E-commerce

6pm.com is an on-line retail store for Shoes, Clothing, Bags  Handbags, Watches, Sunglasses, Accessories, and Jewelries. The website is owned by Ebags Inc. and first went on-line on February 8, 2004. 6pm.com is a virtual shopping mall where you can find ready to wear apparels for all ages and sex. It is one of the most successful on-line apparel and accessories retailer in the business with very positive ratings from its shoppers. It is estimated that 1,461,845 on-line shoppers visit their websites monthly and it is ranked 1,202 for the most visited sites in the United States. (whois.domaintools 2010)

6pm.com offers the convenience of shopping at home and having your items delivered at your doorsteps. Though shoppers need to pay for the shipping of the items and wait a maximum of four days before receiving the products , the discounted prices on the products is what really attracts online shoppers.


How does it work

You need to go at their website at www.6pm.com. The first thing you will notice are the discount banners on each item ranging from 60 to 80. The website is easy to follow, items are categorized and you need only to click a tab to find what you are looking for.  There are an options to sort items, defending on popularity, price range, and brand name. Once you find the item you want to buy, you need only to click on it to see the products details and the option to add it on your virtual shopping bag. Adding an item on the shopping bag will redirect to a inventory page, where you will be given an option to continue shopping or to checkout.

Clicking the checkout tab will redirect you to the log-in page (for existing users) and the new account registration for first timers(you can continue shopping by clicking the return to shopping tab). If you do not have an existing account you need to register and input personal information, such as name, shipping and billing address( HYPERLINK es), phone number, email address, and credit card number. 6pm.com has a privacy policy to assure customers that their personal informations are safe and well handled. After the login page you need to confirm on your sales and agree to deduct the amount to your credit card. That completes your shopping and you need only to wait for a few days for your items to be delivered at your doorstep.  6pm.com offers a 30 days return consideration to its consumers, but consumers need to pay for the shipping cost of the items. (6pm.com  2010)

 SHAPE
6pm.com being an exclusive internet based retailer is dependent on technology. From selling and advertising its products, to communications with its customers, to modes of payments for the products it is selling. The retailer-consumer relationship is purely virtual all transactions are done through the internet. The accessibility of being internet base is the biggest advantage of 6pm.com to a regular shopping mall. The convenience and flexibility it offers to its consumers is one of the reasons of its success. It also means that 6pm.com has a wider market reach, it is not limited to being land base, store operation is ensured to be 24 hours and the cost of operations can be limited to the technology it uses. The disadvantage of 6pm.com being internet based are it is prone to cyber attacks, hackers can bring down their website which will cost the company a significant amount of money in terms of repair and lost sales. Being internet based will also mean you will have a lot of issues on fraudulent customers and sales.

Advantages of online shopping
Convenience  Internet based stores are open 24 hours. Customers can access their products in the convenience of their homes and at their own time.

Easy Information Prices comparison can be easily viewed through searching through the internet. Product price is also most of the time lower because there is no sales tax. Details and reviews about the products quality can also be easily found in the internet.

Disadvantages of online shopping
Fraud This applies to both shoppers and retailers, fraudulent sales are a normal occurrence in online shopping. On the retailers perspective this happens when shoppers uses credit cards that they don t own or stolen. On the shopper sides, they cannot physically inspect the products for defects and quality.

Security Online retailers are prone to cyber attacks. Shoppers are subject to phishing sites which can result to identity theft.

Privacy Online Shoppers are required to share personal information to retailers such as home address and credit information.

Security and Privacy Policy
To  maintain confidentiality of its customers  personal informations, 6pm.com uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol for all financial transactions made through their site. SSL is a internet protocol used to encrypt data on internet transactions. It is a cryptographic system that establish a private connection between two users only (Verisign 2010). 6pm.com also guarantees that the informations provided is only accessible to its employees on instances of specific jobs that need access to such information for completion. The 6pm.com website employs the use of  cookies and web beacons. Cookies are pieces of information in text file send by the server to the internet browser of the user. They facilitate on the fast loading of web contents and data transfer between server and user. Web beacons or action tags, are used to monitor the user site usage. They track and records the actions, content viewed, and the frequency of visits of users (Allaboutcookies 2010). 6pm.com guarantees that its cookies and web beacons does not acts as spywares on the users hard drive.

In addition to internet security 6pm.com also employs third-party service providers for the physical security of their computer hardwares. This is to ensure that even the employees of the company will not have means to access data of its customers.

Improvements
6pm.com, being internet based is limited to surveys and web questionnaires to evaluate the effectiveness of its marketing operations. Surveys are normally presented on different forms survey for the company website, customer preference, surveys regarding the products and suggestions forms.

Next page is a sample survey given to customers on the evaluation of the company s website.
It is a simple general survey to assess the customer s point of view on how to improve the services of the on-line retailer. The first question is to ask the customer how he had known about the website. This can be a basis on the improvement on how the company promotes and advertise itself. Next is the accessibility of the website. The loading time of websites is important, it is the first real sign of the quality of service the on-line retailer can offer. If the contents takes minutes to load, the possible shopper will have second thoughts about the quality of service and possibly go to another website. The layout of the website should also be a point to ask to the consumer.  Does the customer find the web contents to be confusing Or is the website properly organized It is important to consider both the negative and positive feedbacks of customers on this part of the questionnaire. The visual appearance of the website is the foremost factor in catching the shopper interest. It is facilitates on the quantity of purchase of the customer. Another important information for the company is to know if the consumer bought anything through the website. This is the general purpose of web beacons, they are needed to monitor the customer activity in the site, and the survey will be a means to validate this information. It is also necessary to know  if the shopper found all the items he wanted to buy and the items he wants to see the next time he visits the on-line store. This is for inventory evaluation, and for the general layout of the website. You want customer to see what they are looking for the first time the website load. This is a effective way to attract impulse buyers.

6pm.com prides itself with its wide variety of choices. From high end signature products to ordinary apparels and accessories. This is the major selling points of 6pm.com it is a real one stop bargain store. The last part of the survey can be a commentsuggestion box, where customers can voice out their opinions on the improvement of the services and website of the on-line store. This also serves as a grievance section, where customers can voice out their opinions on unsatisfactory service and products quality.

Sample Questionnaire

How did you found our website       Magazine            Internet Adds            Friend  
Are the items properly categorized in the site   Yes              No  
How long does it take for the site to load Slow        Fast         Very Slow      Very Fast
Have you found what you were looking for    Yes                         No
Did you buy anything in this site  Yes                     No

Comments and Suggestions
On-line retailers do not have the capacity to build a solid customer-retailer relationship. It is therefore important to continually meet the ever changing preferences of customers. It is necessary to regularly conduct surveys and web questionnaires to customers to be updated on their growing needs. It is also the responsibility of the retailer to maintain confidentiality and respect the privacy of their customers.

