This is Volume 1 in a series that discusses issues of interest to Internet buyers of Cedar Patio Furniture. In this first installment, we discuss how to ensure that your purchase is safe and secure and your information is protected.

When purchasing patio furniture online, you generally have 2 payment options: 1) Purchasing directly from the webstore or, 2) using PayPal (or other third party payment processor). Each has it's advantages and disadvantages.

Buying directly from the webstore is generally faster and easier if do not already have a PayPal account. Here are 2 tips to ensure that your Visa or Mastercard purchase is stress free:

1) Make sure that the Patio Furniture Retailer uses SSL Technology (or something comparable) - this provides a secure platform for your credit card purchase and,

2) Look for a written guarantee from the retailer that your Patio Furniture purchase is 100% secure. The "About Us" or "FAQ" page on most legitimate Patio Furniture websites will provide this information. If you are not sure, contact the Patio Furniture retailer and ask.

It is important to realize when purchasing Patio Furniture using your Visa or Mastercard directly from a Webstore that most credit card companies offer automatic "protection" (at no cost to you) if a credit charge in fact has not been authorized by you. Call your Credit Card Company and get the facts.

In addition, it is a myth that all webstores from whom you have purchased store your credit card information in their database and are able to use it at will. For example, my Patio Furniture site, http://www.GoCedar.com has absolutely no access to your credit card information even when you purchase directly from us. Your credit card information is transmitted over a secure platform directly to the merchant bank and is stored ONLY on their servers. We cannot access it even if we tried.

For additional protection when purchasing Patio Furniture online, you could use a third party "payment processor" like PayPal. Paypal enables you to keep your financial information private from a Patio Furniture retailer but still make a purchase from their site (of course, the Retailer must offer PayPal as an option). The only downside with PayPal is that you must first set up an account with them in order to use their service. It is relatively painless but it does take a day or so for the account to be approved. For more information, visit www.PayPal.com

K. Snook is the owner and founder of Patio Furniture Internet Retail Site http://www.GoCedar.com