Shopping Cart and Security Questions
* Is your shopping cart secure? Yes. We use a 128-bit secure cart that is provided by Yahoo!. Yup, it is the same Yahoo! that you know about.
* How secure is a 128 bit shopping cart? The short answer is simple. 128 bit carts are the best of the best and they are amazingly secure. To quote the Washington Post:
"Modern encryption is achieved with algorithms that use a "key" to encrypt and decrypt messages by turning text or other data into digital gibberish and then by restoring it to its original form.
The longer the "key," the more computing required to crack the code. To decipher an encrypted message by brute force, one would need to try every possible key. Computer keys are made of "bits" of information, binary units of information that can have the value of zero or one. So an eight-bit key has 256 (2 to the eighth power) possible values. A 56-bit key creates 72 quadrillion possible combinations. If the key is 128 bits long, or the equivalent of a 16-character message on a personal computer, a brute-force attack would be 4.7 sextillion (4,700,000,000,000,000,000,000) times more difficult than cracking a 56-bit key. Given the current power of computers, a 56-bit key is considered crackable; a 128-bit key isn't." I suppose that when computers are 4.7 sextillion times as fast as they are today, the technology will be crackable. That should take a long, long time.
* I can only put one item in my shopping cart, Is something wrong? This occurs when your browser has cookies disabled. Some folks like to keep the cookies turned off as a privacy measure. While we agree it can be effective, a cookie is required to keep track of what items are in your cart. Turn the cookies back on by changing your preferences in your browser and you should be all set.
* I think I placed an order, but I never entered my credit card information? You may find the items are still in your shopping cart. We usually receive this question when the three order steps are not completed. If you are still using the same computer, look for the words "View Cart" to the left and click them. You'll need to "check out" with your shopping cart.
* The minimum order amount is preventing me from checking out, what gives? We are very sorry, we try to be fair in all of our dealings and we ask the same in return. Unfortunately, it costs us money every time we pack an order. There is labor costs, supplies, and materials involved in packing, checking, and shipping even the smallest order. We have had to set a minimum order amount to stay in business. It usually isn't very high.
* What is the minimum order amount? It actually varies. It sounds ridiculous, but it is true. Usually it hovers between $5 and $10. We reduce it if business is slow and increase it during busy periods. This prevents us from hiring and firing warehouse staff. We maintain a steady flow of orders. This allows us to keep the best, brightest, and most enthusiastic warehouse team possible. We appreciate your patience with us.
* How secure is a 128 bit shopping cart? The short answer is simple. 128 bit carts are the best of the best and they are amazingly secure. To quote the Washington Post:
"Modern encryption is achieved with algorithms that use a "key" to encrypt and decrypt messages by turning text or other data into digital gibberish and then by restoring it to its original form.
The longer the "key," the more computing required to crack the code. To decipher an encrypted message by brute force, one would need to try every possible key. Computer keys are made of "bits" of information, binary units of information that can have the value of zero or one. So an eight-bit key has 256 (2 to the eighth power) possible values. A 56-bit key creates 72 quadrillion possible combinations. If the key is 128 bits long, or the equivalent of a 16-character message on a personal computer, a brute-force attack would be 4.7 sextillion (4,700,000,000,000,000,000,000) times more difficult than cracking a 56-bit key. Given the current power of computers, a 56-bit key is considered crackable; a 128-bit key isn't." I suppose that when computers are 4.7 sextillion times as fast as they are today, the technology will be crackable. That should take a long, long time.
* I can only put one item in my shopping cart, Is something wrong? This occurs when your browser has cookies disabled. Some folks like to keep the cookies turned off as a privacy measure. While we agree it can be effective, a cookie is required to keep track of what items are in your cart. Turn the cookies back on by changing your preferences in your browser and you should be all set.
* I think I placed an order, but I never entered my credit card information? You may find the items are still in your shopping cart. We usually receive this question when the three order steps are not completed. If you are still using the same computer, look for the words "View Cart" to the left and click them. You'll need to "check out" with your shopping cart.
* The minimum order amount is preventing me from checking out, what gives? We are very sorry, we try to be fair in all of our dealings and we ask the same in return. Unfortunately, it costs us money every time we pack an order. There is labor costs, supplies, and materials involved in packing, checking, and shipping even the smallest order. We have had to set a minimum order amount to stay in business. It usually isn't very high.
* What is the minimum order amount? It actually varies. It sounds ridiculous, but it is true. Usually it hovers between $5 and $10. We reduce it if business is slow and increase it during busy periods. This prevents us from hiring and firing warehouse staff. We maintain a steady flow of orders. This allows us to keep the best, brightest, and most enthusiastic warehouse team possible. We appreciate your patience with us.