The sample questionnaire though very simple is aim to assess the companys general performance. It is objective enough to evaluate if the company need to improve its current technology on its way of business.

About the Company
HMV is a UK based leading store specializing in selling products ranging from DVDs to computer games. HMV started as a typical bricks and mortar company in 1921 by the celebrated composer, Sir Edward Elgar. (HMV Homepage 2010, p.1) Following the years, the company expanded its operations to open up 200 stores in 200 different locations nationwide and further stores in different cities of Europe. It employs a total of 500 people (HMV Group Design Council 2010, p.1) thus contributing significantly to the economy. It went through a major acquisition in 1998 and eventually got listed on the stock exchange in 2002.
Being an organization, one of the primary objectives of the company is to satisfy the customers and provide them timely delivery of the products. The company devised strategies to satisfy their goals and came up with a mail order operation in 1992 and subsequently with an online website to keep abreast of the technological opportunities that emerged as a part of the changing business environment.

E-Business

The company started out its e-business operations in 1997 by launching its first ever website. The website at that time offered DVDs, Videos and Computer Games. Downloads for the MP3 player were also a unique feature of the site. The main purpose behind launching the site was to stay focused on the changing business needs and to remain committed to keeping itself ahead of the competition. The website project was a huge success for the company. The sales reached its peak and soon it acquired Waterstone and HMV and Dillons from the two big groups in the music industry. The website is a typical example of a B2C model which aims at providing business services to the customers (Fildes 2007, p.1).

Reason for the investment
The main idea behind the acquisition of the firm was that the company was not doing well prior to the acquisition.

It was having trouble implementing new e-commerce solutions Also, HMV was not doing well in the music download area. It also expanded into the e-books market but was not doing well because of the monopoly of the e-book giant, Amazon.

The company was not making enough profits in the e- business industry because of the competitors and the fact that the business functions were not adding value.

Because of the late entry in the market, the company was not able to gain a large market share.
Implementation of e-commerce solutions were costing a lot of money
The company did not have sufficient resources to manage the site even if it did in-house development.
It was having difficulty in integrating the orders of the customers to track the records.

Result
As a result of these problems, the investment in 7 Digital took place so that 7 Digital could provide services to power HMVs online music store and its expansion into e-books operations. The deal was to combine 7 Digitals catalogue service with HMV to make things simpler.

Geoffrey Moores Adaption Cycle
Geoffrey Moore is a consultant who gave his theory on the Technology Adaption Life cycle. In his model, he identified five major segments of people
Innovators
Early Adapters
Early Majority
Late Majority
Laggards

The cycle mostly talks about the disruptions and failure of the product in the early stages of its life cycle. The most important concept is that of Chasm which means that a disruption is created in the market because of either the consumer behavior or the acceptance level of the risk.

Therefore the firm must do adequate research and devise strategies to successfully transit from the visionaries of the product to the pragmatists (Robbins  Judge 2004, p.117).

HMV Technology Adaption Cycle
The era of late 90s brought with itself a lot of new technology internet, MP3 players, DVD players, laptops, PCs etc. the abundance of this technology was accessible by a lot of people and therefore the need arose for doing work by merely sitting at home. The trend of conducting e- businesses started. HMV came into the market a bit late because of its traditional bricks and mortar functions. At the time of the launch of the HMVs website, there were a number of competitors already in the market including Amazon.com.

Late Majority
HMV can be identified as the late majority group. They came into the market late and hence attracted very few customers. Although 7 Digital was providing its core services to HMV, the company failed to track the demand earlier. Hence, HMV can be called conservative.

Laggards
HMV is also for people who are laggards. They arent up to date on the technology and hence HMV provided a platform for those laggards but the company still didnt expand much because of the abundance of competitors.

Industry value chain
The value chain of the industry corresponds to the specific activities that a firm must perform in order to stay in the industry.

Following the outline of the industry value chain, HMVs can be described best as below

Inbound logistics
Inbound logistics mean that the firm is up to date on the latest developments so that they can provide better services to the customers. HMV was no doing a good job and hence it invested in 7 Digital in return for their help.

Operations (Production)
The operations of the company included updating the music library and the e-books library so that the customers could get the products of their choice.

Outbound logistics
This refers to the timely delivery of the products to the customers. HMVs inbound logistics werent efficient till it acquired the services of 7 Digital.

Marketing Activities
The marketing of the firm was good. It came up with constant discounts on the items during events. The sales department was not efficient as the functions especially prices were not in correspondence with the demand of the products. The company can improve its operations by comparing itself with the other firms in the industry. This practice is called benchmarking. HMV did not follow the standards that were set up by competitor firms. Although HMV didnt bankrupt like Zavvi but it failed to move upward like other successful firms.

Key Relationships
For HMV, there are a number of people with whom it has to maintain its relationships.

Suppliers
Being a product offering firm, HMV has to maintain long term strategic alliances with its suppliers. The suppliers include 7 Digital who help them in providing catalogue services to the customers. Also, Prime Business Solutions (McDonough  Kocherp 2010, p.1) is a supplier to HMV because of which HMV has been successful in implanting a strong business network

Customers
Customers are an important component for the firm. HMV has gone to peaks to provide excellent services to the customers. It provides them the flexibility to purchase the products of their choice, make online payments through their credit cards and secures their information.

Value
HMV continues to provide value to all its customers- direct or indirect. Following are some of HMVs features which add value for the customers
HMV has positioned itself as a Multi- Media Entertainment Supplier and not just any record store (Moore 2009, p.1).

Providing downloads in which people do not have to worry about copy right issues
Relatively lower prices as compared to that of competitors.

Cut in the prices of the products on big events like Easter and Christmas (Andrews 2009, p.1).
Its not just an online store but also operates out of the Internet World on the real streets in form of physical stores.

Building of HMV Digital on Microsoft products and technology thus boosting the digital entertainment market (Altaner 2010, p.1).

Not only confined to selling products but also offers the services of the digital cinema (Wimbledon).

Competitors
The company has many competitors. Recession and unsuccessful e- commerce strategies have drove many companies out of the business including Zavvi (Altaner 2010, p.1).

