Too good to be true?
The advantages and disadvantages of Internet business, a brief tutorial by Ed Baker.
Shopping Guide
A new market emerged.
And 'now known that over the past five years has seen an unprecedented increase in shopping on the Internet, both in terms of commercial transactions and private. The online retail giant Amazon, which began life books sold, a 20% increase in sales reported in the first quarter of this year amounting to $ 2,280,000,000th On average in Britain, 2.5% of budgetThe costs are now online and this number is increasing.
The phenomenon of research – the Internet, the potential to provide answers to our endless questions – the decisive advantage of the online retailer was. Search engines bring the market to market. Increasingly, they are paid to do so. Google AdWords accounts for more than 30% of its revenue last year, when he promises to target "traffic" for online businesses. You can not automaticallySearch today, it seems, without that happens on a sponsored result at the top of the little green column on the right side of the screen that says:
Get cheap'*******' buy on ebay, what for now'£***!'"
A new market brings new challenges.
So it is that eBay has the leading position for people to buy and sell their products online. Implicit transfer "everything from a needle than a grain of sand" Harrods right to radio waves,Buyer warrants that he found for sale in a position to literally everything in auction sites, "virtual department store. It 'is this breadth, however, that began to trouble for the company and consumers.
The lack of human interaction ensures the existence of a brick and mortar, and the lack of strict and comprehensive rules allows unscrupulous operators to flourish online, especially on auction sites largest. People to create an identity, promoteProduct that may not even collect the money and simply disappear. Even more disturbing is demanding criminals are now able, sensitive credit card data from other online consumers use to take on different identities and buy goods. View will use the current case, Terrill D Johnson Ilyssa Ohio Street, the proceeds of the credit card to obtain $ 18,000 worth of goods from Amazon.
The global nature of eBay has its own pitfalls. Many buyers and sellers are not aware of the cultural heritage orregulatory differences on trade outside the borders, with the result that premiums buyer walk for processing orders from abroad and often end up with empty hands when you try to buy something unknowingly prohibited in the country.
One of the common misconceptions is on ebay if the seller has a lot of feedback, mostly positive, I'm more confident perspective. Recent studies have shown that it is simply not true. Satisfied customers all over the not yetThe external evaluation, which just go to enjoy what they bought, so that there is a dialogue between buyers and sellers can often have problems or inconsistencies show somewhere in the transaction.
In April this year, I attended a market research for the evening of eBay to be managed by Saros, the source of consumer information daily detailed and constructive criticism about a particular product or service. The three-hour session with a focus on customer safety,indicating that eBay has a growing consensus that the 'website of the vendor and provide adequate protection for the prospective buyer accepted favors.
A marketing model creates a new
The experience to illuminate an interesting concept that I think some companies are already doing more and more need to spend time – that of "user journey". While the benefits of the Internet that already exist have been identified and assessed in the session, the abilitySearch, compare, search, and research, and lack of overhead costs that lower prices, one thing was clear: people want an end-to-end. That is, they want the satisfaction of the first – e-mail confirmation guaranteed, detailed monitoring of the supply, fast delivery, handling, customer service and human available, feedback and continued support from industry. These observations apply, of course, not just eBay, but for the thousands of other online companies,Goods and services are offered to buyers every day.
The issue of security Shopper become so important that the Office of Fair Trading, a study in 2004, planned for 2007 attack, which will assess the awareness among customers and dealers commissioned. It will look closely at whether companies are aware of the regulations, and if individuals are aware of their rights. Did you know for example that we, as consumers, "cooling-off period of 7 days within which the lawyou can expect a refund if we are not satisfied? Tell that to the guy you just bought a Ford Sierra broken on ebay last week.
The advice is simple – you done your homework. The Internet is the most important source for an individual to a particular research topic. Spend time comparing prices, services and market value. You can check the ratings of the party http://www.BizRate.com sent by their customers, and you can read independent reviews of products before you buyhttp://www.cnet.com. Investigate thoroughly the company – there are no hidden costs? As they make their money? companies will be honest in advance of commission fees and delivery. You should also find an address or phone number at least, preferably free, where you can talk with a customer service representative for your peace of mind. A guarantee is a must if you can do, and if buying from an individual, where as much as possible – have a number ofor e-mail? Find a dialogue and not buy blind!
Trust – the key to success.
As the seller, must be taken into account all of the above, with a concept on the front of the mind – the confidence. Companies must engage in particular to strengthen confidence in their reputation. You must respect the needs of consumers in the provision of a real physical identity to ensure their online presence to meet the site is not enough. Be open to be honest, keep things simple. And 'betterSpecialize in one type of product or to introduce a service from a free-for-all, how impossible it must be to EBAY and police How confusing it is, a first home.
For variety and value, not the freedom of the old-fashioned hard-sell ", the Internet will always cite the first choice for consumers today, and begins to produce its own Code of Business Practice. For businesses, in particular, must be the objective standard of service with a new setservice simple, clear, safe and reliable, through a transparent, consistent human presence drawn.
For more information on Internet commerce, one can read: "Do not burn on ebay" by Shauna Wright, O'Reilly and press "ebay – The Missing Manual by Nancy Conner Pogue Press.
Ed Baker is Business Development Manager for allticketclub.com [http://allticketclub.com], an online portal for buying and selling tickets for events, currently the market leaderCustomer satisfaction and customer loyalty for repeat business.
The advantages and disadvantages of shopping on the Internet – a guide for individuals and businesses