KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- The convenience of buying on the Web comes at a price.

You can't examine the item closely, of course, and entering your credit card number on the unknown site can take some courage.

Even official seals of approval are no guarantee that you're dealing with a reputable company. Those symbols can easily be reproduced.

Here are a few ways to protect yourself:

Find the "gotchas." A site's "terms and conditions" detail loads of protections...for the retailer, that is. You might discover that everything is sold "as is," or that you must abide by rules of a distant state , where you agree to go if you sue. Many sites also disavow responsibility for damages you might suffer when using the product. To protect yourself, considering buying big ticket items in a store.

Check return policies. Some sites charge restocking fees as high as 25 percent, and others don't accept returns of opened merchandise. Also, if you return items that came with free shipping, chances are you'll have to pick up the cost for the return trip.

Guard your privacy and security. Read a site's privacy policy. It might tell you that the site sells customer data, which means your e-mail inbox could get jammed with spam. Make sure that you're on a web page that triggers a security icon such as a closed padlock.

Pay with the right plastic. When you pay by credit card, your liability for unauthorized purchases is $50. Also, you can dispute charges for items that arrive broken or aren't what you ordered. You can't do that with a debit card.

Here are a few dos and don'ts that can help you avoid rip-offs:

Don't do business with a site if it doesn't list the owner's name, address or phone number, or if it's full of spelling errors.

Do check message boards and shopping comparison sites such as shopping dot com for ratings and other user feedback on web retailers.

Don't agree to pay by cash, money order or wire transfer.