Some of the major competitors are
Amazon.com
iTunes
Boarder Group
WH Smith PLC
Lookers PLC

The competitive advantage of the Amazon.com and iTunes has been primarily the consolidation strategies and integration of the supply chain. Both these companies have preceded HMV in disintermediation of their business. Though the firm also has a free delivery offer for its customers in the UK, it relies on the absorption of these costs into the product costs resulting in slashing profit margins for HMV. There has been no forward or backward integration from HMV as a result of the strategies adopted by Amazon.com and iTunes.
The intense competition with Amazon and iTunes has led to HMV adopting a price-focused marketing campaign  rebates and price reductions are the focal point of the marketing strategy of HMV. It has also led to HMV exploring a wider market than Amazon and iTunes  it offers games, movies and music combining all these under one roof. This distinctive all-under-one-roof approach has been central to its success in the highly competitive industry.

Revenues
The company has made sufficient profits ever since it expanded its business by going online. Soon after the launch of the website, the company reported revenue of 298 million for the year 2000. Also, when the competitor firms were closing because of recession and going out of business, the company generated 1.96 billion (HMV Group Financial Results 2008, p.2) of revenue in the year 2009.
Revenue Table
EventRevenueLaunch of the Website (1997)
Revenue for 2000
298 millionGlobal Recession (2008)
Revenue for 2009
1.96 billion

HMV has been successful in the business because of its adaption to the changing business needs. Where firms like Zavvi ceased its operations, HMV continued grow. Referring to the Geoffery Moores cycle, the firm was a part of the late majority and the laggards. Also, as compared to competitor firms, it hasnt made many profits in the e-commerce business. Also, the firm was unable to make operations successful in different countries because of their inefficient market research and logistics. It continuously failed to benchmark itself against the competitor firms. Whereas advancement of technology helped HMV in reaching the top and grabbing the market share, lack of a well developed e-commerce strategy failed the company in many ways thus creating hindrances in the business. It is because of these problems that HMV bought a stake in 7 Digital so that the large multimedia solutions giant could offer HMV its services (Fildes 2007, p.1).

In this era of information technology there has been increase in use of communication through networked channels of communication. Apart from telephone communication, internet use has become the most commonly used means of communication. Communications around the world has been enhanced by the development and use of technology. According to Lim (2002), internet is a double-edged sword that should be used by organizations with a lot of caution. It is a very crucial tool for communicating as well as conducting e-commerce. On the other hand, internet has become a very strong tool for criminals and terrorist to easily conduct their activities (Schneider 2006). Organisations are adapting to monitoring their employees telephone, e-mail and internet use at a very high rate. There efficiency in monitoring is also made possible by the development of technological tools for monitoring. This possibility of using the internet for perpetrating crime, terrorism and waging war has become a rationale for the law to allow governments and employers the right and need to monitor the e-mails, telephone calls and Internet access of their people. The governments and employers are concerned with the safety of the state, the people and businesses (Bauknecht, Madria and Pernul, 2000). The paper is an investigation of the legal and ethical implications of allowing governments and employers to monitor the e-mails, telephone calls and Internet access of their employees.

People have come to rely on internet for communication than any other form of communication. They are involved in very many forms of communication including private communication through the internet. Being at work most of the time, they tend to interact through the organisations communication lines. Employees have tended to feel that the increase in monitoring their communication is an infringement of their privacy. It is reasonable that employees at times feel like their right to privacy is infringed in cases where their private communications are intercepted and accessed without their consent (Bauknecht, Madria and Pernul, 2000).
The opponents of the move to monitor employees communications argue that it is possible for some managers or government officials to access employees communications maliciously. There are certain individuals who have the tendency of misusing power. In cases where they are given the legal freedom to intercept employees calls and messages, they can tend to use this right for all the wrong reasons. According to many of the ethical theories, employers are supposed to be loyal agents of consumer interests. The clients in this case include employees who are the inside clients. This is the reason why the managers should take into consideration the feelings of the employees before they unethically intercept their communications.

Monitoring communications in an organisation can have negative impact on the employees. According to Schulman (2001), it is likely to produce suspicion and hostility in the organisation. Monitoring communications might work positively in preventing crime but it can be counterproductive. It is likely to cause dislike in the workers for being handled like immature people who cannot think for themselves. Monitoring can reveal a sense of lack of trust towards the employees. The culture of monitoring communication has tended to be one of distrust and resentment work situation where the workers fail to see the reason for monitoring (Elliot 2004).

It is well known that interception of communication is very intrusive and that it should be applied in restriction and under much specialised situations. The right of people to be protected from unjustifiable invasive watch is almost universal and is observed by almost every international treaty. Almost every nation around the world has implemented legislations that allow interception of communication. This is an obvious threat to the right of individuals as well as the democracy that people have fought for so long to gain. However in most of the democratic nations, interceptions can only be approved by a court of law or high ranking officials and only in situations where there is danger of a serious crime. This is because the freedom of any person or organisation to intercept communication can cause employers and government officers to misuse the right (Schneider 2006).

In considering communication monitoring in organisations, it is important to evaluate from ethical theories point of view to better comprehend the ethics and ethical predicaments that are facing the workers and the management. There are two issues that are in consideration in this case ethics from the rationale of monitoring perspective and ethics from the possible behaviour of the employees perspective. Utilitarian theory of ethics would argue that the organisations should carry out the tasks that give the best results to the majority of the stakeholders (Elliot 2004).

Ethics in decision-making should always comprise respect for the fundamental rights of people and should also consider the disparities in ethnically hereditary and independently held ethical principles. In this case, it is possible for decisions for communication monitoring to conflict with the personal or communal ethics. When such a situation arises, it is important to understand the misunderstanding and evaluate the implication of the decision on other peoples standards. Imposing decisions concerning monitoring is unethical and should be discouraged no matter the reason (Lubbock and Louise 2000).

Immanuel Kant asserts that every person has a value and dignity that must be well respected. Thomas Abbott has adapted from Kants work the idea that humankinds morality has value. By considering every persons ethical and moral principles in decisions, it is possible to come up with unbiased, fair and just deliberations. Kant observed that a decision that is right for one person is right for all (Lubbock and Louise 2000).  This is based on the presumption that human beings are rational thinkers and would properly evaluate a situation and see whether it is for their own good. This can also be viewed from the Deontological theories perspective. This theory evaluates the morality of an action by observing the procedure of the decision. This is by looking at the means of reaching that decision. Back to the situation at hand, in cases where the employers decide to access telephone, e-mail and internet communications of their workers without their proper  knowledge, then in this case, they are acting unethically. Where the decision to monitor communications is reached in consensus with the employees where the policies and procedures are agreed on, then the action in this case is ethical (Muhl 2003).

Ethics is based on the sincere consideration of the basic intention to potential damage, and to congruency with the developed principles and regulations. With this argument in mind, some people will argue that monitoring of private communications is unethical. This could be true depending on the intention of the employer and the damage that the move is likely to cause. If monitoring communication is aimed at deterring crime that has become so rampant in the society, then it has an ethnical justification (Elliot 2004).

