Introducing The Next Generation Of Leaders And Thinkers

E-Commerce: A Blessing and A Curse

[dropcap]I[/dropcap]n this decade we live in, people, most especially millennials, are so immersed in technology that it is almost impossible to encounter someone who has never experienced shopping online, nevermind using a gadget.

Since millennials are dubbed as people who are constantly ‘on-the-go’, we tend to multi-task thus we are often never seen without our smartphones and quite frankly, this means of telecommunication has become like a life support to some for they can never leave it out of sight.

People use tech not only to communicate with others but to surf the net, download music, follow famous people, get to different places and to shop online through the means of e-commerce. But wait a second, what exactly is “e-commerce”? Through the help of friends of mine called “Google” and “Wikipedia”, I found out that e-commerce is a transaction of buying or selling online. It draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange, inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. Now, this essay would focus on its branch called mobile commerce, which is a term coined in 1997 by Kevin Duffey who defined it as the delivery of electronic commerce capabilities directly into the consumer’s hand, anywhere, via wireless technology. This means of transaction is perfect for this generation since we are, after all, a generation who’s ‘on-the-go’. Our smartphones never leave our sight. We could see something we like online and purchase it in a matter of seconds, thanks to this form of technology that we have. The rise of mobile commerce has brought forth various websites/applications like Lazada, Zalora, Shopee and the platform that never gets old, Amazon. Mobile Commerce has become very convenient to a lot of people, but not everyone.

Everything has its pros & cons, and mobile commerce is not an exception.

I’ll state its pros first because I’d like to look at its positive side before dwelling on the negative; The advantages of online shopping are: one, you can access it at any time of day and anywhere you are because the stores do not close. If you feel like shopping at 2 A.M, then go for it! The limits are endless when it comes to shopping online. Another thing is, you don’t have to go through long lines, intense traffic and the dilemma of finding a parking space, for you can shop all you want at the comfort of your home. You can also get lots of deals and discounts online so you better keep an eye on them. My mom tends to shop in Metro Deal and so far, she’s got lots of good items without burning a hole in her wallet.

However, although shopping using your smartphone is very convenient, there are disadvantages to it which are commonly experienced by frequent shoppers. The first con to it is that you are unable to see the item personally before making your purchase which makes it hard for you to determine if the item lives up to its “quality” description. In addition, most online shops have a NO RETURN Policy, therefore making the customer unable to return a dissatisfactory item. Another con is that it takes some time before you get the item you purchased so if you buy something today, chances are you’d get the item a day or two from now, depending on the courier’s terms. Lastly, there are a lot of online scammers who prey on first-time online shoppers and are taking advantage of the platform’s popularity. A friend of mine has experienced first-hand how it feels to get scammed by a bogus online seller. She was supposed to purchase a second-hand instax online and she even asked her family members to check if the seller was a legitimate one. It did seem like a legitimate seller, but looks can be deceiving. The seller created a good image for himself thus fooling my friend and her family members. In the end, she didn’t get the item she paid for and she is now haunted by this experience.

Online shopping through the use of your smartphone is indeed very convenient but even if lots of people use this platform negatively, there are always sellers out there who won’t do you harm. It is also advisable that you be aware of the laws regarding e-commerce so that when you encounter a scammer, you know what to do. Be wary and practice smart consumerism so that this platform will work to your advantage.

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