Bricks and mortar retail in Australia Essay Example for Free

Bricks and mortar retail in Australia Essay E-commerce has emerged as a new force in retail providing consumers with more choice and convenience than ever before. People can now shop from retailers across the globe in the comfort of their own home. It would be thought that exciting possibilities such as this would be readily adopted and create competition for existing retail methods. This has not been the outcome in Australia however. Although e-commerce continues to climb in adoption rates bricks and mortar retail has not been affected to any great extent. This being said some areas of e-commerce are becoming successful new ventures on the net. Throughout this essay we will look at what e-commerce is, how it is being used and who is using it. It will also be considered whether e-commerce will ever replace bricks and mortar retailers or will e-commerce disappear? E-commerce is a business that is run on the internet rather than from a bricks and mortar location. E-commerce uses computer networks and telecommunications to conduct its business as it has no face to face contact with its customers. It can be argued that e-commerce is a more effective way of doing business. (NOIE, 2000) This is because it does not require all the overheads and staff required in a bricks and mortar business. However E-commerce is more complicated than it may first seem, more is involved than the simple transfer of funds over the internet. For an online business to be a success it must be planned, established and run as if it were a bricks and mortar business. E-commerce ends with the buying and selling of goods and services over the internet. (Mitchell.J, 2000) Marketing of goods and services, formation of customer relationships, presentation of goods and services for consumers to brows, transfer of funds and after sale customer care must all be established and maintained. E-commerce can be conducted in a Business to business (B2B), Business to Government (B2G) or Business to consumer (B2C) way. B2C e-commerce is an area of significant growth. Many Australians are choosing to use the internet to make purchases. A study conducted by NOIE revealed that in 2002 54% of Australians had access to the internet in their home. Although online consumption is not one of the highest ranking activities conducted by Australians on the internet it is an area that is growing. (NOIE, 2000) One specific area of growth is the use of online banking. (DCITA, 2001) Consumers enjoy the convenience of doing their banking from home on the internet rather than traveling to the bank and standing in line waiting to be served. The most popular online shopping category in Australia however is travel and its related services. Consumers enjoy browsing online for the best deal and creating their own holiday packages. Purchasing travel online also cuts out added fees such as the travel agents commission if flight and accommodation are bought directly from the source rather than through a representative. In a study conducted by NOIE it was found that between 2000 and 2003 there was an increase of 452%in online travel purchase. (DCITA, 2001) This is a hugely significant amount. Other high ranking consumption products on the internet included; books, computer software, computer hardware, music and videos, clothing and share trading. (DCITA, 2001) There are a number of reasons why people choose to use e-commerce rather than traditional bricks and mortar. These reasons are the convenience of the internet, the global scope the internet has to offer and the ease of access. In an increasingly fast passed world convenience is increasingly important. E-commerce provides consumers with the convenience of shopping from home at any time of the day or night, this removes opening hours, travel and queuing as well as spending time looking for a specific good or service. Consumers can log on to the internet conduct a search for the product they wish to purchase and then purchase online quickly and efficiently. Time poor people are using the internet more and more to purchase goods and services. In the lead up to Christmas 1999 Australians spent $150 million on gifts online. (NOIE, 2000) Most of these purchases were made by people who did not have the time to shop at bricks and mortar retailers during business hours. This change in access makes it easier for consumers to find the time to shop; it also helps to take the stress out of shopping. E-commerce also provides consumers with access to a global market. Previously consumers had limited channels for obtaining international goods they wish to purchase E-commerce has created ease of access to international goods and services. Never before has it been so easy to purchase from overseas. Due to the global nature of the internet consumers can brows through what retailers have to offer throughout the world, easily make purchases and have the goods they choose posted to them. This has provided consumers with a new scope of choice which is much bigger than anything offered before. Not only does this ease of access globally mean that Australians can purchase goods and services from around the world, it also means that the world can now easily purchase goods from Australia. E-commerce has opened Australia up to potential consumers that did not exist previously purely due to the inability to access the goods and services available. Due to the internets ease of access e-commerce has opened up a whole new world to