Shopping Online

Now a days the life style of the people is different. People feel uncomfortable and time consuming for going crowded markets. So, E-Shopping is a boon as it saves lot of time. Online shopping is a process whereby consumers directly buy goods, services etc. from a seller without an intermediary service over the Internet. Shoppers can visit web stores from the comfort of their house and shop as by sitting in front of the computer. Online stores are usually available 24 hours a day and many consumers have internet access both at work and at home. So it is very convenient for them to shop Online. One of the most enticing factors about online shopping, particularly during holiday season is, it alleviates the need to wait in long lines or search from a store for a particular item. Variety of goods are available in online. So the researcher want to know the preference of the consumers. So fifty respondents were met and data were collected regarding their preference towards shopping online.

Online shopping is becoming increasingly popular for variety of reasons. There are certainly outside factors such as increasing gas prices, difficulty in getting to traditional stores and hassles often associated with shopping malls and other traditional stores to contribute to the increased interest in online shopping. Consumers can get full information about the product with its reviews being passed by the existing users. If one wants to buy a product he/she is no longer limited to asking the friends and families because there are many products reviews on the web which gives opinions of the existing users of the product.
Online shopping sites contain wide variety of goods both high quality and mild quality keeping in mind the level of people.

WHAT IS CONSUMER PREFERENCE?
Consumer preference for a product can make or break a company. If consumers generally like a product, it may say around for years and sell millions of copies. However if consumer do not like a product, it could disappear very quickly.

ONLINE CUSTOMERS: Online customer must have access to the internet and a valid method of payment in order to complete a transaction

Generally, higher levels of education and personal income correspond to more favorable perception of shopping online. Increased exposure to technology also increases the probability of developing favorable attitude towards new shopping channels..

If people want to be as savvy online shoppers, enjoy in finding great deals and avoid becoming a victim of cybercrime, customers want to follow a few basic Do’s and Don’ts when buying from websites.

DOs:
♦Before giving the credit card information, enough time must be taken to
research the website. Contact the seller if this is the customer’s first purchase. Most reputable sellers will have a toll-free customer service phone number. If site had only an email address and no phone number, start an email or instant message dialogue with the people running the site before buying anything from them.

♦Pay by credit card or an online payment service. Online Payment service

offer some protection as well. For extra degree of protection, credit card is the best.

♦Buy from a website that has encryption. “Encryption is a key to secure
Internet purchases. It is a feature that automatically codes the customer’s personal data when it is entered”. 

♦Check the website policies before placing the order. Read the website’s
return policy and other terms and conditions, as well as the site’s privacy policy, before ordering anything.

♦Use comprehensive computer security software. Make sure the customers
have up –to – date, Comprehensive security software such as, MCA fee Internet security or MCA fee Total protection before doing anything with online shopping. This will greatly reduce the risk of contracting virus and will help to avoid theft on dangerous websites.

♦Check the credit card statements, make sure that the customer charged
the proper amount, and that no extras were added to their bill.

DON’TS:
•Do not buy from spammers. If the customer get an e-mail inviting them to
buy something like “Discounted Rolex Watches” two things must be considered.
i. Spam
ii. Possible scam.

The most spammers will steal the credit card or financial information and use it fraudulently. If purchases are made from spammers, the customer will never get what they have ordered. It is a risky deal.

•Do not pay by a debit card, cash or wire transfer. When the customer pay
with debit cards , the money comes directly out of the customers amount. Getting the cash back can be difficult, if it not possible. When the people pay by cash or use a wire transfer, the money goes directly to the sellers account. So there is no recourse if something goes wrong.

•Do not buy from a websites unless it is certified for safety. People need to
feel confident that when people make an online purchase, personal and financial information will not be compromised.

•Do not buy from a websites with which people are not totally
comfortable.

•Do not forget to inspect the new purchase as soon as it arrives. If the
customer finds a problem, notify the seller as soon as possible