I had to buy a hard-to-find replacement lightbulb online. I searched for the code and came up with a few sources: the sponsored result (www.lightingsupply.com), the amazon.com product page that actually sent me over to www.bulbtronics.com, and www.bulbtown.com. The first required a shopping cart over $25 to even check out (fail), and the middle one had the same product for twice the price of the last. To seal the deal, the last choice (bulbtown) also had Google Checkout whereas the first two had only their built-in checkout options.

As an consumer, I put myself at risk every time I buy something online. I have no problem using sites like Amazon, eBay, PayPal, etc, but there’s a big trust issue with small sites with 10 year old designs. Even though my credit card protects me against fraudulent charges, it’s very reassuring to use a known 3rd party to check out.

Lesson to small e-commerce sites everywhere: even in 2011 people are cautious about sending their credit card information around, so provide trusted alternative checkout options!