Brian Sargeant
Professor Nargundkar
Business and Technology
9 October 2007
Social Impact of Technology in Business
_____For as long as man can remember trading, selling, and buying has been part of human life. Whether it was trading sheepskin or rocks, the world has always had its methods of exchanging products. But ever since the past half a century technology has improved the way that people buy or sell products. There have been many new, innovative items that make it quicker, easier and more efficient. In the past the best method to shop for goods you needed was face to face with an exchange of one product for another. But one new advance that has extremely changed the shopping industry is the Internet.
_____If you look back to the late eighties or early nineties you won�t see any websites with catalogues or product information on them. The business of shopping has quickly moved from the stores to our computers. Within the past five years almost every retail store has create a website that is easily accessible from the comfort of your own home. These websites include things such as the companies� history, mission statement, and a view of the product line. I know for a fact that if I went to my father�s website I could access information about every tractor his company sells and have contact information incase I wanted to purchase something. The Internet has made buying stuff a lot more efficient. A person can easily sit down in their house and get on their laptop, open the Internet and order a pizza. They can do all this without getting up or really even making an effort. There are also many ways that the Internet can help us sell our old or unwanted items.
_____There have always been little thrift stores or pawnshops where people sell their items. But about ten years ago the Internet helped to create one of the biggest selling and buying websites ever. A website called eBay was created by a man named Pierre Omidyar who is now has a net worth of about nine million dollars. This new online auction offered people the chance to sell, bid and buy special items. I have used eBay a couple different times in the past. My bass guitar was purchased for a very cheap price and the shipping and condition of the product was tremendous. The website has effected the way people shop in a big way. They can now purchase things that may be very expensive in a retail store for a cheaper price. It also allows people to sell their old things without having to go to the nearest pawnshop and bargain with a person face to face. You can click a button and wait for the highest bidder or the best offer.
_____There are also some negative effects that have changed the shopping world since the internet was introduced. With many smart but also ignorant people in the world there is many ways for companies to lose money on the Internet. There are many people who have learned to hack their way into computers and do many terrible, illegal things. A downfall with the shopping business being online is the chance of hackers intruding your system. They could do many different things that may take a long time to fix or it may cause your company to go bankrupt. In the United Kingdom a group of hackers got into a Christian charity event online. They took information about the donors whom gave money and tried to extort these victims for thousands of dollars. This is a horrible case considering it was from a charity and the money was all donated to help the church grow. Over 2000 people had their addresses stolen and then were confronted and extorted for even more money. Many companies have put up security devices or firewalls to try and defeat the hackers but in time these may likely be breached. The online shopping and buying business has many positive things to bring to customers. But there are also many flaws that have not yet been fixed or enhanced to keep hackers and intruders from stealing money.
_____The Internet has increased sales and purchases for the better. It is the best piece of technology to come into the retail business of selling and buying. Besides the fact that it is quicker and more comfortable, it can also be cheaper or get you more money for your things. People all over the world can access the Internet and purchase items. I have even ordered something from Japan. Although the price of the item was very cheap, the shipping was almost as expensive as the item. So new advances in technology will bring faster, more effective shopping and buying methods. We should just know to be careful with what companies we are giving our credit card and personal information to.