Social Implications of E-Commerce on Society

Task 5 (LO4 – P5 ): explain the social implications of e-commerce on society

The growing use of e-commerce has inevitably meant that society has changed and evolved to accept the change in buying habits. Terms like “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” indicate just how much e-commerce has meshed itself into our culture.

5.1) Explain the social implications of e-commerce on society. The implications that need to be explained are:

• bricks and clicks e.g. high street stores having an e-Commerce facility
• advantages to customers e.g`. 24/7, shopping from home, access to goods globally
• disadvantages to customers e.g. card details stolen, products not as described, delivery issues
• Isolation/lack of social interaction
• customer service e.g. ease of ordering, delivery
• keeping up with technology in order to use e-Commerce sites
• reduction in employment
• closure of high street sites.

High street stores all over the UK mostly having an e-commerce facility present for example Tesco’s is one of the main super markets in the UK this Business has a high quality website for its online shopping customers with Tesco’s having an e-commerce website opening up in 2001 with now on a average10 million pounds of shopping bought a week this is implicates that nearly hundreds of thousands of people are shopping online this means that they are not visiting the supermarket on a regular bases this also means that they being lazy by sitting on a computer just clicking on items instead of the usual shop at Tesco’s browsing and buying their products and also socialising with the fellow shoppers and staff.

As we know e-commerce has advantages to customers. The first advantage of an e-commerce website that it is open to customers 24 hours 7 days a week this is an ease of access to customers as they would work during the open times of a high street shop this means they would not have the time during work to shop. Another advantage using e-commerce is that you can order items from anywhere with internet from your phone, computer and even tablets etc. The benefit of this is that you can browse and order online right from your home instead of walking around browsing goods on the high street. A different benefit of e-commerce online shopping is that everything can be delivered right to your door step also when shopping around in the high street you cannot always see the best offers for your money with e-commerce it is easy to highlight special offers rather than customers sticking to same items.

Of course e-commerce has its disadvantages to customers. The first main disadvantage is not being able to see the product physically. In some cases they can’t see what they are actually purchasing online; which can lead to disputes with e-commerce online businesses s over should a product believe to be mis’sold.

- shop owners are being undercut, as those without shops and sales staff (ie online businesses) can sell the product cheaper
- people can get everything delivered, so in supermarket shopping etc, people are sticking to the same stuff each wek as don't see all the offers
- Possibly more environmentally friendly, as just the item is delivered, rather than people driving to town etc and getting it
- Smaller shops which can't afford a web sale and store sale might close down
- Generally better for price comparison to buy online
-People can't se what they are getting, so may be buying more junk leading to disputes