Electronic sales have risen from "fad status" to their present peak, in some cases, pulling in more income than their store-based business.
Three weeks ago, the New York Times set a record for this country. On one given day, they had more online readers than actual print subscribers.
In this article, I will discuss the booming business industry known as E-commerce, their advantages and disadvantages, and some other fun little tidbits.
Onsale http://www.onsale.com
Onsale is my absolute favorite online shopping location. This site is an online auction, where you can compete with everyone else in the free world to purchase things at great prices. The guys and gals at Onsale have really made this bidding process easy for users.
First, you check out something you like, get the details, information, and maybe even a picture of the item.
Next, you announce that you want the item by filling out their form. Then the fun begins, because you get to watch others as they bid for the same item. After a certain time and date, the auction automatically ends, and the product is shipped to the winner(s) at the address that they specified.
It is a beautiful system. No pushy sales people, discounted rates, and instant gratification are just some of the advantages of Onsale. I've purchased a hard drive, computer memory, a camera, and the list goes on.
Onsale uses 128 bit encryption when dealing with your billing address, and your credit card information. That is very secure, and I have no problems trusting the security of Onsale.
BID.COM
http://www.bid.com
BID.COM is the same kind of system as Onsale, with a few exceptions. It's not limited to household accessories and computer products. It also features things like baseball cards, posters, collectables, washing machines, etc.
There are no limits to what goes on sale at BID.COM. If there is no section available for your item, you can create one. There is so much involved with this site that the organization is sloppy. The folks at BID.COM say they are secure, but because of the organization of their products for bid, I avoid making purchases.
Another negative aspect of this particular site is that you may not know who you are really bidding from. BID.COM itself does not sell their items. They have other companies bid using their site. Navigating through BID.COM is a lot like finding your contact lens in the snow. I wish you luck!
Land's End- Direct Merchants
http://www.landsend.com
Land's end has been an established direct-merchant company for 25 years. Their online presence is almost as respected as their mail-order catalog. This site is the most efficient way to get clothing to your house without getting off your butt. Land's End has a tradition and reputation of superior customer service. Their email correspondence with those who have questions about a particular item are so friendly. I highly recommend this site. It is easy to navigate, it is simple, and the site is so vast, you may never see the same thing twice.
Cyberian Outpost
http://www.outpost.com
The Cyberian Outpost has gone through some serious changes in the three years that I have been tracking with it. I have only made one purchase on this system. I bought Computer memory. It took about two weeks to mail that sucker from wherever they are located, and in that two weeks, the price of memory dropped almost $20. Oh well.
Overall though, the site is attractive. This is not a bidding site, it is a genuine store-like business online.
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Name:Brian Major: Advertising Comments:
If anyone knows of other sites to check out, or ones to stay away from, please tell me. If this article becomes popular, I'll do the research for another one. Let me know about the ones you've been to. Do they rule? Do they suck? Share on this feedback form. :)
