Thursday, January 25, 2007
The Internet and E-Commerce
The Internet is becoming one of the most important tools in today’s society whether it is for escaping to a different reality (in the case of video games), or as a vehicle for delivering the voice of the individual to the masses. This taken into account, it is interesting to look at the development of electronic commerce (or e-commerce for short) and how this ability to buy and sell goods over the Internet affects the economy. The main point to take away from this is that the Internet is no longer reserved for the select few and is continuing to evolve. Speaking specifically about the U.S. economy, it is not completely certain what effect e-commerce will have, but it most likely will help in boosting and strengthening the economy. I can say this with ease because e-commerce provides consumers with the concept of convenience. People who don’t feel like going out to a local mall and pushing their way through the throngs of people to shop can now avoid that and shop from the comfort of their own homes. E-commerce has made shopping more convenient and available to more people, which is why I believe it will have an overall positive effect on our economy.
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2 comments:
I agree with you strongly about people becoming more comfortable with shopping from home. As Moor and Bynum pointed out in their introduction to our text, annonymity is becoming a much larger part of the digital world. We see it in everything from MUD's to e-commerce. Essentially, purchasing something online means that you do not have to do it in person, therefore saving any hassle or embarassment one might normally face when purchasing the same item(s) in an actual store. I think a large part of what will make e-commerce so successful, and, essentially, the biggest part of what makes it so comfortable for people, is the annonymity factor. Many people prefer fewer face-to-face encounters, and shopping through an internet connection provides just the relief these shoppers yearn for.
I agree with you that the Internet is one of the most important tools in society today. If the Internet had been created within the past 15 years, it definitely would have been the topic of my in-class essay. I believe that e-commerce will boost the US economy, mainly because of Amazon, Ebay, Overstock, and Itunes.
Although it is more convenient to purchase something online, the customer does not receive instant gratification like they would if they had bought the item in a store. Ultimately, there are positive and negative benefits to buying things online as opposed to driving out to a store. At a store you are required to wait in line, search the aisles for your desired item, and occasionally deal with incompetent employees. The downsides of virtual shopping are shipping/handling fees, waiting for your purchase to arrive, and not having the ability to try on shoes or clothing before you buy them. However, nothing could be more convenient than buying DVDs, sweatshirts, etc. from the comfort of your sofa.
Even with the downsides of online shopping, enough people participate in it that the economy will continue to profit from the effects of virtual shopping.
-Kate
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