Bring Holiday Cheer Back to Online Shopping With Verizon Online DSL Internet Access

RESTON, Va. -- Tired of drumming your fingers while you wait for an online gift catalogue to download? Make your online shopping faster and easier by using Verizon Online DSL Internet access.

Observers expect the quickly approaching holiday season to be a tremendous year for online shopping. Major e-commerce, market-research firms predict that North American consumers will buy $9 billion to $10.7 billion worth of products online this holiday season, up as much as 100 percent over last year*.

Yet many of those shopping on line will endure the frustration and delays of going on-line using slow old-fashioned computer modems. So, how can online shoppers avoid the pitfalls of online shopping? Try these online shopping tips to maintain holiday cheer:

• Arm yourself. Before the holidays, install high-speed Internet access, such as Verizon Online DSL (digital subscriber line). DSL enables shoppers to "virtual window shop" and complete their online shopping in record time. DSL typically provides much faster connections to the Internet than traditional dial-up modems. DSL also helps consumers to shop for holiday gifts at their convenience, without the hassle of long, tedious download times or a crowded mall.

• Start early. Don't assume that an item will be delivered on time. Make sure you leave enough time for delivery delays and other errors.

• Make a list. Before going online, write down one or two gift ideas for each person, as well as Web sites to visit. This will eliminate the need to spend hours searching numerous sites.

• Don't overspend. Each year, holiday shoppers overextend themselves and then spend the rest of the year paying for it. Figure out how much you can afford to spend before going online. It also helps to prepare a list before you start shopping.

• Shop with a reputable vendor. Do research on online vendors by checking with a Web site that reports those that engage dishonest practices and scams, like the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) or Internet ScamBusters (www.scambusters.org).

• Comparison shop. A good way to determine the best price for an item is to visit a site that has product comparisons, like CNET (www.cnet.com), BizRate (www.bizrate.com) or CompareNet (www.comparenet.com) before making your online purchase.

• Use a secure site. For ease of mind, look for a locked padlock or unbroken key at the bottom when you're on the checkout page. Also, note the URL. The URL will usually begin with if you are shopping on a secure server.

• Confirm postage and delivery options. Find out how much postage will cost and when your package will be delivered. Get this information in writing or on a printout from the company's Web site. Postal regulations require that companies shipping by mail must live up to their promised delivery time or return your money.

• Pay by credit card instead of check. With a credit card, any loss due to fraud is limited by law to $50, and most credit card companies will cover your entire loss. So, if something does go wrong with your order, the situation will be easier to resolve.

For more information on Verizon Online DSL or to determine if Verizon Online DSL is available to you, visit www.verizon.com/dsl.

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* The market research firms are Forrester Research, Gartner Group and Jupiter Communications.

About Verizon Communications

Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ), formed by the merger of Bell Atlantic and GTE, is one of the world's leading providers of communications services. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline and wireless communications in the United States, with more than 100 million access line equivalents and 25.6 million wireless customers. A Fortune 10 company with more than 260,000 employees and approximately $60 billion in 1999 revenues, Verizon's global presence extends to 40 countries in the Americas, Europe, Asia and the Pacific. For more information on Verizon, visit www.verizon.com.