Six Rules for Smart Online Shopping

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Unscrupulous sellers have been known to lure bidders off auction sites to do business via personal e-mail. Although auction and flea-market sites don't have comprehensive consumer protections, the safeguards they do have are much better than what you'll find if you get scammed outside of a trusted Web site.

Once you've done all your homework, you should be able to avoid a disappointing shopping experience. To celebrate, kick back and admire your fabulous purchase with a nice bottle of wine. Perhaps one that you found on winebid.com—and purchased responsibly, of course.