Does Internet Democratize the Consumer? Is privacy a concern?
We are now living in a world that the internet is so closed to our physical world. Mobile phones or net-books (smaller than laptops) are great examples. And this falls into the Technology Spread which explains that new technologies change the way how we do things, and shopping is definitely one of the things that have been changed because the Internet certainly democratized the consumer.
In the world where people try to do one thing while thinking about how to do the next thing, Consumers are trying to find what they want as quickly as possible. The internet hence provides the consumers help finding what they want and how they want. Such as Dell, the global-computer company gets all orders via the internet, and they produce personalized computers throughout the world. This definitely shows a phenomenon of how the internet democratized the consumers.
Another aspect of the phenomenon is that we as the consumers have gained a lot more choice of where to buy than we used to have. We still go to big malls and shop from the stores, but we do not think that is only place we purchase our needs. Because the internet exists, we can purchase our needs from anywhere in the world. The Ebay is a great example of how democratized we became as the consumers. If we type a word of ‘Globalization’ in the Ebay website, we receive thousands of products related to the Globalization.
Another issue that can be raised through the phenomenon is the privacy. Because people shop through the internet, using their VISA cards, or any other payment methods, companies can record our information. Especially companies which deal with memberships, they even contain personal information from their members in their data base.
The privacy cannot be a concern as much as our local crimes, but when it comes to hacking and selling personal information to others, it is a global problem that all nations have to solve together. In fact, there are black markets where our personal information is on auction. A great example would be an e-mail sent to you with your name on it, from a company you never heard of. Therefore, we need more specific internet governances, to get rid of black markets, and rather have safe private shopping via the internet.
Picture is from Derek Tsang’s Blog: http://blog.dtsang.ca/2007/01/internet-shopping.html
I agree that the internet is able to create more choices for consumers through the use of competition, since many firms will be competing for businesses. Do you think prices will be another factor that will benefit consumers who shops online?
Roy!
First of all, thanks for your comment!
Well, I would say yes!
the price is definitely another factor that we have to look at.
The internet allows businesses to cut or reduce the production chain, which helps reducing manufacture costs as well as consumers’ speding, thus it benefits all of us when shopping online.
Young Hoon Yoo
I also think that the Internet has democratized the consumer.
However, do you think that what you perceive as your needs are truly your own or do you think that advertising and marketing agencies influence you in order for you to believe that it is your need to buy an iPhone or the new iPad from Apple?
It is important for the consumer to be educated and aware of these subtle but steady attempts of manipulation in order to truly be a democratized consumer and take advantage of the new retail world. More choice doesn’t matter if it is not your own…
Nino Meese
Hey Nino
Thanks for your comment!!!!
Well, your comment is very philosophical and something I never thought of!!!
VERY INTERESTING!!!
After reading your comment, I want to rephrase my post.
I should have said ‘Wants’ rather than ‘Needs’ in terms of shopping online, and you are definitely right that is is important for us to realize the retail world as democratized consumers.
Once again thanks for your comment and your philosophical idea of needs.
Young Hoon Yoo