Page 116 - Introduction to Electronic Commerce and Social Commerce

Internet Exercises 95

5. Why are online travel services a popular Internet appli- legislation (several already have passed laws) banning
cation? Why do so many websites provide free travel employers (and universities) from using a prospective
information? employee’s Facebook content as selection criteria.
6. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of online 5. In April 2012, TripAdvisor announced on its website
stock trading with off-line trading. that it is the world’s largest social travel site. Some peo-
7. Compare the advantages and disadvantages of distribut- ple say that WAYN is the only truly social travel net-
ing digitizable products electronically versus physical work. Compare the social networking activities of both
delivery. sites. Debate the issue.
8. Do you trust your personal data on social networks such 6. Debate: Should online sales be an independent division
as linkedin.com or facebook.com? How do you protect in a click-and-mortar firm?
your privacy? 7. Debate: What is the future of Amazon.com?
9. Many companies encourage their customers to buy 8. Read Berzon’s 2012 article (online.wsj.com/news/
products and services online, sometimes “pushing” articles/SB10000872396390444082904577607661262
them to do so. Why? 270108) and find more information about online poker.
10. Would you use monster.com or linkedin.com for Then debate: Is poker a game of skill or it is just
recruiting, or would you rather use a traditional agency? gambling?
Why? 9. Some love digital coupons, others say the idea is waste
11. Travel social network WAYN (wayn.com) says that it is of time since coupons are not available for the products
a bridge between two social sites: Facebook and they want to buy. Research the topic and debate the
TripAdvisor. Discuss. value of digital versus paper coupons.
10. Investigate the impact of online casinos on physical
ones. Discuss.
TOPICS FOR CLASS DISCUSSION
AND DEBATES
INTERNET EXERCISES
1. Discuss the advantages of established click-and-mortar
companies such as Walmart over pure-play e-tailers 1. Many consumer portals offer advice and ratings on
such as Amazon.com. What are the disadvantages of products or e-tailers. Identify and examine two separate
click-and-brick retailers as compared with pure-play general-consumer portals that look at sites and compare
e-tailers? Also debate: Competition between pure-play prices or other purchase criteria. Try to find and compare
e-tailers (e.g., Amazon.com, Blue Nile) and traditional prices for some digital cameras, microwave ovens, and
retailers such as HP, Walmart, and other department MP3 players. Visit yippy.com. How can this site help
stores that have added the Web as a part of a multichan- with your shopping? Summarize your experience.
nel business model. Who may win? Under what Comment on the strong and weak points of such shop-
assumptions? ping tools.
2. Online employment services make it easy to change 2. Visit landsend.com and prepare a customized order for
jobs; therefore, turnover rates may increase. This could an item of clothing. Describe the process. Do you think
result in total higher costs for employers because of this will result in better-fitting clothes? Do you think this
increased costs for recruiting and training new employ- personalization feature will lead to greater sales volume
ees, and the need to pay higher salaries and wages to for Lands’ End?
attract or keep existing employees. What can companies 3. Make your résumé accessible to millions of people.
do to minimize this problem? Consult asktheheadhunter.com or careerbuilder.com
3. Discuss each of the following as limiting factors on the for help rewriting your résumé. See monster.com for
growth of B2C EC: (a) Too much competition, (b) ideas about planning your career. Get prepared for an
expensive technology, (c) people need desktop comput- online job interview and look at monster-tronics.com
ers to shop online (but smartphones are changing this for interesting capabilities. Use the Web to determine
situation), (d) people need the social interaction of face- what salary you can get in the city of your choice for the
to- face shopping, (e) many people cannot afford Internet kind of job you want.
access, and (f) the fear of fraud and security breaching. 4. Visit zillow.com, decisionaide.com, or a similar site
4. Debate: Some employers ask job applicants permission and compute the monthly mortgage payment on a
to log into their Facebook account during an in-person 30-year loan at 5.5% fixed interest. Also check current
interview; others ask for complete, unfiltered access to interest rates. Estimate your closing costs on a $200,000
the entire Facebook account. Some U.S. states propose loan. Compare the monthly payments of the fixed rate