A non-credit-card e-commerce

As stated in Javelin Strategy and Research data cited in a quite recent Wall Street Journal article, over 85% of Internet transactions are made with a credit or debit card. For all of the other 15%, however, checks do not account. Most of it use such alternative payment methods as PayPal, eBillMe and – the most widely accepted at top online shopping sites – Bill Me Later.

These methods do not require credit card numbers, which extends security. "But that means you won't have the same protections as if you were paying with a credit card," Susan Grant, director of consumer protection for the Consumer Federation of America, expresses herself. "[Fraud] coverage is extremely limited, and whatever protections the service does give you are voluntary."

There are still ways to better purchase protection, Amanda Pires, PayPal spokeswoman, means. "More than 50% of the service's transactions are completed with a credit card, which means those still are eligible for traditional credit card protections," she said.