I just ran across this interesting web site that shows the dark side of the Internet in real graphic photos.

The author posts photos of Brooklyn storefronts where you were considering purchasing your little electronic and photo goodies from. Its rather revealing. And it made me change my mind about a purchase I was going to make (not just because of the photo of the graffitti-laden ghetto storefront, but to discover the mailbox doesn't exist, and where its listed is a housing project!).

Of course I can't vouche for the credibility of this website either (he claims it was featured in the New York Times...but how do we know he isn't a big corporate competitor?). However, it does make you think about where you're purchasing from and makes you realize its important to be cautious.

Enjoy,

Greg

Isn't one of the key reasons why folks run into problems when ordering from an online store that they throw all their "real-world" common sense overboard? Or maybe they have not developed common sense in the digital realm, yet.

Some of the stories we get to hear about online purchase misery remind me of that trenchcoat-wearing guy from Sesame Street who's trying to sell letters to Ernie: if some stranger would walk up to you in the street, open his shabby trench coat to offer you a digital camera at 20% list price, but without original packaging, manuals, or receipt, and without giving you his phone number or address, then (hopefully...) the vast majority would just utter a sarcastic "yeah, rrrrrright!", and walk on.

If, however, people come across a shabby Web site that does not list any phone number or address, but offers some hot piece of gear for a "super-low-low price with free shipping anywhere in the lower 49", the very same people often go for it.
On the other hand, though, I do think that an online retailer can provide a great buying experience, even if they reside in a building that looks somewhat run-down from the outside. So it is, indeed, a challenge to find a trust-worthy supplier by judging from the Web site alone.

Consequently, I'd file this kind of problem in the same drawer as phishing, Nigeria scams, etc.: the majority of (non-geek) Internet users just don't have developed the digital literacy required to properly gauge what a scam email is really about, and which scam-like emails may be perfectly legitimate. Along the same lines, users need to develop a sense of what stores you can trust, what elements must be found on the site as indications (postal address and phone numbers are a MUST), which forums others use to exchange experiences with retailers, how to find out the registered owner of a website, etc.

Quite a challenge. But having sites like the one you linked to as _one_ point of reference definitely is a step in the right direction.

John, I think one difference between the online world and the real world is that there are less sensory cues online so its a bit easier to be deceived - just as its easier to create misunderstandings with e-mail than with a face-to-face conversation.

The good news about shady web retailers is that although you might get ripped off, you can't get mugged as you might in the real world. So this aspect of the internet invites people to be a bit more adventurous, outspoken and careless than they might be in the real world - which can be both good and bad. The virtual distance gives people a sense of protection as does being inside of a car in the real world. I meet about as many trolls online as I do bad drivers on the highway. Yet, when I meet people face-to-face, I the number of trolls and bad people I meet seem much fewer. This would make an interesting psychology study for an inquisitive student.

Despite my warning though, I've never ever had a problem ordering online that I wasn't able to resolve. Although I do tend to be rather cautious about where I purchase. Also, when purchasing from smaller sellers, it sometimes helps to have a larger company in between such as Amazon or eBay as they can be of help if you need to resolve disputes.

Good point, Gregory, which, in my humble opinion, underlines the importance of teaching "the users" how to find and interpret those (possibly very few) clues that do exist, e.g., the lack of a postal address.



That's a very interesting aspect that hadn't crossed my mind yet.