Category: coffee

Record every purchase you make online, too. That means printing hard copies of all transaction information, including the shipping information and any e-mails that the Web site sends you. Keep the name of the Web site, the official online description of the beans you bought (how many pounds, for instance), and the exact date, time, and price of your purchase. These will be very handy if the Web site shortchanges you.

Worse comes to worse, if you still don t feel secure buying your delicious candies online, most Web sites also offer an 800 number. That way, you can order your beans the old-fashioned way over the phone. Or better yet, have them send you their wholesale catalog.

First, always know what you re buying. Although a Web site says it has the best chocolate covered beans, make sure to study the seller s item description, including any photographs. Watch out for fine print and adjectives that might suggest that what you ll get in the mail won t exactly be what they offered online. And remember the old saying, -If something sounds too good to be true- If those high-grade espresso beans seem too cheap, chances are they might not be as high-grade as you thought.

The second step is to take care how you buy. Before making a purchase at a Web site, find out what type of payments the site accepts and how they ship their products. A red flag could be any Web site that asks for Social Security numbers, driver s license numbers, or bank account information. You shouldn t have to give these things for some candy.