How can I trust a particular online retailer? I'm always suspicious of ordering with online companies.

Someone can publish an online store within hours, but unfortunately they can disappear just as quickly. They can also run that online store from anywhere in the world. How do you know that the online office furniture retailer you're dealing with is legitimate? There are a few easy methods you can use to verify you are dealing with a legitimate company.

First you should check to be sure they are easy to contact. Do they show a toll-free number or some kind of phone number on each page, or is it hidden on a single page or not shown at all? Try calling them in the middle of normal business hours. Do they answer with a live person? Is the person an actual employee of the retailer or with an offshore call center?

Send them an email with a simple question in the middle of business hours and see how quickly they respond, or if they respond at all.

Do they show a physical address? They should. You can check that address on Google Maps or Bing Maps to be sure it is an actual business address and not a private home or a mail drop.

Do they show symbols of trust on their site such as security seals, Yahoo! Encryption, or the Better Business Bureau? Some of these, such as McAfee and the Better Business Bureau, have seals that can be clicked on to enter their site for outside verification that the retailer is in good standing and has permission to show their seal. Beware of seals and icons that are only artist renderings and not backed by real organizations.

Follow these easy steps and you will know that you are dealing with a legitimate U.S.-based office furniture retailer.

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