E-Commerce: Amazon

Amazon
Amazon is effectively an online "department store" with products including: DVDs, CDs, games, jewelry, clothing & toys. In recent years (2000's) it has launched an MP3 site, it's eBook (The "Kindle") and eBook store. Users can search for any product they desire, including products being sold by third-party sellers. It offers efficient and cheap delivery along with the option to track your products being delivered.

Features:
When the user logs on, they are given a homescreen with all the features that amazon provide in one easy-to-find interface. This makes it more attractive for people that are not common users of computers because everything is straightforward and simple. The features that are shown on the homepage are listed below:


The "user's" unique homescreen (note the use of a friendly remark in the title,
 it uses personal information to make the user feel more welcome).



• Your Account Options: Here the user has the option to track their deliveries and purchased items, they can see if the purchase has been validated/approved/sent through logistics/sent. This allows the user to easily arrange plans so that they can be present for when the delivery arrives. At this section, the user can change their account details/passwords. Users can also edit their E-mail Notification settings, this prevents Amazon from sending "hot deals newsletters" which helps decrease the amount of junk mail in the inbox of the account holder.

The account settings area.

• Your Community: This is amazon's "social network" where users can exchange information on products and share opinions. This is a great way to discover new interests in products and to develop knowlege on the the products themselves. Each user has their own "personal profile" along with reminders on release dates for products etc. However the "personal profile" could become "too" personal and it users could be an easy target by hackers to take information on debit/credit cards.

The "Your Community" area.

• Your Participation: This is the area of amazon that allows users to write reviews and share photos of products they own. This is extremely helpful for new and inexperienced users as it allows them to have clear and concise information on the product they wish to buy, from people that have experience with the product or already own it. This is much better as the company themselves only persuade customers to buy their product, reviews offer impartial advice to help the user decide whether they wish to buy it or not. Users can also create "Listmania Lists" where people can create a "must have" list, for instance a list of all the possible "Doctor Who" DVDs you can buy.

The "Your Participation" area.

• Your Recent Shopping: This is to amazon, what "history" is to internet explorer. It allows the account holder to see their previous purchases. It also allows users to see items they have recently "viewed", amazon cleverly adapts this into a system that recommends products to the user. However, the only downside to this feature is that you cannot control the "recommend you" feature, and for example: if a husband wanted to buy his wife a suprise present, it may recommend similar products. The system may also be seen as a breach of privacy. Here the user can also send their "shopping products" with all the items they wish to buy, to the checkout.
  



The "Your Recent Shopping" area.



• Your Wish List:  This is a feature that allows users to place the items they wish to have the most. This is useful for people that cannot afford a certain product, but wish to by it later, it is effectively a reminder of what they wish to purchase and encourages them to keep saving for the object they desire. A good example of where this can be used appropriately, is when you spot a gift for someone, a few months before their birthday, then when their birthday gets closer, it will remind the user of the product they saw. 

The "Wish list" area



News Stories Relating to E-Commerce:

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  Copycat websites of online retailers are becoming a "pandemic". Fake products are sold and the user become mislead into thinking the product is genuine. the news story describes how long it takes to "set up" a counterfiet site, and statistics on how many counterfiet goods were raided in the past few year. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11372689
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  This is an article that explains how e-companies are breaking the law by not providing fair enough "laws" to their own websites. For example; not enough time to return a product. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8421714.stm