. It's important that you read these policies as your name and email address could end up on spam lists.

Don't turn up your nose at items listed as refurbished or factory reconditioned. You can really save money, especially on computers and consumer electronics. Check the product description and see if it says Factory Reconditioned or if there is a factory direct warranty, it just might be worth it. My Gateway reconditioned desktop computer is still going strong with no problems after four years and I got a one year Kodak warranty with my refurbished digital camera. Stay away from refurbished laptops however.

Some brick and mortar stores likeBest Buy will let you order online and pick up your item at one of their stores near you. This is great for saving time and gas, knowing ahead of time that an item is in stock and will be there waiting for you to pick up.

When signing up for a site to shop with or during the checkout process make sure you “uncheck” any boxes that sign you up for email, special offers etc. This will protect your email address from winding up on yet another spam list.

I've been shopping online since 1996 and have yet to have a problem with any purchase. But as with any purchase you make, let the buyer beware!

Should you ever experience any problem with an online merchant, be sure to follow up right away and have your documentation ready. If you cannot get satisfaction, don't hesitate to file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbbonline.org

Shop smart, save money and have fun!