ethical issues in online shopping
INTRODUCTION Online shopping or online retailing is a form of electronic commerce which allows consumers to directly buy goods or services from a seller over the Internet using a web browser. Alternative names are: e-shop, e-store, Internet shop, web-shop, web-store, online store, and virtual store. An online shop evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or shopping center. The process is called business-to-consumer (B2C) online shopping. In the case where a business buys from another business, the process is called business-to-business (B2B) online shopping. The largest of these online retailing corporations are eBay and Amazon.com, both based in the United States. The acceptance of the Internet by the business community in the mid 1990s has resulted in a period of extraordinary growth in global electronic communications. However, to ensure the longer-term success of e-Business there have been calls for an adequate enabling framework to be put in place, particularly of a legislative nature. In past, technical issues were the main concerns of the e-Business companies. In present, many companies aim at creating the necessary commercial environment to stimulate the emergence of a global marketplace. The situation has changed yet again with the growth of the Internet, more specifically the Web. It is now common practice for companies to use the Web to advertize and promote their products and services, often including copies of product brochures, other promotional materials, and contact details. In near future, e-Businesses will involve greater concerns for legislative actions to safeguard the interests of all consumers with a sound technology base and commercial infrastructure. The Internet has posed significant challenges to the legal structure. Copyright infringement has come up against file-sharing technology, and privacy continues to be challenged by
References: i. Norzieiriani Ahmad, Azizah Omar and T. Ramayah, (2010) “Consumer lifestyles and online shopping continuance intention.” VOL. 11 NO. 4 2010 Business Strategy Series. ii. Paul Whysall, (2000) Retailing and the Internet: a review of ethical issues, International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management Volume 28 . Number 11 . 2000 iii. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Online_shopping iv. http://www.emerald-library.com