ECOMMERCE , ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES

 ECOMMERCE

 ADVANTAGES and DISADVANTAGES 

What is ecommerce ?

         Ecommerce means buying and selling goods using internet. 

USES AND AVALIBILITY OF ECOMMERCE: 

With the starting of information technology and availability of the internet round the world ,online shopping has made its inroads  in the empire of traditional trade and commerce. 

During the Corona virus period ,people had to stay into house which gave a large boost to e-commerce. The entire process of marketing, advertising, selling, delivering  goods and servicing customers has taken a major shift over the internet. 

Online shopping or e-commerce is a form of electronic commerce that allows buyer to directly purchase goods or services from a shopkeeper over the internet using a web browser. Online shopping is carried out through the websites or apps of the concerned firm or brand or company.

 The customer opens the app or logs on to the app, selects or views the products and places the order. Payment  is paid  through any method agreed upon by the buyer and the saler.  The company sends the items to the address provided by the buyer. 

 Most of the shopping apps offer cash on arrival, in addition to debit or credit cards payments. 

Looking at the world markets, we find many apps competing among themselves to buy the trust of their customers. These apps try to gain this belief through their reliability, customer service, customer protection, discount offers and product choice.

Some of the top e-commerce companies in the world are :

 1.  Amazon

 2.  Alibaba

 3.  e-bay

 4. Walmart

 5.  Rakuten

 6. Flipkart 

 7. Etsy

Besides these, many clothing companies, medicine companies, mobile and laptop  stores are selling their products online. Clothing, dress, shoes, shirts, handbags, women's jewellery ,bedsheets, beauty and hair care products and electronic appliances almost everything can be bought online. 

 ADVANTAGES FOR CONSUMERS : 

People have number of advantages of shopping online.

 Firstly, they have a wider choice not only from their own town or country but also round the globe unless there are imports restrictions.

 Moreover, they can have customized or personalized product and service. For example, a handicapped person can have a personalized electric wheel chair directly from the company by giving them information about himself and his needs. 

Secondly ,there is absolute flexibility of time and distance for the consumer. One can open the apps any time day or location night without bothering about opening and closing hours of traditional stores.

 In case of purchase, one is not required to go from the store to see the products to collect their details and prices. Sitting at home he gets all the required information without spending much time. So his energy, time and money are saved. With better information, the buyer can make better option. 

Another benefit of online shopping is that goods are available at cheaper  price. As there cut-throat competition among companies and they do not have so many physical stores, their cost of marketing is reduced .Part of these savings is passed on to the consumer, and therefore he gets the products cheaper. 

Online buying has also eliminated the system of distributors, authorized dealers and retailers, thus reducing the cost of the products. 

ADVANTAGES FOR COMPANIES :

E-commerce has great advantages for the companies as well. The manufacturers can deal with large area with one store. The inventory is reduced, and so the cast of carrying goods and distribution cost.

  Companies have direct dealing with buyer and they are better able to earn  good profit because they do not have to share the margin with distributors, dealers an d retailers. The net enables  suppliers to introduce and promote new markets and new products to meet the need of customer. 

 It is interesting to note  that due to ecommerce small enterprises , too, have got their chances to sell their products. Therefore, small and medium brands also earn through e-commerce. 

DISADVANTAGES OF ECOMERCE :  

Online shopping  e-commerce is not without its disadvantages for the customers.

 The biggest drawback  is that the customer is not able to see and feel the product physically. The point of satisfaction is less and things are carried mainly on belief. 

There is second problem of online payment. An order needs time and validity for its transaction. As yet no satisfactory system of payment has been developed by banks and financial institutions in large number of countries. 

Besides this, the online market is restricted to high income and educated people who own and know the use of internet. Thus in poor, illiterate or less educated communities, it has limited access .

 And lastly, there is possibility of fraud owing to fake sites, and privacy of consumers is compromise. A customer is required to tell his Credit Card number to a supplier or e-banker. 

CONCLUSION:  

                         Seen overall , online shopping has become a new normal. More and more companies are reduce the number of their physical stores to switch over to online businesses. Customers to save time and prevent botheration, are more and more inclined to online shopping. The scope of e-commerce is expanding greatly. The young generation is becoming used to getting things delivered on their doorsteps.

THANK YOU FOR READING.