There is a dilemma in legal issues related to communication monitoring. The law has for a long time been protecting the privacy of its subjects. With the development in technology, there is need for the same law to allow invasion of this privacy to protect people and the country from possible threats. As a result, there have been various law suits and court cases concerning the issue of invasion of privacy. This comes up due to the reason that both the employers and their people have not fully understood the legal issues tied to this matter. Any unethical act in communication monitoring costs organisations a lot. This is in terms of lawsuits, negative impact on workers motivation, and possible damage to the public image of the organisation (Muhl 2003).
Many are times when organisations have exposed themselves to lawsuits. This in most cases happens where monitoring policies are not clearly communicated to and properly understood by the workers. It is the right of the employees to realise that their communications are being monitored. It is not only unethical but also illegal for organisations to begin monitoring employees communications without letting them know that they are doing so. Striking a balance between the workers right to privacy and the need for the employer to ensure security and that the communication channels in the organisation are not misused is likely to be one of the hottest debates in technology in the next decade. Researches have proven that the number of people who have access to the internet range from 600 to 700 million. The numbers have continued to rise steadily, in an estimate of one million people every month. About half of the people who use the internet do so from their workplace. These results reveal the nature of problem that is facing the employers in internet related insecurity (Tokson 2009).

The problem that faces the management of many organisations is related to the failure to monitor. They cannot fail to monitor communication without the possibility of facing detrimental consequences. In some situations like in government agencies, it a legal requirement that employers monitor communications. This is because such organisations are the most common targets for terrorism and espionage. These and any other organisation that is likely to be a target of criminal activity requires being properly monitored (Elliot 2004).  
With the development of sophisticated software, it is possible to interject communication without the knowledge of the employer. Phone calls can also be interjected where there are devices attached by the employer to the employees telephone line. When such cases are taken to court, the judgment is based on whether there exist a justification for interjecting and whether the employer was inline with the procedures and policies for monitoring (Muhl 2003).

Many counties around the world control the interception of communications by the state and private organisations. These regulations are basically founded on the constitutional rights of privacy and expression. However, there have not been proper guidelines that regulate communication monitoring by the government and the employers and the privacy issues of the people (Turban, Lee and Vienland 2003).

Most countries for example, France and UK, have established specialised commissions that monitor interceptions and possible abuses of the legislation. The commissions are supposed to keep watch over the organisations that engage in unreasonable monitoring of communications.              

In the recent past, courts have started to rule in favour of communication monitoring. This however does not rule out the fact that organisations are wasting a lot of time and resources in court battles. This provides a wide array of potential defences. However law suits decided by the European Court of Human Rights offer very little direction on the defences that are applicable on different situations. One of the most prominent legal battles in the United Kingdom is the case of Alison Halford (Tokson 2009). His case was argued effectively that his right to privacy had been infringed. However, it could be argued that the decision in this case was reached due to the fact that the law enforcement officers had her telephone line without her knowledge because of a legal battle she was fighting against them. Allowing communication intrusion could lead to such and many other kinds of legal battle. What is not yet clear is the extent that the Human Rights Acts will contradict the policies of communication monitoring especially in private organisations. There will be a necessity for the communication interception to be interpreted according to the human rights laws (Tokson 2009).      

Despite the fact that there are legal and ethical issues related to communication monitoring, the need for it is undeniable. Following the terrorism attacks of the Twin Towers in the United States on September 11, 2001, many countries around the world started to adapt policies for protecting their countries.  One of the key areas that are targeted by these policies is the area of communication. Organisations have been given the authority by law to intercept communications as a protective measure against crime and terrorism. Many countries came up with legislations that would allow organisations to intercept communication without warrant. Many people are afraid for their lives, families and businesses due to the ease by which perpetrating crime has become due to the increase in use of technology for communications (Tokson 2009).  

Communication monitoring can be viewed as a policing tool to avoid misuse of the internet to destroy the organisation or cause harm to people. In this case, it can be supported slackly by the ethical theory that the move has the ultimate results into consideration. Monitoring from this point of view ensures that the organisation is at par with the law, ensures that its employees are not plotting anything that is harmful to the country of its people, and that the companys resources and information are safe (Lubbock and Louise 2000).

There is need for organisations to ensure that security is preserved within the organisation. In cases where the organisation carries out monitoring to flush out possible danger, then their acts are not unethical within reason. Workers need to act competently and morally in the work place. Where there is a possibility that this is not the case, then communication monitoring is justified. It is not fair for some people to misuse technological communication and end up jeopardising the organisation and the welfare of the honest ones. It has been argued that the protection of the right to privacy and the right to communication is not absolute. This means that the right can be overridden if monitoring is essential to defend the public, avoid crime from being perpetrated, or for the protection of rights and freedoms of other people (Turban, Lee and Vienland 2003).

With the rationale behind interception given, there is need to develop legal guidelines for regulating communication interception. There are some sensitive issues that need to be tackled in order to uphold the culture of the business even in the need to preserve security of data and people. People need to be enlightened on the need for monitoring their communication. It is thus important that every worker who is affected by the interception is aware of it. The exception comes where there are foolproof reasons for not disclosing. Lack of understanding is what is likely to cause problems for the organisation (Zwillinger and Genetski 2007). They should also be told of the procedures and mechanisms that are employed in monitoring. In a situation where they are caught by surprise, they are likely to be disappointed thus derailing the morale of their operations. Use of monitoring in an organisation is a process that should be considered with a lot of care. It requires proper planning, policies and processes. All the policies and procedures must be adequately communicated to the employees. Many organisations have lost court battles for monitoring communications without proper knowledge of the affected (Turban, Lee and Vienland 2003).

Before installation or commencement of any kind of communication monitoring, it is crucial for the organization to read and interpret the laws that allow them to intercept communication, as well as the laws that protect individuals rights. This will ensure that they are not at loggerheads with the law and the employees. It is also necessary that the companies have reasonable justification for wanting to start intercepting communications of their employers. The organisations are not to start monitoring communications for no justifiable reason (Elliot 2004).  

There are however debates in many countries on whether to inform the employees or not. It is important to note that without coming up with a proper policy to direct monitoring, there is a possibility that the employers will have the right to access any information on the employers and even misuse it. The problem with the law in most countries is that employees should not expect to enjoy privacy with the organisations resources. The employers should be required to tell their employees at the time of selection, what monitoring measures are taken in the company as well as the kind of information that they will be interested in. they should also be notified in case of any changes in monitoring policies and practices (Turban, Lee and Vienland 2003).

