Positives & Negatives to E-commerce
The details listed below are the results of a Department of Trade and Industry survey into people's opinions of E-commerce. Whilst we would tend to agree with all the Positives in the list and even some of the Negatives; it does appear very obvious that more information is needed to dispel the fears around the Internet and E-commerce in general.

Positives

Shopping online should be cheaper than shopping on the high street.
Convenience of shopping at any time of day or night.
Travel and parking are not issues anymore.
There is no need to queue for anything.
There is more choice available on the Internet
Comparative shopping is easy and effective on the Internet.
It is easy to find out information about goods and services on the Internet.
It is much easier to find those rare and sought after items that may not be easily available on the high street.
You save loads of time by shopping on the Internet.
It is fun to shop through e-commerce.

Negatives

Fear of Credit Card fraud
I don't like giving out personal information
Shoppers can't see what they are buying.
Fear of unsolicited spam / junk mail
Shoppers can't touch what they are buying
There can be problems sending unwanted purchases back
There is no governing body to protect consumers.
The company I am purchasing from may not be genuine.
I have to wait for my products (delivery time)
There are hidden shipping costs.
I am not confident using computers.
I have to pay before I get my goods.

Our Comments on the Negatives

Below, we have addressed some of the negative points raised by the survey in order to dispel some of the everyday concerns. However you should also follow our Ten Tips for Shopping Online in order to reduce the risk of any problems occuring.

1) Fear of Credit Card Fraud
Credit Card Fraud is nowhere near as common as you probably believe. Only 2% of those people questioned had been victims of credit card fraud. In addition we are not able to find out if these cases of credit card fraud were a direct result of an online purchase or an offline everyday purchase.
Most credit card companies offer fraud protection and will always refund a proven fraudulent transaction.
For further details read our comments on security.

2) I don't like giving out personal information
Who does? However any information you do give is encrypted before it is sent through the Internet. In addition you are protected by the Data Protection Act.
For further details read our comments on security.

3) I can't see or touch what I am buying.
The Internet cannot compete with going into a store, asking questions, touching the product etc.. However it does come down to how you conduct your research. For example, if you are purchasing a large ticket item, why not look at it in your local high street and then purchase it online to make the financial saving. Alternatively you are allowed to return products up to 30 days after purchase through the 'Distance Selling' Regulations. See Your E-Rights.

4) Fear of unsolicited spam/ junk mail
Reputable companies will give you the option to opt-out of their mailing lists before you have even finalised a purchase on their website.
Any other spam that you receive should also have an option to opt-out of receiving future messages. Your inbox will not overflow because you made an online purchase.

5) There is no governing body to protect consumers.
OK, there is no overall world governing E-commerce Consumer body to deal with any dispute between online retailer and shopper. However there are numerous other organisations that cover certain aspects of your online purchase. For example, what about European and British consumer laws? What about the Distance Selling Regulations?

There are also a number of consumer organisations that have set up online schemes for reputable traders. These traders, if they pass all criteria, are awarded a badge (or logo) which they display on their website. If you visit a website that has these logos (there are several because there are now several different schemes) you should be able to click on the logo and see the terms of business that the trader guarantees by being a member of the scheme.

6) The company I am purchasing from may not be genuine
It is impossible to answer this point by saying that all companies are genuine. We can only make the point that if you follow our ten tips to shopping online you should considerably remove the risk of fraud.
However the point should be made that your credit card company still affords you some protection in these circumstances.

7) I have to wait for my products
It's true. One negative of online shopping is that you cannot take the goods home with you today. However in most cases you should receive them within a week.

8) There are hidden shipping costs
The shipping costs are not hidden in most cases. Rather, they are left until the end of the online transaction. Nevertheless you should always be advised of shipping costs before the transaction has been completed. Hence if the shipping costs are too much, you can walk away (as such) and nothing has been lost.
You should be aware of companies that will '…advise shipping costs later…'. In these cases you should also wait until you have this information before completing your online purchase.

9) I have to pay before I get the goods
Yes you do. Or rather they charge your credit card before you get the goods.
Remember the fraud protection offered by credit card companies and relax.

To conclude this section, the benefits of E-commerce far outweigh the negatives associated with fraud and credibility. People are protected more than they realise online. If they use the Internet sensibly they can make numerous online purchases and enjoy the experience.
Go ahead and try.