"The Internet Economy is here to stay with the rise of E-Commerce affecting all businesses in some form-.
Yes, I do believe that to a great extent that this comment is true and I will outline my understanding of E-Commerce and how businesses are affected by this new technology. .
B2C (Business to Consumer) Internet websites are commonly used by consumers throughout the world today. These are websites designed for companies to sell their products direct to the everyday consumer without them having to leave their home. This is something that was portrayed in early sci-fi movies and is now reality. Consumers even have a cute shopping cart' to add their selected items but must have a credit card to purchase. I found it confusing when shopping on the Internet and difficult to find Australian sites. The market seems to be dominated by overseas (mainly the U.S.) countries which when buying from them the currency is different and you really have no idea if it is of good value for your dollar. The disadvantages that I experienced were - not being able to handle the product to see its quality - some things can photograph well but are poorly made, although shopping around for price comparison would be an advantage. I can see how this kind of shopping would appeal to people living in isolated places or in a demanding job with little time to shop. Imagine being able to buy all your Christmas gifts at home at night in front of the computer with a cup of coffee and not worry about crowds or getting time off work to do this. .
I think you would have to be extremely careful of where you buy of the internet as to the security of putting your credit card details on the web and whether you were buying from a reputable company and not being ripped off'. Shopping through portals' that are trusted and where the vendors have been checked. Optus and Telstra have portal sites that have links to many safe shopping sites.