people with disabilities, specifically disabilities that inhibit a persons ability to move easily to and from shopping areas. (DCITA, 2002) The internet is easy to use in the home environment and offers an alternative to people who find it difficult to shop at bricks and mortar retail outlets. This also offers empowerment to individuals who previously relied on someone else to do their shopping for them or helped them to shop. These people can now have the independence of doing their own shopping online and the enjoyment of browsing through what different retailers have to offer. Although e-commerce is growing and offers many exciting new opportunities to consumers it is unlikely that it will ever totally replace brick and mortar commerce. There are many aspects of traditional bricks and mortar commerce that cannot be replicated online and as a result of this can never fully replace traditional commerce. Some of these areas include the ability to try products, the social aspect of shopping the entertainment value in shopping, the instant gratification of shopping and the inhibiting effects of the internet. Consumers enjoy browsing through goods and services available to them. (ACS, 2001)This can be done online but not to the same extent as it can be taken to in bricks and mortar retailers. On the internet consumers can only look at a picture of the product they intent to purchase. In bricks and mortar retailers however consumers can make use of their sight, hearing, smell and taste as well as feel a product before they purchase it. Due to the limitations of the internet in this stage of the purchase decision making stage there is more space for post purchase dissonance to occur. When people can use all their senses to make a purchase decision the decision is generally more definite. As well as using all five senses to assist in the decision making process consumers also have the chance to try the product they are thinking of buying in the bricks and mortar environment before they actually do. (ACS, 2001) This is generally not feasible over the internet. Some software programs provide a demo for consumers to trial before they make a purchase, bulky products however cannot be trailed in such a way. Bricks and mortar retail has also become a social activity and a form of entertainment. (ACS, 2001) People meet to go shopping and enjoy the contact they have with people while undertaking this activity. This type of social interaction cannot be recreated in e-commerce. While there are other social activities that can be undertaken on the internet e-commerce does not provide a social aspect. Many bricks and mortar centers of commerce have become entertainment hubs that attract tourists from around the world. Bricks and mortar retail also provides an instant gratification to consumers when they make their purchases and can take them with them. This is generally impossible through e-commerce because the goods need to be posted out to the consumer. (ACS, 2001) While e-commerce assisted some people with disabilities to become more independent it has also created new barriers especially for people who are vision impaired. (Noonan, 1999) No technologies have yet been created to allow this group into the online world. This is a problem due to the fact that it limits these peoples opportunities to benefit from the many aspects the internet and e-commerce has to offer. The elderly is another group that has not been included fully in this e-commerce revolution. More training programs need to be designed to bring our older Australians online and teach them what e-commerce has to offer them. Many elderly Australians would find that e-commerce gave them a new independence if they knew how to use it. Throughout this essay we will look at what e-commerce is, how it is being used and who is using it. It will also be considered whether e-commerce will ever replace bricks and mortar retailers or will e-commerce disappear? E-commerce is the online transfer of goods and services to consumers. As stated many Australians have taken to using e-commerce because of the convenience it offers to them, however some people including the elderly and those with disabilities are being left out to some extent. Although e-commerce continues to develop it is highly unlikely that it will ever totally replace bricks and mortar commerce. The experiences that the two offer are so different that they are both used for different reasons. E-commerce is used for convenience where traditional retaile is often used as a social activity and a form of entertainment. E-commerce has not been adopted in Australia as readily as it has been in some other countries, it will however continue to provide consumers with the convenience of home shopping. Many Australians now would not want to go back to traditional commerce and be force to go into a bank to do their banking rather than simply logging on at home. The e-commerce revolution will continue to grow but brick and mortar will also remain. Referances Noonan, T. (1999) Accessible e-commerce in Australia. Retrieved: November 23, 2004, from: http://www. bca. org. au/ecrep. htm Mitchell. J, (2000) The implementation of E-competent Australia 2000 for VET. Retrieved: November 14, 2004, from: http://www. flexiblelearning. net. au/nw2000/talkback/p71. htm The Australian Government Treasury. (2003)The internet and B2C E-commerce. Retrieved: November 14, 2004, from: http://www. ecommerce. treasury. gov. au/bpmreview/content/DiscussionPaper/03_Chapter2. asp