Proper notification of communication monitoring will eradicate misunderstanding between the employers and the employees. The employees will always be on their toes to ensure that there is no situation where they are caught communicating in a way that is a threat to the public or the organisation. Notification will also make it possible for the employers and the employees to maintain their boundaries. This will create an ethical working environment because none of the two will risk acting unethically. This will help in preventing problems and legal battles between the employer and the workers. While this is made a regulation in some countries, it is the ethical duty of the employers to be transparent with their employees Zwillinger, M.  Genetski, C. 2007,

Due to the fact that in many countries, there is no legal protection on resources owned by the organisation, it is vital for the people to take it upon themselves to learn and understand the kind of monitoring policies and practices that are being used by the organisation Zwillinger, M.  Genetski, C. 2007,

Communication monitoring is likely to have detrimental effects on productivity within an organisation. This is in case it is performed without transparency. It is unethical for workers to fail to deliver to the organisation. Failure to deliver should never be fully blamed on the workers. It is also the ethical duty of the employers to ensure that their workers are fully motivated in order to perform. In as much as it is communication interception is important in this era of networking to avoid crime and terrorism, it is important for employers to be accountable. In e-commerce where workers are very involved in telephone and internet communication, there is a higher probability of misusing these services to perpetrate crimes, terrorism or even incitement. This is the rationale behind the move to intercept communication. However as already discussed in the paper, there are various legal and ethical implications of this move. To avoid negative effects of communication monitoring in organisations and businesses, there is need for openness. This is why notification is very crucial. Where the employees are aware that they are being monitored, they will tend to operate ethically and responsibly. On the other hand, where the employers know that their employees are aware of their rights as far as communication monitoring is concerned they will act ethically towards their employees. It is therefore important to monitor communications, but accountably.

Since the dot-com boom, the trend of buying and selling online has increased a lot. The use of credit card, introduction of online merchant accounts and facilities such as PayPal have allowed the buyers and sellers to engage in online transactions at a reduced cost. However, the merchants and buyers both face certain problems while transacting online. This paper will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of buying and selling online.

Advantages of Selling Online
The seller get advantage from reduced costs of hiring employees to sell the products, reduction in marketing budget, no need of a physical store for selling goods (Reynolds, 2004). An online merchant needs no physical store to display his products as they can be easily viewed on the website. The cost of hiring employee and paying salaries goes down significantly when a firm starts selling online. Other significant expenditures such as utility bills and rent are also eliminated for an online seller.

The characteristic of ubiquity of e-commerce allows the merchant to increase the target market. With the increase in target market, the sales and revenues are also increased. Geographic territories are no boundaries for selling online now, as products can be sold to anyone in any country through home deliveries and receiving payments through credits cards and online transfers. Therefore a business which sells online has a global reach and opportunities for the business expansion are higher. Sales can be made round the clock as the time of the day is not a hindrance in sales. Transactions can take place 247 as no sales person is needed to guide the customers or receive the payments from him.

Disadvantages of Selling Online
Despite higher market growth opportunities and reduction in costs, the merchant has to face certain threats and costs for selling on the website. Credit card fraud is the most probable risk in online business. Hackers and crackers are able to break in to the system of vendors through credit card frauds and purchase products without paying for them. The merchant has to bear losses from these credit card frauds according to the laws of e-commerce and the credit card company has no stake in the loss. Another great disadvantage for an online seller is increased cost of transaction and reduction in profit margin because of the high charges of the credit card companies. Online sellers have to also face tough competition as the marketplace has increased and vendors from all over the world are competing on a single ground (Lightfoot, 2003).

Advantages of Buying Online
There are many advantage of buying online. The customer does not have to make personal visits to a retail store or office for a purchase of product. Hours of time and effort can be saved by the customer by purchasing online as he will not have to search for the physical shopoutlet and not have to personally visit the shop to purchase. The product is most of the time delivered at the doorsteps of the customer. The customer has the convenience that he cannot get if he visits a store and makes purchase.

The greatest advantage for the buyer is that he is not bound by the time of the day to buy (Laudon, 2009). Products can be purchased online whenever the customer needs them. No matter in which country the customer is sitting, he can engage in online transaction with the click of a button and an internet connection. The consumer gets reduced prices online as compared to the retail stores and outlets. This is because the reduced costs at the side of merchant allow the benefit to be passed to the customers as well.

Disadvantages of Buying Online
The greatest disadvantage that the customer has to face is the theft of identity and personal information. Usually the online companies take customer information and sell it to marketing firms which pay large amounts for such information. Time lag in receiving the products has increased which is at the disadvantage of the consumers.

Another disadvantage of buying online is that the customer cannot be sure of the quality of the product as he is not able to get the touch and feel of the product. The customer is also not sure of the product as he is not able to try it out on the internet. The buyer cannot trust all the websites which are present on the internet as many of them are there just to fraud the customers (Harridge-March, 2006). It has been witnessed in the past that many websites take money from the customers and do not provide them with the products that they ordered. Theft of credit card information is also a risk associated with online purchasing.

Although the customer and online vendors face some disadvantages in selling online, but the advantages and profit margins offset those disadvantages. The biggest advantage that the customer and merchants both benefit from is the availability of the website around the clock and no requirement of a sales person to make sales.

Comparative analysis between Platos Allegory of the Cave and the Matrix trilogy by Andy and Lary Wachowski depict interesting conceptual similarities. Platos Allegory is a story that describes how the society and the government have absolute control over ordinary citizens.  The matrix trilogy depicts a situation in which technology has made human prisoners following the defeat of the humans by Machines, (Navon 2).

Platos depiction of the freed man is analogous to Thomas Anderson alias Neo who is liberated after accepting that his former life was that of deception. After living a false life since birth, he is shocked and unprepared for the truth that awaits him following liberation, (Bass 2). The freed man in Platos allegory ends up suffering from mental and physical challenges similar to Neo.

The situations of prisoners in both scenarios are similar for example prisoners view of reality is distorted. In the Matrix trilogy, humans who are captives of the machines live a life in the virtual world, existing in an apparent reality. They are only able to see what the machines want them to see, (Bass 1).  It is only with training that Neo gains the ability to exist within both the Matrix and the real world. Prisoners visions of reality are imaginary as they are manipulated by their machine masters who make them accept that their experiences are true.

