In our final installment of the ten things you should look for in an online furniture dealer, we will cover the last few items dealing with website security, customer service, site design and more. We hope you’ve gotten some good tips out of these posts, as it is always our priority that you are armed with the best information to make great online buying decisions.

Watch for the “Padlock” When Checking Out.

Outdoor furniture websites worth your time have invested in a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) certificate and will use credit card processing by reputable, reliable companies (Paypal, Google and Authorize.net for example). When entering the checkout process from the shopping cart, look at the beginning of the site address. If it begins with “https://” and you see a padlock in either the address bar or another portion of the browser, your information is being encrypted as it is sent, and is secure. If you don’t see this happen, think twice about sending your information.

Look for a Site Pleasing to the Eye.

If a site is put together well, it is worth your browsing time. In all actuality, if it looks good to you, you’ll stick around even if you don’t remember this rule! A business that wants your business will make it easy for you to find what you want and set you at ease with the shopping experience. Outdoor furniture websites come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from the “mom and pop” small, simple website to the slick, ultra refined furniture clearinghouse. Shop where you are comfortable!

Expect Your Email/Phone Questions Answered Quickly and Courteously.

How much does it appear an online retailer wants your business? If they do, they will respond to your questions and requests in a timely fashion. Emails sent to an online outdoor furniture website should be responded to the same business day with either an answer or an acknowledgment that your email has been received and will be replied to shortly. Further, phone calls should be answered promptly or, if a message is left, the voice message is responded to in a timely fashion. You as the customer should always feel that you are the most important person to a retailer, be they around the corner or half way around the world online. The online business that treats its customers well is the business you want to highly consider.

Check a Website’s Track Record and Longevity in Business

Although a newer business doesn’t necessarily mean it is less reliable or less trustworthy, finding an online outdoor furniture retailer that has a longer track record can give you more peace of mind when spending large amounts of money on furniture.

There are a few ways you can determine the length of a website’s time in business. Many sites will have a copyright statement in the footer. This is a good place to begin. Another hint to a website’s vintage is to look at the number of customer testimonials or customer comments. Sometimes comments will be date stamped, giving a clue to how long ago purchases were made. You can also look at the “About Us” area of the website for hints to how long a website has been in business. You may find that the website you’re browsing is fairly new, but the company behind it has been around for years and years.

Keeping these things in mind when shopping for outdoor furniture should result in a very satisfying experience for you. Shopping online today has become as ubiquitous as running out to the mall to shop. Armed with the right knowledge and the right questions, you will be happy with the outcome.