In 1908, you could buy a saddle, a corset, and a two-story house all at the same time -- and do it all from home -- with the help of the gigantic Sears, Roebuck catalog, of course. With over 530 pages of home goods ordered from the comfort of the kitchen table from a brand you could trust, who could ask for more?

Today, the Web has evolved into a catalog like Sears, Roebuck could never have imagined: You can buy peacocks, silver moustaches, and a house in every state. What’s more, you can comparison shop to look for the best deals, or you can read detailed product reviews. Just 10 years ago, few dared to send their credit card information to a virtual store. Now, the consumer is empowered as never before with the tools to shop confidently from home.

Dive (or Surf) Into Deals
But with economic belt-tightening come potential changes in the way we engage with online shopping. The Web no longer promises just unlimited selection, but also the opportunity to find the lowest price.

According to the Deloitte 2008 Holiday Shopping Guide, word of mouth is still the best way to find out about a deal. But if you’re out of the gossip loop, comparison-shopping sites like dealnews, Shop, or BizRate provide an easy way to find the cheapest available product (not to mention eBay or Amazon).

While browsing, it may seem like there are as many online stores as actual products, so how can you know who to trust? If a site seems shady, or if you’re about to make a huge purchase and you want to make sure that your money doesn’t go into Joe the Swindler’s back pocket, you can check the company on the Better Business Bureau’s site. If the site’s not listed with the BBB, check the URL. If it says “https://”, the “s” stands for secure (sometimes the “s” appears on the checkout pages of the site).

What if you don’t want to use your credit card? Services like PayPal or Google Checkout offer alternative ways to pay instead (they can be hooked up to your bank account, or you can upload funds for later use).

Return to Handmade
If simply dropping big bucks on the latest gizmo is not an option right now and finding a substantial discount is not your style, the other trend to watch is the growing interest in more one-of-a-kind gifts -- buying handmade or vintage means a gift that’s tough to put a price tag on.

The growth of sites like Etsy allows hobbyists and handcraft entrepreneurs to sell their wares directly to the consumer. In fact, Etsy now has over one million users in 171 countries. Shoppers have a wider selection of interesting, useful and original gifts, often for very reasonable prices.

Another advantage of buying directly from the craftsperson is personal attention. Wal-Mart won’t tailor your shirt to fit wide shoulders and a skinny waist, but with Etsy, the seller might inquire about your size and make a new product based on your measurements.

However, as with any independent seller, buy with your magnifying glass on, Sherlock. If you’re buying handcrafts, be sure that all financial transactions go through the trusted intermediary of the networking site. If anyone asks you to purchase “off the radar” without the proper security measures, politely decline and buy your llama-hair ski jacket elsewhere.

Go “Retro”
Today, secondhand items are described with euphemisms that add much more cachet than “gently used.” Celebrities proudly apply terms like “retro” and “vintage” to the gowns they wear to the Academy Awards, and the trend has carried over to the rest of us for everything from clothes to books. Sites like Amazon and eBay specialize in used items, and you can often purchase items that are “like new.”

That said, if you decide to buy from an auction site, beware. According to the Federal Trade Commission, auction sites have the highest amount of reported fraud. So choose a site that involves a seller’s history and use your smarts. For example, a Cartier watch for $5 most likely isn’t an authentic Cartier. The only difference between buying a “name-brand” watch on the street and purchasing one online could be that one’s shipped to you while the other was withdrawn from the inside of a long, black coat.

Keep It Safe
Generally speaking, while shopping, keep an eye on your personal information and play it safe. To ensure that your cash stays that way (yours), check a site thoroughly before striking a deal. Does it have a privacy policy? And, if so, how does it handle your personal information?

If it doesn’t have one, you might want to consider using another site. If you receive any sort of email that asks for your financial information or social security number, discard it and don’t respond. Proper sites never ask for personal information through your inbox.

Also, is your security software up-to-date? Keeping your computer protected from malware is just another step to keeping your identity, credit card numbers, and hard drive under lock and key.

As we gain confidence in shopping ever more widely online, the rewards are great, particularly at a time when shopping smarter will be important for so many of us. And though it’s generally safe to buy online, we still need to keep our wits about us to protect against a situation where buying a used book for $2.99 ends up really costing your retirement or life savings.