In both scenarios, both the humans and the prisoners have only known one life since birth hence do not realize that they are prisoners, (Bass 3). This enables their captors the opportunity to manipulate them by being fed false realities. The shadows in which the prisoners live may be compared to the matrixs codes which deny human captives the ability to know the truth by controlling the larger matrix, (Navon 6). Additionally, the puppet handlers in Platos allegory are similar to the agents who go to greater lengths to ensure that humans remain in their virtual reality living throughout their lives in a poor copy of the real world.
Cypher a crew member who betrays colleagues, killing a number of them can be compared to other prisoners who have not seen liberation, (Bass 2). Similar to prisoners living in the virtual world of the Matrix, prisoners in Platos allegory are chained in such ways that their view of the world is extremely limited, only being able to see the wall in front of them. The city Zion, the last remaining human city in a devastated world is 4 kilometers below the earths surface, and exists supported by energy from the earths mantle. In Allegory of the Cave, prisoners live in a dark underground cave in which citizens or rather prisoners have been chained since birth to a wall.

In the world of the Matrix, humans are neurally connected to a central computer system, a simulation of the real world, (Navon 4). All human prisoners are connected to the Matrix, and operate based on computer created rules used by machines to directly simulate reality, (Bass 2). Comparatively, Plato explains that prisoners have their legs and necks in bonds hence are fixed and are only able to the wall in front of them and are unable to gain varying perspective of the world they live in, (Bass 1). Conclusively, comparing the two works illuminate great insights of works that existed centuries apart.

Technological advancement in the recent past has posed a major challenge to most marketing managers in various institutions around the world. With increasing globalization and dynamism in technology, onlineinternete-communication also known as e-commerce has become essential tool for marketing. Internet is a powerful tool for marketing that can enable an organization to be effective and profitable if used appropriately. This is because it has multimedia characteristics or features that make it a good interactive channel. E-communication is essential in reducing costs associated with printing and information sharing as well as trade channel intermediary costs. E-communications helps an organization to deal on one to one basis with its consumers.
   
There are different forms of new media or e-communication devices or avenues which include World Wide Web commonly known as WWW, mobile phones, short messages, chat programs found in the internet, HTML or the hypertext mark-up language, email services, interactive television and other hypertext links found on the web pages that enables individuals to quickly navigate through various pages and documents through the computer. Different companies around the world are today using internet services to market and sell their products.

An analysis of five e-commerce websites from the auto industry and aviation industry
E-commerce has become a major competitive tool in the automobile and aviation industry as competition continues to increase in these two industries. Toyota Company, Honda Company and Nissan motors group are some of the companies in the automobile industries that are currently using e-commerce.  Honda Motors Company has its headquarters in Japan with different branches all over the world. This company maintains its website which enables dealers and consumers to get information regarding the company. In the dealers website of the company, various models of cars are displayed. The website contains other navigation buttons to enable browser users to access different information either pertaining to the company or the products and services. Customers are enabled to make enquiries and to purchase vehicles using online services after which the company organizes for their shipment.
   
Toyota Company is another example of a company in the automobile industries also a Japanese company that is today using e-commerce to market its products. Just like the Honda Company, Toyota motors also has a website whereby it displays various models of its products (vehicles) and also provides sale options for browser users. The website is well designed with clearly marked navigation buttons and bars as well as a good mix of background colours making it easier for browser users to use it. Each navigation buttons lead to a different segment containing different information. Online services are offered while shipments for online purchased products are arranged immediately upon successful closing of a deal.
   
Nissan Motor Company is a multinational company with its headquarters being in Japan. This company deals with manufacture of automobiles. It is the 3rd largest car manufacturer in United States today.
The company has been using and upgrading its information technology infrastructures to market most of the products it manufactures. In the year 2003, Nissan motor company introduced a window server to enable it market its vehicles market its products (vehicles) faster around the world and to enable it reduce its costs. Larry Berger the manager of Nissan North America computer services asserted that windows server has allowed us finally work as a global company.

WIN project undertaken in year 2003 has enabled the company to share vital information with the employees on time as well as to collaborate with the clients more efficiently.  Toshishiko Suba the senior manager in this company stated that because of window server 2003 and exchange server 2003, our employees can now access our network through mobile devices from anywhere. Introduction of windows XP professional model from Microsoft has enabled the company to incorporate Multilanguage in its e-communications without necessarily operating different versions. Each product posted on the website of Nissan company has four translations including Spanish, Japanese, English and French.

The aviation industry has also not been left behind in the use of e-commerce or internet services as a means of selling out their services. American airlines and southwest airlines are some of the multinational airlines in United States. American airline has been upgrading its use of internet for the past several years. Recently, the company introduced WI-FI in-flight booking services to enable its clients to book flights using internet. The website of this company provides several options and a display of services offered including a section of frequently asked question. This section allows clients to ask various questions and gain immediate answers from the company. The website even has an option whereby individuals can use different languages while accessing information about freights or services.

Southwest Airline Company is a low cost airline based in America. It is rated the largest airline company in the world as it carries the biggest number of passengers and sixth in terms of revenues. The airline offers online or internet service which enables its users to book flights online without necessarily having to go the booking offices. Currently, this company introduced the Wi-Fi internet access to improve its internet services to its customers.

Features of good and bad website design
Web design is critical in effective internet marketing of goods and services. Web design entails a combination of technical prowess and artistic skills founded on the knowledge of the changing technology and consumer needs. Website design is essential in determining the number of online customers that visit a companys website. It is thus essential for a company to ensure that the way its website is designed is appealing and easy for potential viewers and consumers to access and navigate through. There are various factors that determine whether a website design is good or bad.
Good website design

For a website design to be described as being good, the following factors must be considered and fulfilled. One of the major determinants of a good website design is the text contained in the website. For it to be good, it should not at any moment interrupt the text contained there in. texts should also be big enough to be to ensure that visitors to the website can lead them clearly without struggling. However, they should not be too big in a way that disrupts the visibility or capacity of a person to read. For a website to be good, the hierarch of information should be made perfectly clear with columns contained in a text being narrower than those of a book to ensure that the reading is much easier on a computers screen.

Navigation is another essential tool that contributes to a good website design. For a website design to be good, the navigation bars and buttons should be easy to read, understand and use them. They should not be complicated with sophisticated language that some users may not understand. They should also be consistent in the entire website of an organization with the frames being used on the navigation buttons being not obtrusive. For large websites, they should have site maps or an index through which website users can navigate through instead of wasting time trying to locate various items contained on the web. The navigation bars and buttons should be able to give the visitors clues on what they are about and the page number they are viewing on the site.

Links are also very vital during website design. Good website design should have link colours that coordinate with the colours of the other pages. In a good site, links should be underlined to make them clear to website visitors. Graphics are also essential in contributing to a good web design. The buttons contained in a website should not be too dorky and big. All graphics should have a label of alt with all graphic links having text links that matches them. The backgrounds and graphics should have colours that are browser safe and all graphics that are animated should be able to switch off by themselves.

