Advantages and Disadvantages of E-commerce Websites

 By: Stanley Yun Kai Fok 

E-commerce and online shopping sites have their ups and downs and it is important to distinguish the bad and good from it to avoid future problems. I will be listing down some of the advantages and disadvantages of using an e-commerce/online shopping website. 

(ismunandarrambe, 2022)

Let us start with the advantages, firstly, it requires a low financial cost. meaning it does not require a high startup cost when creating one. Unlike physical stores, you will have to pay more for the rent, and not only that but it comes with other disadvantages such as hiring a staff, location, and sales equipment. Next, we have a 24/7 potential income. Because it is done online, the store is open for business most of the time. Advertisements also come important to this since it is the main factor in bringing in customers and because it is online, they can be shown anywhere on the internet. Lastly, we have a personalized online experience. With the many features of an e-commerce website, it is possible to filter out your product to best fit your needs. The best part is that you will not need extensive work because it is all done through the internet. (Ferreira, 2022) 

Going to the disadvantages, First, we have site crash problems. Now there is nothing really we can do about this other than wait for the problem to be fixed. It is inevitable and it is part of the consequences of hosting businesses online. This can also be a similar situation when not everyone has internet access. Second, customers do not have the option to test/try before buying. Because of this, it is just a matter of researching and looking at the reviews of the product. Though because of the innovation of technology, this would not be a problem in the long run. With augmented reality, it is possible in the future to test your products. Lastly, E-commerce in general is very competitive in the market. Company names can give an image/reputation of being either good or bad. This is much related to the business side of e-commerce since it has things to do with the customer's feedback and response.  (Ferreira, 2022) 

Reference(s): 

Ferreira, N.M. (2022) 20 ECOMMERCE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES YOU NEED TO KNOW. Available at: https://www.oberlo.co.uk/blog/20-ecommerce-advantages-and-disadvantages (Accessed: January 15, 2023).

ismunandarrambe (2022) Illustration vector graphic cartoon character of pros and cons. Available at: https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/6685678-illustration-vector-graphic-cartoon-character-of-pros-and-cons (Accessed: January 15, 2023).