Week 6.


Question 1

• What experiences have you had with shopping online?

  I regularly use ebay and certain online stores to buy many things, including parts for cars, computer products and clothes. I find it really easy and very rewarding especially when you grab a bargain.

  
  

  
  

• Describe a good experience.

  Buying a legit $200 pair of sunnies for $40

• What did you like about the online store you used?

  
  As i use many i cant really describe just 1, but most the online stores i use accept paypal. I will only make purchases over the web using paypal.
  

• Describe a bad experience.

  A bad experience was when i purchased some blank dual layer DVD and they arrived scratched.

• What problems did you have with the online store?

  Fortunately the seller was kind enough to let me keep them, and send me more free of charge.

• What features make an online store more appealing?

  When they allow for paypal and offer good refund services.

• What features make an online store less appealing?

  When they do not offer paypal, and they do not provide sufficient information

• Should we expect to see the prices of goods and services rise or fall due to the migration of consumers online?

  Not really. I think as the online market grows, prices will start to increase. This wont phase too many people as online shopping is a growing trend mainly due to the convenience.

Question 2

• The dispersion of prices (that is, the spread between the lowest and highest price for a particular product) will narrow.
• Prices will definately start to tightening over stores due to the growing trend of online shoppers.  This wont be so much of an issue to consumers as businesses will start to price match.

• The importance of brand names will decrease.
• I believe in the trust of the product and reading reviews. When i buy anything, whether it be online or offline i do some research and read reviews on the product. If i believe it can be trusted then i will make a purchase. It also boils down to popularity. If a product becomes popular, then it generally has a good name for itself.

• Price competition will make all products cheaper.
• I believe as the online market grows and the competition expands, the option of cheaper prices with increase and online business will need to compete with other online businesses and offline businesses.

• Digital markets will become dominated by a handful of mega-sites, like Amazon.com.
• Many online smaller business rely on their good service and cheap prices. Although large sites can offer the same services, i think many loyal customers will stick to the smaller businesses. Although again it will come down to competition in the market.

• How do you think the balance of power between buyer’s and seller’s will change?
• At offline stores, they can inflate the prices of products due to the limit they may have in competition or stock. Online however this competition is massive, as consumers can purchase items from their home 24/7. Consumers definately make shifts in the market place. 

• Prices are clustered online.
• Definately. Examples on eBay show popular items being relatively the same price accross sellers.

• Online prices are elastic. ( i.e. immune to change up and down with demand)
• Agree. If products are of high demand, then the prices will range from very little to large, but will bring still little profit to the seller. A product that is said to be rare, sellers will try and sell for as much as they can. With no elasticiy between sellers.

• Online prices are generally transparent (the extent to which prices for a given product or service are known by buyers in the marketplace.)
• Generally more transparent than offline markets.

Question 3

• What types of m-commerce services does your cell phone provider offer?

  I am with telstra, are they are moving forward with their personalisation with online accounts, and the opening of ap stores for new smart phones.

• Which of these services do you use?

  
  I regulary use the app store and online account
  

• What types of transactions do you perform through your cell phone or other wireless device?

  
  I tend to make most transaction on a computer. But i am regulary checking my eBay, logging into netbank and buying applications for my phone from the app marketplace.
  

  
  

• What types of transactions would you like to perform, but are currently unable to?

  I would have to say that i agree with everyone when they say they would like the ability to make transaction from a phone like an eftpos card. Just swipe and thats it. would be just too easy!

• What is your opinion of wireless advertising/mobile marketing?

  I believe it works well for up and coming app developers who start off with little money. Its a good way to get people into the business.