The general design of a website is also very important. Pages should download easily and quickly with the home page and first page clearly fitting in a pixel space of 800 by 600. All other pages should also have a visual impact that is immediate and also in pixels of 800 by 600. A good website design should also effectively utilise well graphic elements including pull quotes, subheadings and photos for breaking up big text areas.

Looking at the websites of Nissan, Honda and Toyota Motors as well as the American and southwest airlines, it is clear that all the features of a good website design mentioned above have been implemented. Websites of these companies are easy to navigate through, they have clear and well marked links, graphics are well designed and placed and texts are clear, have right font and easy to read. The two websites are well designed and meets the standards of good website design.

A bad website design
A bad website design is one that does not contain the elements of a good website design. It is characterised by backgrounds that has it default colour being grey with colour combinations of background as well as the text that make text reading difficult for browser users. A bad background of a website design may also contain backgrounds that are busy and distracting which makes it difficult for users to read the text contained therein.

A bad website design has very small texts making text reading a problem to many browser users. It may also have text crowded in one side usually the left age or in a centred style with the body copy on the left being over flush. Also, bad website design maybe characterised by texts or information that is stretched across the entire page. Paragraphs typed in bold, italic, caps or a mixture of the three formatting styles also characterises a bad web design. Underlining texts that do not constitute a link also makes a website design to be bad.

Blue links that are default or surrounding graphics is also an element of bad website design. Unclear characteristic concerning their direction, links contained in body copy and with potential of distracting readers or even lead them to useless or remote pages, un-underlined links making it difficult for readers to identify them and dead links are all elements of a poor web design.  other elements of poor web design include large files of graphics making them difficult or time consuming to load or download, inclusion of useless or meaningless design, images of thumbnail that are as large as the full images, lack of alt labels on graphics, missing graphics and also graphics that hardly fit in the screen. All these are identifiers of bad website design.

There are many indicator of bad website designs including junky advertisement, animations and blinking that does not switch off on itself, unclear or complex navigation bars and buttons, useless title pages and orphan pages, and the general design characterised by lack of focal point on any page, failure of home and entry pages to fit in the standard browser window, and inclusion of many focal points in a single page.

Means of using traditional shopping stores tactics on electronic selling
Electronic selling differs significantly from distribution stores on their arrangement and mode of creating a shopping environment. In traditional shopping stores, various strategies including lighting, music and displays are used. The music is usually directed at attracting the attention of the buyers and to encourage them or entice them to look at the product being offered. Usually, music is employed to fit a particular product. Different lighting styles are used which in most cases keep on changing aimed at catching or drawing the attention of the customers. Lighting is of different colours and they shine at different intervals. Displays entails showing off the products being offered for sale. Some of the best products are used for display purposes which draw the attention of potential buyers.

While not all the above tactics can be applicable for online or electronic selling, some of this tactics can be essential in drawing the attention of a consumer. To begin with, a web designer should ensure that all the qualities of a good website design are upheld as these are the major determinant of the attention that a browser user is willing to give to a particular website. Display is one of the major methods that can be used to improve electronic selling. However, this is only applicable in cases of physical products. Companies should display pictures of their best products at various angles and directions to give the viewer a full dimension or sight of the product. Products should be arranged well to fit in the standard screen and overlapping avoided. Links should be provided for different variety of products with navigation buttons being clearly labelled.

Display rights can also be employed on internet or electronic selling. However, this should be done with a lot of caution as they may scare away potential customers. Display lights should be arranged in such a way that they do not tamper with the information contained in the website. The most effective displays that can be used are in form of animations of different types. Display rights should not be very bright but harmonised to create desired impression. Slow tunes may also be played along the animations but the tunes as well as the lights should not last long so as to ensure that they do not distract the browser user.

Sale of products via the internet
Online shopping has become the in thing today. Most consumers are more comfortable doing their shopping via the net. However, there are some products that are quite sensitive and that consumers prefer to do the shopping physically rather than purchasing them via the net. Such products include clothing, shoes and perfumes. Consumers need to be there to ensure that these goods fit them and are pleasant to them. It is difficult to order clothing online especially for personal use as the delivered goods may vary with the tastes, preferences and even size of an individual. All the products that need in store help are rarely purchased via the net. Also, the risk associated with online purchasing may make consumers to prefer it or not.

One of the major fears of online shoppers is their security as well as those of their products. E-tailers are some of the effective ways that are used today to reduce the risk associated with online shopping. E-tailers also known as online retailers are large retailers whose main work is to ensure that online shoppers have access to online shopping facilities for various products and services. E-tailers are legal businesspeople who are registered under the electronic retailing association. Being legally registered, e-tailers are likely to increase the security of online shoppers as shoppers have a reliable network that can be held responsible in case of failed or lost shipment.

How to boost the level of customer service using internet
Internet is an essential and effective tool of managing and handling issues relating to customer relations. Companies can employ internet technology to improve the satisfaction of consumers and to ensure that the consumers have greater access to services and products offered by an organization. Customer services that are web based are effective in reducing costs associated with offering customer services and also in providing data to consumers. One of the ways in which organizations such as Nissan and southwest airline can employ to improve their customer relations is by ensuring that their websites are constantly updated to ensure that customers are always aware of major changes, innovations and all the internal operations of organization. Posting up to date information is essential in improving the customer service in an organization.

The second way on how to use internet to improve or boost the customer service is by providing interactive devices that enable customers ask questions directly to the customer care in an organization using the internet. There are various customer services that are web based that are currently available in the market and that can greatly help an organization improve is customer service. A service such as i-CSR meaning internet customer service representative is an option that allows an organization to provide 24hour services in a day throughout the year to its clients. With such services, clients can access the website and get attention from the company at all times regardless of the time or the day.

Creating an option of FAQs or the frequently asked questions is also another way that internet can be used to enhance the customer service of an entity. Under this section, clients are able to ask and receive immediate answers on various issues relating to an organization, its products or services. Via this service, clients can view other questions that have been asked and solicit information from them. This is an interactive way that enables an organisation interact with its clients and get to understand their needs and know them better.

Importance of e-communication in an organization
The major benefits of internet marketing in integrated marketing communications are classified into five categories commonly referred to as five Ss by marketing managers. The five Ss include sell, save, speak, sizzle and serve. One of the major benefits of e-communication is that it leads to reduction of operating costs. With e-communication, an entity is able to reduce printing costs as information is posted on the website of the company where it can be assessed by employees and the customers. This was evident after Nissan Company introduced the server systems in year 2003 Microsoft Corporation .

