Disadvantage of online Shopping
Disadvantages/Concerns
· Enjoyment of retail shopping lost
Many enjoy shopping with others and it is often a good way to make social connections. When shopping independently online, the enjoyment is lost.
· Privacy and security issues
Privacy is the number one reason that non-online shoppers do not shop online. Almost 95% of Web users have declined to provide personal information to Web sites at one time or another when asked (Hoffman, Novak, & Peralta, 1999). Another recent study has found that privacy was the top concern of customers while security ranked bottom (Schaupp & Belanger, 2005). This proves that many do not trust the privacy of the Internet and are concerned with their credit card frauds, unwanted solicitation, and use of their information for other purposes. Security of Web sites is not the top concern because many shop on Web sites that they trust so that other factors appear to be more important than security.
· Access to the Internet and computer necessary
Because one needs money to buy a computer and to have internet connection, online shopping seems to be limited people of reasonable amount of income. Also, since it is harder to learn computer at an older age, the elderly people tend shop at traditional retail stores.
· Product category risk
Product category risk is related to functional products such as apparel, perfume, and electronics, that have functions that cannot fully be experienced online. Online shopper are worried that the products will not be what they have expected by viewing online. This is a clear disadvantage of online shopping because it shows that "[t]he likelihood of purchasing on the Internet decreases with increases in product risk" (Bhatnagar, Misra, & Rao, 20000, p. 100). Apparels in particular had negative rating in online shopping because of it is difficult to feel and see the texture of color online that is incomparable to going to a retail store, even with magnifying tools online. Also, one cannot try on a clothing before buying it online, so it would be very inconvenient if the size did not fit the person and he/she had to return it.
· Too many choices
Although having access to a very large number of products is highly desirable, consumers have limited cognitive resources and may simply be unable to process the potentially vast amounts of information about these alternatives (Haubl & Trifts, 2000). Online stores need to provide the variety in an organized way that will facilitate shopping online.
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Solutions
· Enjoyment of retail shopping lost - Online shopping can be fun
A study has found that many people find enjoyment and freedom through shopping online and like to browse through even if they do not have a goal-oriented shopping item on mind (Wolfinbarger). One such factor is user-friendly interface that make shopping enjoyable and visually pleasant. To solve the problem of the lost social interactivity, consumers can engage in other meaningful activities such as partying, dining, sports activities, etc. Even though the enjoyment attained from online shopping is incomparable to the one by social interactions, some of it can be compensated by the enjoyment of shopping online and participating in other activities.
· Privacy and security issues - Third-party seal
This is a very important issue because studies have found that "consumers who perceive fewer risks or concerns toward online shopping are expected to maker more online purchases than more risk-laden consumers (Miyazaki & Fernandez, 2001, p. 31). Although it is possible to invade one's privacy online, no significant amount of statistical results relating to the victims who have been invaded, has been found. Many are simply concerned and mistrust online stores. What online stores need is the mechanism that signals security of financial transactions on the Web. One possible solution is to require web site makers to provide a third-party seal approval that signal privacy and security on their web sites. Thus when consumers see the seal, they can trust the Web site and not worry about invasion of their privacy. Moreover, all companies will desire to keep frauds away in order to build company reputation and to survive in the competitive online market. Once they build consumer trust, online shoppers will not be discouraged to shop on their Web sites.
· Access to the Internet and computer necessary - growing use of computers
In 2003, US Census Bureau has found that 70 million households, or 62% of US population has one or more computer, up from 56% in 2001, which is 62 million households, and 55% households of the nation has Internet access, up from 50% in 2001 ("Home Computers and Internet Use in the United States," 2003). 39% of those who do not have internet access, said that they either do not need it or are not interested. Also, another study has found that income and shopping experience had no significant relationship (Lokken et al., 2003). However, more higher income households tend to have Internet access, thus making Internet more affordable is a good idea to make online shopping available to more people.
· Product category risk - 3D technology
Apparel online shopping has a lot of room for improvement. Although it is not yet widely used, many online shop craters are developing 3D technologies to use for online shopping. Companies such as E-Tailor, is developing customized fitting room for consumers to build their own body online that will allow them to try on as many clothing's as possible. A university in Switzerland is developing a more powerful try-on application that will allow their customers to apply multiple layers of clothes. To avoid the slow downloading time of 3D graphics, they are moving the cloth and skin animation to the client side, using program such as ActiveX that is downloaded automatically at the first access tot he Web page (Cordier, Seo, & Magnenat-Thalmannm, 2003). To See full article go to: http://tclab.kaist.ac.kr/~fcordier/Home_files/Papers/ Made-to-Measure_Technologies_for_Online_ Clothing_Store.pdf
Similarly, E-Tailor is designing a program that will allow animation of scanned customer bodies in the virtual fitting room (Kartsounis, Magnenat-Thalmann, & Rodrian). Moreover, in the United States, 3D body scanning system is being developed for use in the apparel industry that can possibly be used for online shopping (Is took & Hwang, 2000).
These sites allow you to view the 3D technology:
· Too many choices - Interactive decision aids
Online shoppers are looking for useful functions on Web sites in addition to ease of use (Lim, 2002). More specifically, they desire to compare available products and their prices from a variety of different online stores (Limayem, Khalifa, & Frini, 2000, p. 428). By providing decision aids that help decision making, Web sites can attract more online shoppers. Many choices can be confusing, but with interactive toolkits such as recommendation agent (RA) that allows consumers to view a useful set of products out of the infinite list on the Web, and comparison matrix (CM) that allows in-depth comparisons among selected items . These interactive decision aids allow consumers to make "better decision with less effort" (Haubl & Trifts, 2000). Especially CM, already used by many web sites, allows viewers to compare different prices of one product offered by different vendors on the Internet. Thus, the toolkit allows consumers to receive the best deal possible. Although these tools are already provided by many Web sites, they can be improved by adding more features that will provide more details of products. The tool is also beneficial to the society because they keep the market prices competitive so that no one vendor can charge significantly more than others.
These sites use the CM decision aid:
· Additional online facilitating conditions
Transaction efficiency (such as delivery speed and providing tracking number) is also a significant condition that will satisfy consumers (Limayem, Khalifa, & Frini, 2000). Consumers expect to receive the products with high speed, and want to be able to track their purchased item to avoid any frauds while shipping.
