I’m sure the first thing I bought online was a book, also, and I’m sure it was from Amazon. I’ve come a long way since then, as I’ve done at least half of my Christmas shopping online in the past four or five years.

I bought my wedding dress on Ebay, a never-worn sample suitable for a second-time bride, for $99 five years ago. Great dress, great price and a great marriage.

People who fear online shopping should spend an hour browsing at their laptop or PC, then compare that to an hour of fighting a surly crowd or cranky clerk at a big-box store or oveheated mall…..

I buy on e-bay sometimes. I have also made other purchases on the internet. I like Kurt was very worried at first. I doubted that I would received what I bought. It came and I was happy. I have only been cheated once. It was a few things that I bought from a site that sold Penguin items. They didn’t ship a pair of Penguin socks that I order along with some other items. When I questioned them, they told me that they were in the box with the other items when it left there. I box was unopened when it arrived. It was their word against mine. I lost. Putting your credit card information on the internet is not much worse than credit card companies sending approved applications with your information printed on the applications. Anyone can get into your mailbox.

I don’t remember my first online purchase, but I know I approached it - and others soon after — with trepidation and a stack of misgivings. There is probably little difference statistically between online and in-person purchasing with regard to the safety of your accounts and credit card information — at least with the reputable online businesses like Amazon and other major retailers. Gradually, I have become more de-sensitized to the dangers, if not more trusting, and my online shoppng has increased significantly over the years.

The problem comes in when dealing we deal with the fly-by-night unknowns who can both materialize and disappear so much more quickly online than can those who must establish a physical address to do business face-to-face. So it makes it incumbent upon us as wary and knowledgeable consumers to be careful with whom we trust with our credit card numbers.

I actually bought a front loading washer and dryer yesterday from Home Depot. I actually can’t believe I did because I am a very hands on/visual type of person and like to touch and see things a couple of feet in front of me. The price on these items was one day on line only and it was a price you couldn’t pass on if in the market for a washer/dryer. I have been pricing these items for a couple months now and the price was one you couldn’t pass on. I didn’t have time to go to the store to see the product as I only found them last night after the stores closed. But I figured a washer/dryer would be a relatively safe purchase on line from a well known “box store”

I purchased an airline ticket - Washington DC to Dallas, TX. Heading to my parent’s home for the holidays.

I bought a chair for my wife from JC Penney. That was about 9 years ago. Now I regulary buy online from ebay, amazon and other online retailers. We did have a credit card number stolen one time, but it was quickly resolved thanks to our banks fraud department.

I can’t remember what or where I bought my first e-purchase, it’s been so long ago. Unfortunately when you live in an area that’s only served by big box stores and mega centers, if they don’t have what you’re looking for, it just doesn’t exist. You have no choice but to buy online or from a catalog. Case in point - I needed a laser printer quickly. The big box store was 30 miles away, so I went to the closer mega center. All they had were four types of ink jet and no laser printers. None of their ink jets were very impressive either. The big box store only had two or three laser printers. So it was either take whatever they have or buy what I really wanted online and get it the next morning or two.

I’ve used online purchasing extensively to buy everything from ethnic foods to whatever I was not satisfied with in local selection. My purchases are backed up through a credit card, so the fraud and purchase protections that are in place with the card extend to the online purchases.

A horror story - I bought something off Ebay and had the seller contact me off the website to ask if I wanted more of what I bought. I said, “sure” and we made a deal. He sent me four boxes of scrap stuff he must’ve had in his garage. Now they’re in mine. Stick with the program and don’t make side deals.

Yes, it was a bad experience… I bought a camcorder that came with a $20.oo coupon to buy something online from the manufacturer. So I used it to buy a bag for the camcorder, followed all the prompts, had to submit a credit card # (for whatever reason) along with the coupon code, and I got a bill on my card for the bag! I could not get any info off the site to rectify the rip-off. Needless to say I am very careful of what I buy online. I only buy things I can’t get in person at a retail outlet, and only from a site that is interactive.

Most online buying is due to laziness, as after you add in the shipping fees…you paid more than if you just went to the store and bought it. convienence has a price!

I think it was Amazon the first time. It’s been a few years. Don’t buy lots of stuff on line but sometimes its the best way to get some items that the stores can’t stock as deep on. Like Ebay. Have had pretty good luck with it. (Pay Pal does offer good protection). I am careful to only use Credit not debit though and only one card so that its easy to control what is out there and I do try only to use sites that I have some idea of their reputation on.
Like all things, must use common sense.

You mean the item I bought that came in the non-descript packaging with no printing? Ooops! I mean, yeah, I think my first online purchase was a book too.