SORTPRICE HOLIDAY SEASON SAFETY TIPS™

NEW YORK, N.Y., December 04, 2007 -- Shopping may be therapeutic and often times regarded as a celebratory experience enjoyed by savvy, brick and mortar, consumers who relish the thoughts of a great find. In most situations, shopping gurus find themselves beaming with pride on their latest bargain acquisition. Shopping has morphed into a hunting competition and an art form, survived only by the most tenacious of shoppers who brave the rush in search of the undiscovered treasure.

As more retailers transition into the online landscape, the battleground has shifted. E-tailers have scrambled for brand recognition and site visitors by enticing consumers with exclusive discounts available only online, to the latest trends and best bargains.

With this paradigm shift and the growing confidence in internet shopping, consumers have started to do most of their purchases on the web. Unfortunately, the prevalence of fraud and identity theft has accompanied this sudden surge on online purchases.

The Holiday Season, in particular, is the time of the year when digital thieves come in hordes, lurking to prey on their latest victim. In this regard, Sortprice has created the Holiday Season Safety Tips and Smart Shopping E-Checklist, to help guide even the most knowledgeable shopper.

	Be wary of emails, including those from seemingly reputable merchants, requesting for disclosure or confirmation of personal information.
	This is a method known as "Phishing." Spoofed E-mails as otherwise known, is one of the fastest growing forms of online fraud and identity theft. The sender dispatches an e-mail with a link to a fraudulent website that looks like the real online merchant site.
	The best way to guard against this ploy is to type directly the URL or Web Address on the Internet Browser area. Then, contact customer service by phone, email, and/or fax to validate the email request received.
	Do not provide any Personal or Account Information, including social security number, birth date, address, phone number, bank information and passwords to an unknown and unverified entity.
	Provision of information should be carried out only in person and upon verification of the merit of the need for such disclosure. Do not provide any information, including to verified financial or other related institutions, unless absolutely necessary.
	Shop only at Certifiable Secured Sites. Check Sortprice Smart Shopping E-Checklist
	Carefully Review the E-tailer Terms and Conditions as well as Return Policy
	Order in Advance and Provision for Lead Time to accommodate possible holiday shopping shipping delays
	Check Stock Availability and Confirm Inventory prior to Order Placement
	Check E-tailer Delivery Guaranty and Confirm E-tailer Delivery with a Written Guarantee
	Review Order Details including Quantity, Description, Unit Price, Freight, Handling, Applicable Taxes, Transaction Total, and Shipping Information

SORTPRICE SMART SHOPPING E-CHECKLIST™

	Check out Sortprice.com and perform multiple e-tailer product comparisons in one integrated screen for navigational ease, cost-saving measure, and time efficiency
	Side-by-Side Price Comparison Side-by-Side Style Comparison Side-by-Side Brand Comparison
	Peruse Sortprice enhanced search and display features to optimize research experience
	"Shop, Drag, and Drop" Feature       A uniquely designed Sortprice feature that provides the flexibility to move an item with ease by simply clicking on the image, dragging it to the left column, navigational side of the page, and dropping the selection in the area     Side-by-Side Comparison       A powerful Sortprice feature designed to allow users to compare products, prices, styles and brands instantaneously in a single screen     Magnification Tool       An enhancement tool that allows an enlarged view of the image by simply placing the mouse over the magnifier     Multiple Search Option       Search by Price Range Sort by Price Sequential Order Keyword Search     Product List E-mail Sharing       An email feature that allows site users to share their item selection with others
	Review E-tailer Information
	Check out e-tailer reputation from various sources, whenever available       Keep an open mind when reading the overall performance and transactional reviews available from varied sources.     Check e-tailer method of contact including address, email, phone, and/or fax
	Check out Trust Marks, Seals, or Certifications to ensure secure shopping
	Check out the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or as commonly referred to as the website or webpage address.       Sites or Pages that require an SSL connection starts with https:// instead of http:// The "s" indicates that the website or web page is secure.     Check for the Security Key or Closed Padlock Symbol, traditionally found at the browser's toolbar or at the bottom of the screen       It symbolizes that the site has implemented a security measure, referred to as Secure Socket Layer (SSL). SSL are cryptographic protocols designed to provide security in online communication by encrypting private data transmitted over the internet.       If the padlock is open, do not send in any information, financial or otherwise. Furthermore, even in a secure site, do not send in any information more than the warranted prerequisites to complete the transaction.     Check out SSL Certificate or Seal       The SSL Certificate resides on a secure server and helps confirm the site ownership, certificate holder, certifying authority, and country issued in. There are two (2) ways to obtain certification, from a Certified Vendor or through Self-Certification. Some of the popular vendors are VeriSign™, Thawte™, GeoTrust™, Comodo™, Go Daddy™, and Entrust™.
	Check for Sortprice Certified Merchant (SCM) Seal
	SCMs are e-tailers who have passed the rigorous Sortprice Merchant Review Process based on strict guidelines, including but not limited to, multiple payment forms and shipping methods
	Check Payment Options
	Credit Card Debit Card Paypal   Check Money Order Wire Transfer Cash
	Use Credit Card instead of Debit Card, if you have an option between the two (2) payment methods and refrain from paying by Money Order, Wire Transfer, Check or Cash, if possible. Apart from "Dispute Claim Procedures" are commonly in place with Credit Card Service Providers, the protection has been usually weaker with Debit Cards in the past.
	Check Shipping Policy prior to order placement
	Freight Cost Handling Charge Applicable Taxes
	Check the Terms and Conditions of E-tailers. Read the Fine Prints.
	GUARANTEES:       Check out Price Matching Policy Check Price Guarantee Policy, in the event of a Merchandise Listing Error       WARRANTIES:       Review the Warranties. See if the e-tailer warranty applies or if the item is sold "As is" Review the Warranty Procedure Check for an assumption of responsibility of the consumer, if any, on the merchantability of the goods upon transit.       Review the extent of responsibility of the e-tailer upon shipment, if the consumer would assume the risk of damage or loss of goods, once the merchandise is in transit.       RETURNS:       Check for Ease in Returns Check Refundable Amount Check Number of Days Allowed for Returns Check General Return Procedure in reference to the following:       Return Authorization Number (RA#) Return Department and Address Packaging and Shipping Labels     Check Return Policy on opened merchandise Check Return Policy on defective products Check Return Policy on merchandise with free shipping, if applicable charges apply, including defective items Check for Restocking Fees on any type of returns
	Print a copy of the transaction for record and reference purposes
	Check out E-tailer Privacy and Security Policies
	Information Details Collected Use of Collected Information Disclosure of Collected Information
	Review Account Statements, including Credit Card and Bank Records to ensure accuracy in transaction details
	Obtain Periodic Credit Report
	Check out for Computer Operating System Updates and Patches
	Check out for availability or update of Anti-Virus, Anti-Spyware, and Firewall Protection

	Use letters and numbers
	Use a combination of lower and upper cases
	Use words not found in dictionaries
	Use uncommon names, when utilizing one
	Use special characters, if allowed
	Use maximum allowable characters
	Use preferably different passwords for each sign-up
	Refrain from using birth dates, social security numbers, address, phone # or other identifiable personal information
	Change passwords as often as possible, preferably once a month
	Remember your password. Keep it in a safe place

*Sortprice, Sortprice Holiday Season Safety Tips, Sortprice Smart Shopping E-Checklist, and Sortprice Smart Shopping Password Security Guidelines are trademarks of Sortprice, Inc.
**VeriSign, Thawte, GeoTrust, Comodo, Go Daddy, and Entrust are trademarks of their respective companies.