E-COMMERCE: Marketing through the Internet

A company usually supplies the people with products and services that are considered to be consumable and in exchange they are paid for it. There is the purchasing and selling of supplies and services; this is the process that takes place in commerce. When the internet was introduced to the public, almost everything that is utilized by the public is being incorporated to this new hi-tech development and commerce was one of those that were influenced by the surge of the World Wide Web. Instead of the usual transactions done in commerce wherein it’s a face to face or direct operation, the deal is now through the internet. This is now called electronic commerce or commonly known as e-commerce. To, better understand the concept, transactions are done through computers connected to an internet and not through mail orders or store visits.

There are actually many forms of e-commerce that was utilized by the people in the 20^th century like online shopping and the automated teller machine. During those times, the speed of the connection was basically slow, dependent on the telephone lines and only few people are able to have access. In the 21^st century, many businesses presented to provide services through the World Wide Web and the public was then able to benefit from such advancement. E-commerce was then regulated  by the government making sure that the public can  get the best quality of products as possible, and that they will be protected from fraudulent acts of thieves. Websites of businesses in the internet are well developed by web designers to attract customers and make purchasing fun, easy and accessible. Instructions in e-commerce are easily understood and are usually available in many languages for foreign customers.

There are many advantages in e-commerce that gives it an edge over the established way of exchanging goods. The most notable is the fact that the internet is an ever working system; therefore, customers are able to avail services anytime they want, and wherever they may be since everyone already has access over the internet. Another point is that consumers are able to have a variety of choices on which products to purchase and are able to look for items that are of good quality and less expensive through browsing. It is also very convenient for the consumer since it does not require traveling to obtain a certain product. There are also products that can be obtained immediately through e-commerce like downloading files such as music, movies and books in the web. The transactions are very simple; the consumer would only provide the company with important information and payment can immediately be done through the net by typing important numbers and in time the product will be delivered. The consumer can also immediately have access over the purchased commodity. Of course, if there are advantages, there are also disadvantages with e-commerce. The common concern of consumers is that they feel unsecured purchasing items online, since they are not fully protected from burglars and fraudulent acts. There are also many accounts of theft in the internet wherein important information was stolen by other users. Another disadvantage is that the consumer could not personally test if the item they are purchasing is really durable and what the company is advertising is true. A person’s social skills are also somewhat affected by this new trend in commerce since instead of physically interacting with real people they are isolated in a room in front of the computer. There are also individuals that enjoy window shopping and walking long distances for them to purchase a certain product on a mall is their unconscious form of exercise but with online shopping, the individual is glued in front of a monitor with fewer physical movements, and it induces a poor lifestyle for such persons. The consumers usually use credit cards in transactions and because of the accessibility and convenience of the activity, people tend to spend more on things that they find interesting, and oftentimes they end up regretting.

E-commerce has contributed much to the society and people are fully enjoying this new trend despite a few drawbacks. Companies that engage in online transactions have greatly increased in numbers because of its proven effectiveness and customer friendly features. Companies are also able to have a larger target market because of the gigantic spectrum the internet can accommodate. With the surge of ecommerce, it is also very important that the safety and security of the consumers be given much attention for then to have no worries regarding transactions made on the internet. It is also important to know one’s limitations in every activity one engages in order to avoid problems in the future.