Shopping on-line - offerings from five African American business on the World Wide Web

Jingle bells warn us that the nightmare of Christmas shopping looms on the horizon. So how do you get what you need without the hassles of crowded stores and buses? Just remember that these days, Santa Claus is not only on time; he is also on-line. Even before he comes down the chimney, you can bring him right into the privacy of your home. All that is required is access to the Internet.

What is the Net? Simply put, it is a means by which computers from all over the world can communicate with one another. It enables you, for instance, to access information from a university in America--or from one in Africa. You can mail a message electronically (email) to a friend in a foreign country in hours, and for less than the cost of a postage stamp.

And now that the number of Net users has exploded exponentially, businesses are selling their products through the Net's World Wide Web. Think of the Web not as a place, but as a means of moving through the Internet, as an easy and swift way of searching for information. The Web organizes and distributes information through a Web, or home, page. Thanks to the Web, consumers can actually view and purchase products from the comfort of their home, via computer.

Fortunately for us, African-American businesses are taking advantage of this new and relatively inexpensive way to advertise to the world. So, if you are looking for a special gift and want to support a black business, try the following home pages, which profile a few of the many black businesses on the Internet.

Ujamaa Fashions

http.//shops.net/shops/ Ujamaa_Fashions This family-owned business manufactures and distributes summer wear. Its catalog is available through e-mail. In the "real" world, its shop is located in Norfolk, Va.

Wilson Brown Gallery

http-www.wbgallery.com/ art This gallery provides original works of art, limited-and open-edition prints, sculptures and other art media from more than 250 black artists, including Ernie Barnes, Tom McKinney, Hulis Mavruk and Synthia Saint James. Its Web page is still under construction, but already it enables you to view the gallery's artworks. Of course, if you prefer canvases to the screen, and are near San Diego, you can forgo the computer.

Melanet

http.//www.melanet.com/ melanet This home page profiles African-American businesses that sell clothing, books, art and much more. It also houses reference material and demographic data pertaining to the African-American community and provides links to other on-line material that aims to strengthen the diaspora.

UB and US-Books and Things

http://shops.net/shops/ UB_and_Us-Books_ and_Things/ Books by, for and about African peoples, fine art prints, posters, buttons, incense, oils And more are available through this Web page. But if you are in Hampton, Va., you can stop by the store in person.

Books-4-U

http://www.iwsc.com/ shoppers/books/books4u This California bookstore plugs you into an impressive home page that allows you to view the cover of each book that can be ordered on line.

To purchase a product via the Net, you will need your credit card. Bear in mind that computer hackers have the ability to steal your credit card number during the electronic transmission. How should you protect yourself? Some businesses have "secure" areas, where the secrecy of your electronic transaction is guaranteed. If you access the Web using software called Netscape, you will receive the following message before you enter your credit card number on the on-screen order form: "You have requested a secure document. The document and any information you send back are encrypted for security." You will also see a key in the lower left-hand corner of the Netscape window. A broken key indicates no security; an intact key indicates that the credit card number and other pertinent information you send will be secured. Be sure your transaction is secure before giving up your credit card number.

Now that you know all this, happy home shopping, Merry Christmas, happy Kwanzaa and best wishes for the new year!

Martha C. Brown is a freelance writer in Hampton, Va., and a member of American Visions' African-American Culture and Arts Forum on CompuServe. Her e-mail address is 75561.2421@ compuserve.com.

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