E-communication is also essential as it enables businesses or companies to directly interact and communicate with their customers on a one to one basis. This ensures that all the questions of customers are answered and clarity made on products and services offered. By communicating directly to a customer, an entity is able to solicit loyalty and to improve customer relations and services offered.

Sale of products is another benefit that can be derived via e-marketing or communication. Online services today enable customers to place orders for products and purchase goods via internet. Online sale of products helps an organization to build relationships with the customers as well as solicit their loyalty. Also, online sale enables an entity to convey information at relatively reduced costs. This has been a major strength of Southwest Airlines that has enabled this company gain client confidence and goodwill.

The net has a multimedia nature that allows companies to use movements, graphics, videos and audio so as to make online communication more interesting and exciting. This also allows for messages to be easily and quickly changed thus saving customers and companys time. Also, via the internet, an organization can be able to create databases for specific customer segments.

Internet business is one of the rapidly growing areas today. Most businesses have introduced e-commerce in their operations and to cub the rising competition as a result of globalization and dynamism in technology. The automobile and aviation industries are some of the most competitive industries today around the world. Given the fact that these industries usually serve or operate in the global market, technology is of essence to them and a major competitive force for companies operation in them. Nissan and Southwest airlines are some of the companies in these two industries respectively that have been able to use technology to improve their operations and competitiveness.

The Internet has significantly changed many aspects in the field of commerce. In fact, it can be observed that such technological advancement has provided more opportunities when it comes to trade conducts than any point in history, including the Industrial Revolution. E-commerce, which pertains to the buying and selling of products and services with the aid of electronic techniques, has been widely facilitated over the Internet. For the past decades, e-commerce has grown significantly that virtually anybody can start his or her own businesses online. The opportunities offered by e-commerce are endless, but failures are also subjective. Hence, along with the opportunities found within e-commerce, there should be a proper understanding of the possible barriers in order to set means that could prevent failures.
Opportunities for Success in E-Commerce
    Since the development of e-commerce, incredible opportunities for success in this field has become apparent. To begin with, many producers of goods and services are given the ability to market their goods in a global scale of consumers, irrespective of the geographic locations of both their business and target markets with a lesser overhead costs. For the most part, e-commerce provides equal market access to all market players no matter how small or big their businesses can be. In this sense alone, every individual who has the capability to facilitate or take part in trade online has the opportunity to compete in the global marketplace regardless of business size and even with limited amount of money. What is only required to be successful in e-commerce is to establish a consumer base and a search engine-focused website that is backed up by a reliable host with an equally effective customer service strategy. It should be taken into account that websites are the best gateway for customers to get acquainted with the company the merchant is representing as well as the products and services that are being offered. Hence, creating a search engine that is directed toward the target market is the best route for success of an individual who is into e-commerce (Net Starter, 2010).
    Once a focused website is put in place, one could identify possible opportunities that could later on develop into a  successful business. Wide range of existing e-commerce models and opportunities are constantly evolving. However, the most common of these are those that focus on direct sales, the pre-sales, and post-sales support. Direct sales is perhaps the most common of the e-commerce models as the e-commerce landscape has been widely facilitated for a long time now in selling goods and services. Pre-sales is a successful e-commerce opportunity to use ones website for pre-sales activities that is, to exploit the Internet to generate sales leads through  brochurewares  or the online versions of promotional materials. Post-sales support is a model that uses the Internet to automate the process of customer support so as to reduce the number of customer calls that are routinely accepted in the customer service. By making ones site available to accommodate frequently asked questions, an individual can generate clients that are willing to do business partnerships (Brick Technology Limited, 2006). Hence, it is an opportunity to do business without the hassle of promoting products to individual persons. Whichever model that one tries to use, what is important is the ability to define set expectations from the business outset this way, one can ensure the success of the business.
Avoiding E-Commerce Failures
    Just like any other form of business, e-commerce is also subject to failure when not properly facilitated and monitored. Commonly, e-commerce fails due to its technical vulnerabilities     which may result in the loss of trust from consumers. As the Internet is far reaching and can be considered as an unsafe environment, there are many instances when trades conducted online are placed at risk. Alongside this is the failure to target the right consumer base, a disorganized site that is truly difficult to navigate, lack of pertinent  information concerning products and services, as well as information about purchasing policies and contact information (Maravilla, 2010).
    It is important to note that in order for e-commerce to be successful, it is necessary to have efficient technology and strong marketing strategies to achieve the goal of making it easier for consumers to purchase goods and services online. Considering that most e-commerce businesses are facilitated online, it is imperative for an individual who wishes to establish his or her business within the cyberspace to hold a market research to ensure that the business would have a strong consumer base. Conducting market research also allows e-commerce entrepreneurs to determine if the products and services they are offering address and satisfy the needs and preferences of their target consumers (Maravilla, 2010).
    In order to avoid failure, having a professional-looking website that would attract consumers and make them feel that they really have to buy the products and services being offered is also highly important for e-commerce. For those who facilitate the business, it is perhaps preferable to place oneself in the customers position to realize their needs. Of course, by doing that, it should then be realized that most consumers prefer a website that is organized and easy to navigate, and if the website is informational, it should be search engine-friendly, presents promotional deals, product and services descriptions, and other related items and includes policies concerning shippings, returns, check out procedures and the likes. By ensuring that these things are incorporated in the website, consumers will not have trouble navigating the system (Maravilla, 2010).
    Credit card payments are the usual form of transactions when it comes to e-commerce. As stated earlier, e-commerce is technically vulnerable which, if not properly attended, could produce damaging results for both parties. In this regard, a merchant should ensure that the security of the consumers is its primary concern. In order to do so, measures should be taken to enhance the trust of consumers by implementing a secure system of payment that guarantees the confidentiality of personal information and provides protection from violations against intellectual property rights. This way, merchants would be able to win the trust of the public and send out the message of their reliability (Net Starter, 2010).
Conclusion
    E-commerce offers the greatest opportunities for both big and small companies as well as common people to launch new businesses of their choice. The power of the web, along with strong marketing strategies, allows these companies to sell goods and services to millions of prospective consumers in virtually every part of the globe at a very low cost. As e-commerce has now emerged as the new trend of buying and selling products, it is thereby necessary for both consumers and producers to take precautions that would protect their interests in a good way. On the entrepreneurs end, to survive and become a long-term success in e-commerce, the ability to become aware of common mistakes and pitfalls that can possibly ruin best laid plans is the most important strategy that can be taken. As for the consumers, to become vigilant about the purchasable products online is perhaps the best defense that they can take in order to avoid becoming victims of fraudulent marketing activities.