Do everything online

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

t's been a while since we've heard any

buzz around the term "e-commerce". What

was once supposed to be a life-changing

paradigm has slowly shrunk into the background,

overshadowed by the spectacular burst of the

dot-com bubble at the turn of the century.

E-commerce was the blanket term that was

supposed to put all our doubts and fears to rest,

and let us be liberated of all the annoyances that

come with physical fnancial transactions.

Today, while the buzz around that word

has died out, we are left with a very sturdy

online economy. Practical, usable, and highly

successful sites are popping up all over the

place, and many others have been operating

quietly for years. Airline ticketing, gift shopping,

status tracking, and problem solving. These

are websites that offer real solutions to real

problems; sites that everyone should know

exist. They don't cater only to tech-savvy

teenagers either. Everyone from every walk of

life will save time, energy and aggravation by

getting things done online.

Imagine never standing in a line again.

Imagine never having to haggle with a

salesperson who you're sure is cheating you.

Imagine never settling for something you're

unhappy with because you're in a hurry.

The internet allows you to pick, choose, and

compare to your heart's desire.

CHIP picked a handful of websites that

really do free you from the pitfalls of real-world

fnancial transactions. Sure, you could do

any one of these things offine, but these are

services and conveniences that truly do make

life simpler and give you more control over your

life. So grab your credit card and get ready to

manage your money, book a vacation, and just

chill out while your PC does all the hard work