15 Enjoyment of retail shopping lost
I have chosen to research the usefulness of internet shopping able to be accessed 24 hours per day. I have selected this issue as some people do have difficulty accessing everyday services (shops, banks or post offices). Older adults with families or jobs may have difficulty getting to shops between the normal opening hours of 9AM- 6PM.this may be because of normal day things like jobs in order to make money to support themselves and there family Or maybe there kids clubs (football teams). With internet shopping young people and adults have more time to browse on the internet for whatever goods the family requires. Yet internet shopping need some it skills like general it skills. Do young people and parents use internet shopping? Are they aware of the different companies online which you can shop from E.G EBay, Morrison’s or Tescos? I intend to research this issue using both primary and secondary resources such as the internet, magazines, newspapers, leaflets and television. With more and more families caught up with running a home and having a family to look after and a full or part time job it is easy to see the attractiveness of using the 24 hour shopping services. Whether it is weekly shopping, clothes games or household products all members of a family often use 24 hour shopping services on line.
Internet shopping is something which a lot of people find convenient to use. People use internet shopping for many reasons which I found after looking at some websites shown below. For example some families use it as they are able to get the best value for there money as it is a Quick way to compare products and services from different shops.
According to the Tech FAQ people shop online these days, rather than going to a local mall because they can shop from the serenity of there own home at anytime of the day, without having to dress up and endure terrible traffic congestion in order to get to a shopping mall. They also state that with the increase of online shopping malls, consumers can now look for goods from everywhere around the globe. In short, they say there are no geographical borders on the online world, so customers and sellers from all over the globe can get together and interact. Furthermore, there is a huge variety of products available online. They then state that some people enjoy the ability to shop on line 24 hours a day as they are shy to purchase products such as lingerie and hair growth shampoo at real shops. These shoppers will be able to buy their desired items online while remaining anonymous and they do not have to feel uncomfortable as zero face-to-face contact will happen. (Accessed on the 17 of February 2011 from http://www.thetechfaq.com/2008/09/29/top-reasons-why-people-shop-online/)
Ezine articles also states that even before the recession consumers were realising the power of shopping online and the convenience of getting products delivered right to their door. Consumers are continuing to abandon high streets to look for better priced products online, as more people gain access to the internet. The most popular product bought globally over the internet is books. According to research by Nielsen Online, out of the 26,312 people they surveyed, 41% of internet users had bought books online. Other popular products bought online include travel tickets, holidays, concert/theatre/festival tickets, clothes, electrical goods, Cinema tickets, DVDs and music downloads. (Accessed on the 17 of February 2011 from http://ezinearticles.com/?Popular-Items-Bought-on-the-Internet&id=2679706)
Although internet shopping is useful there are some disadvantages to internet shopping. Some of these include credit card fraud or ordering the wrong item accidentally. These can occur frequently with some shoppers making mistakes by clicking on the wrong item. This can be frustrating for shoppers and therefore make them rethink shopping on line again. These frustrations can occur with the attempt to return wrong products.
Internet fraud is also something which affects online shoppers. According to the national internet fraud watch The Internet offers a global marketplace for consumers and businesses. But crooks also recognize the potentials of cyberspace. The same scams that have been conducted by mail and phone can now be found on the World Wide Web and in email, and new cyber scams are emerging. It's sometimes hard to tell the difference between reputable online sellers and criminals who use the Internet to rob people.
Online shopping also provides jobs for people as companies need people to deliver the products. According to shopsafe.co.uk UK consumers have put safe shopping online in second place, as part of a survey to find out which innovations have been the most important to the country over the last 10 years.
I asked my mum would she use the availability of internet shopping to be able to shop 24hours per day. She said that “I use it sometimes to get products such as groceries or household commodities E.G food or fridges from websites like Tescos or Argos.” This is probably because it lets her make time for other things like getting jobs done at home instead of walking around shops. My mum recognized the easy mistakes which can be made and knows how to deal with them appropriately. She also said that when shopping on line “I make sure I use official websites that can be trusted for example Sainsbury’s. I also delete any card details at them bottom of emails from online sellers”
I then asked my aunt the same question she said that “I use online shopping very rarely as I’m very conscious about the risk of internet fraud and common mistakes which can be very easily made and are problematic to resolve” I think she has this opinion because internet fraud is a big problem which has caught people for lots of money. She found this as she watches rogue traders which has shown people all the different types of frauds. She then went on to say “I would only buy necessary products such as household appliances.” I believe in that this can be a big put off for online shoppers. According to ezine articles 5 ways to stay safe are: (Accessed on the 24 of February 2011 from http://ezinearticles.com/?Online-Shopping---Five-Ways-to-Stay-Safe-and-Smart&id=4918833)
1. Look for Signs of Online Sec.
2. Keep Your Browser Up to Date.
3. Don't Use Public Computers to Shop.
4. Never Enter Your Social Security Number Online.
5. Becareful when using Your Credit Card.