paradigms :: essays research papers

The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it. "acategories.asp?Author=Flannery+O%27Connor+%281925%2D1964%29" If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts. "acategories.asp?Author=Albert+Einstein+%281879%2D1955%29" everyone since teh beginning fo time has had their own views and standards for the way that everything around them should be. these views are seemingly set in stone and unchangeable. there are many examples in the past of terrible consequences for expressing views other than the norm at the time. more recently this apprehension to change was described by Thomas Kuhn in his book, The Structure of Scientific Revoulutions. Kuhn’s book was focused on the scientific world. He said that normal science â€Å"means research firmly based upon one or more past scientific achievments, achievments thatsome particular scientific community aacknowledges for a time as supplying the foundation for its further practice† (Kuhn 10). These achievments needed to be unprecedented and open-ended so as to attract a group away from competing ideas and to leave all sorts of problems for this group to resolve. these achievments are called paradigms. a paradigm is defined by Kuhn as â€Å"an accepted canon of scientific practice, including laws, theory, applications, and instrumentation, that provides a model for a particular coherent tradition of scientific research† (Trigger 5). When results arise that cannot be explained through the current paradigm, a new paradigm may begin to form. the new paradigm originates with new theories that are proposed as a result of the anomalies that were found. â€Å"to be accepted as a paradigm, a theory must seem better than its competitors, but it need not, and in fact never does, explain all the facts with which it can be confronted† (Kuhn 17-18). when the new paradigm is finally accepted, a paradigm-shift occurs. the paradigm shift represents Kuhn’s â€Å"scientific revolution†. Once the paradigm-shift is completed normal science returns under the new paradigm until new set of unexplainable facts arise. paradigms help scientific communities to bind their discipline in that they help the scientist to do several things. they help to create avenues fo inquiry, formulate questions, select methods with which to examine questions and define areas fo relevance. Kuhn writes â€Å"In the absence fo a paradigm or some candidate for paradigm, all the facts that could possibly pertain to the development of a given science are likely to seem equally relevant† (Kuhn 15). what he was trying to show was that there must be a way to limit the direction of one’s research based on what is considered to be known from the past.

Economics Reaction Paper on Sabah Essay

A feud between two Muslim governments, ignited by the sultan of  Sulu when he and his subjects headed to Sabah to reclaim their once territory. Some standoff that went on for over a month now. This standoff that gained nothing but transgressions, especially on the  side of the sultanate of Sulu. Their futile measures to repossess Sabah. Their  defiance against the president’s orders to not proceed. This only resulting to the  massacre of the sultan’s clan members. To this day, the sultan, his family, and  followers were being hunted down by the Malaysian military forces. With this,  they always have to take evasive action for them to survive. Then, there’s the  possible criminal charges which the Kiram family might face once they go back  to the Philippines. Additional problems to be solved by the government. The people fleeing  from Sabah, Malaysia because of the ongoing firefight between the Royal Family  of Sulu and the Malaysian Armed Forces there; Heading to refuge camps in our  country. Also, the decline on the supply of goods in Muslim provinces in the   Philippines. The goods and services, coming from Malaysia, are having increase  in terms of their price. All of these are happening because the Malaysian government is  prohibiting the people in our country to enter their territory without their  permission. Now that the facts about this issue are laid down, we will readily  proceed my personal thoughts regarding this matter. First of all, I find it a very impulsive and reckless move for the Royal  Family of Sulu to start yet another dispute between the Philippines and  Malaysia. To make another historical claim in regards with Sabah is like  starting a never-ending war. It only gets worse by the minute. No fruitful  result reaped. Another, I don’t think that our country could ever obtain again the  rights on Sabah. I said it because we have been making claims on this for  many years. Still, nothing has happened. So what makes the sultan of Sulu think that he could, they could? Economics Reaction Paper Passed by: Shunamite D. Purificacion I-22 Passed to: Mr. Serafin Arviola

Money Is Happiness - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 1 Words: 342 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2017/09/16 Category Advertising Essay Did you like this example? Money can bring happiness, do you agree or disagree? ( within 300 words, at least 250 words; IELTS for GENERAL TRAINING) As the most significant symptom of wealth, possessing a large sum of money has become a unique pursuit of many people, especially young generation, around the world. They are convinced of that happiness can bought by sufficient money. However, they could neglect the fact that happiness is not just determined by one factor but many others such as your friends, relatives, and pleasant experience. In my perspective, happiness does not always increase in direct ratio to the rise of money. Focusing on the illusion that money brings happiness may have an unexpected adverse effect that may lead to a misallocation of time. For instance, when some one reflects on how money would change their sense of well-being, they would probably tempt to think about spending more time in leisurely pursuits such as seeing a three-dimensional movie or traveling abroad. But in reality, they would have to spend a large amount of time working and commuting and less time engaged in experienced happiness. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Money Is Happiness" essay for you Create order On the other hand, it is undeniable that money has a brief effect on life satisfaction, particularly after we have got enough money to satisfy our fundamental need. For example, people who get richer would feel they are better than their peers. Nevertheless, they will soon make richer friends. Therefore, their relative wealth will not be greater than it was before; people quickly get used to all new stuff their money can buy and the amount of money people say they need rises along with their income. Consequently, the endless and vicious cycle in terms of physically and psychologically stress begins again. In conclusion, I believe that money does not always buy happiness, but it is not indicated that money cannot brings happiness. It is of great importance to deal with money more carefully and appropriately. Instead of lavishing money in an ostentatious way, we should be aware of that it is romance, friendships, good health, families that truly bring us happiness.