US state law protects consumers buying online

-- Companies cannot take orders for merchandise they anticipate cannot be shipped within 30 days.

-- The company must put its legal name, complete street address and details about refunds on all advertising and promotional materials.

-- If the company doesn't ship a product within 30 days, it must give the consumer the opportunity to cancel the order and receive a refund or order substitute merchandise.

-- Companies must keep records of complaints from consumers who said their merchandise was never shipped.

-- They must also keep complaints from people who charge that the company did not live up to various services advertised on its Web site.