No longer do you have to put up with the maddening crowd when you do your Christmas shopping. Gone are the days of pushing and weaving yourself through hordes of shoppers just to get your hands on the latest Barbie doll, or DVD, or Xbox game, or whatever. You don't have to put with this anymore when you use online Christmas catalogs. The most stress you will endure is clicking your way through pages of online gifts!

But you still need to be careful when you decide to shop online with Christmas merchandise catalogs. The following are important checklist items to be mindful of whilst shopping.

Is the Site Secure?

It's vitally important when using online Christmas catalogs that you check the site you are using is safe and secure. There are cases of unsuspecting shoppers revealing their credit card details to a site that uses poor security procedures. There are many hackers out there scouring the net at this time of year looking for loopholes in site security systems. If the shopping site you are using has poor protection, then you could be the next victim of credit card theft. Don't let it happen to you.

A good indicator that a site has adequate security in place is the presence of a Verisign logo. The Christmas catalogs online that display this logo are thus assuring their customers that they have in place a strong and secure system for taking orders online, including your credit card information. Other things to check are the presence of a real physical street address, phone and fax numbers you can call, and a contact or support email address. If any of these are missing, think twice before using the site.

Read the Fine Print

Many people don't take the time, or just plain can't be bothered reading the fine print in Christmas merchandise catalogs. Don't be one of these people. Take the time to read these policies. Be aware of their policies regarding purchase returns, refunds, shipping and warranty claims. Good online Christmas catalogs will prominently display their policies, and you shouldn't have to search too hard to find them. Only consider buying from catalogs that meet these requirements.

Site Costs

Be aware of the real cost of any purchase you make. There could be some extra charges that are not readily obvious. Likewise, some Christmas catalogs online offer price benefits if you spend over a certain sum, such as a discount or shipping for free. Some might even offer part payments to make the pain easier on your purse or wallet. Be on the lookout for these, and take advantage of them if you can.

Customer Site Appraisals

Some sites publish customer reviews of gifts. This gives a great insight into what people think about the items after they have purchased them. If you are considering, for example, buying something from Christmas ornament catalogs, then this can prevent the disappointment of receiving poor quality Christmas decorations. Take the time to read any reviews you come across. It can save a lot of heartache afterwards.

Gift Suggestions

Many online catalogs now provide a "gift suggestion" feature. This can suggest ideas for gifts when you just don't have a clue what to buy for a particular person. It can make it so much easier and fun buying gifts in this way. You'll be surprised what you might find in the gift suggestion category. Give it a try. All it takes is a couple of clicks.

If you follow these checklist items when browsing through online Christmas catalogs, you won't go far wrong. You'll have a much easier time doing your Christmas shopping than fighting your way though the shopping malls. Once you get started you'll discover so many ideas you had never thought of. You'll find yourself getting just as excited as if you were standing in front of the item in the shops - only the great thing is you don't have all the hassle that goes with it!

Want to know more about online Christmas catalogs? Click here to find out more about online Christmas catalogs, and where to find the best one. Go to http://onlinechristmascatalogs.blogspot.com/ . This article was written by Hugh Pate.

AP - The abduction happened 27 years ago, at a time when parents routinely left their children playing in the toy store, unattended, and continued shopping.