Everyday decision 01 of 10
Buy better: the delivered price, the return terms, and who you're buying from
The price on the product page is where the cost starts, not where it ends. This page covers what to confirm before you, or your agent, click buy.
Example 01
Your agent found a great price. Check this before you buy.
Before you buy, confirm three things: the total with shipping and tax, the return terms, and who's actually selling it.
Right now
Tap each step as you do it.
All three done.
If something goes wrong
- Contact the seller first, in writing, and keep a copy.
- If the item never arrived or you were billed twice, dispute the charge with your card company.
- If the seller was a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The pattern
Agents are good at finding the lowest number on the page. That number is usually the item price. Shipping, tax, return shipping and restocking fees show up later, on other pages or at checkout.
A great price from a store you don't know is worth one more look at who the seller is, especially on a marketplace, where the store and the seller aren't always the same.
What Agency Check shows
Say "Check this first before you buy."
Buy noise-canceling headphones for $279 from SoundDepot.
- $279 is within your $300 budget
- The delivered cost (shipping and tax)
- Return terms
Agency Check reviewed what you shared. You decide what happens next.
What this check looks at
- Whether the price fits the budget you gave
- The delivered cost: shipping and tax
- The return terms
- Who you're paying and how, if that isn't clear yet
- Any pressure on the purchase, like a countdown or a request for your card number. Those findings come from Spot the pressure and Share less.
When it says Pause and verify: only when the purchase carries a pressure red line, such as a request for your card number in a message. Otherwise it's Ready to review, with anything unconfirmed listed as Unknown.
Coming soon to Muse and any agent chat
How to use it
Before your agent acts, say it out loud or type it. Agency Check reviews what you shared and hands back one Decision Card.
See how Agency Check works"Check this first before you buy the headphones."
Questions
Why isn't the price on the page the price I pay?
Shipping, tax and fees are often added at checkout. Look at the total on the final checkout screen before you confirm.
Why pay with a credit card?
If you're billed twice or never get what you paid for, you can dispute the charge with your card company.
What should I do if the item never arrives?
Contact the seller in writing first. If that doesn't work, dispute the charge with your card company. If it was a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Can my agent find the return terms for me?
Yes. Agency Check lists return terms as Unknown until they're in what you shared. Ask your agent to paste the return policy into the chat, then check again.
Other everyday decisions
Sources
Frameworks behind this check
Research and guidance
- FTC Consumer Advice, "What to know before you buy something online" (June 2021)consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2021/06/what-know-you-buy-something-online
- FTC Consumer Advice, Online Shoppingconsumer.ftc.gov/online-shopping
Last reviewed September 27, 2026. Agency Check is an independent tool from Cyber Strategy Institute, built on its open frameworks and coming soon to Muse and any agent chat. Muse is a trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.All ten checks on the Agency Check hub