Fluent Essays

Week 1 Business Models Question A Tell us about yourself so we can get to know you and so you can get to know others within the class. In your post, include what you believe to be your current knowledge level of this course topic and what you hope to learn before the course is over. Question B Choose one of the B2C business models: portal, e-tailer, content provider, transaction broker, market creator, service provider, or community provider. Describe your understanding of the model then seek out an example online (try to avoid examples listed in table 2a but use them as a guide). Discuss your example site and how it fits into the model. What characteristics of the model does it exemplify? Week 2 AR & VR In section 3.4, the authors examine the current state and future of AR & VR as well as digital assistants. Early adopters of these technologies are leading the way but develop tools and infrastructure is lacking. Research at least one potential AR or VR e-commerce application either in development or in the planning stages. Is the idea feasible in the short term or do something else need to happen or develop before it can happen? Is the return on investment going to be worth it in the end or is it a gamble that may or may not pay off? What potential advancements could build on this idea and what specifically might it add to the world of e-commerce? Week 3 SWOT Analysis & Designing for the consumer Part 1: A SWOT analysis is a useful method to help understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats related to an existing or emerging business in order to develop strategies to strengthen, maintain, improve, grow, and protect the business. Consider the business you been working with in the assignments. Develop a swot analysis using details from the chapter on software, hardware, tools and other factors. Part 2: In figure 410 you can look at some of the things that can turn off potential customers when it comes to a web interface and the user experience. Locate and discuss a website that includes at least 2 of these items. Be careful not to share links that might trigger a virus checker. If you still want to discuss them, take a screenshot and include in your post. The article about designing for accessibility in this chapter is also an important topic. Locate at least one example of an e-commerce site that employs good accessibility tactics and share. Discuss why it meets accessibility criteria Week 4 Secure transactions As we have seen in this chapter, securing data is a multilayered consideration. Not only does the physical data storage location and technology need to be secured, there are also organizational as well as legal and industry standards and procedures that must be followed. An additional issue that comes along with cloud computing is restrictions on where data can be stored as well as where it can travel. As the authors point out, there is a fine line between protecting customer data and scaring them away from using your business at all. Security threats include malicious code, potentially unwanted programs, hacking, cyber vandalism, and activism, data breaches, credit card fraud or theft, identity theft, spoofing, sniffing, denial of service, insider attacks, social engineering or mobile platform vulnerabilities as well as cloud and IOT security issues. From research or your own experience or both, discuss at least one of these types of threats. Provide specifics that do not include personally identifiable information and describe the experience, what was done to alleviate it, and measures taken to prevent it happening again either by you, law enforcement, or the other parties or entities involved. Discuss lessons learned as a result. Week 5 Social media marketing With the advent of things like Facebook, Pinterest, and more, Internet marketing has hit a new level. Where once the ads depended on people finding them, now advertising can be directed to a target audience in a place where they spend a lot of time. Algorithms based on Internet usage, browsing histories, and more are used to present advertising based on exhibited interests. While many people are aware of methods to reduce this kind of information being shared, still others simply put up with it as a part of online life. Discuss an example of such advertising you have experienced. Did you search something on Amazon only to find ads for the exact same product on your Facebook later the same day? Did you read an article on cute cats only to find advertising for pet supplies seemingly appearing out of nowhere on every site you visit? Explore your thoughts on this kind of targeted advertising. Week 6 Internet privacy When working and playing on the Internet, one might assume there is a degree of privacy instilled by the use of a username or even an email account that does not directly reveal who you are. As we know, this does not guarantee anonymity. Looking at the article “The Right To Be Forgotten”, read about some of the court cases between different countries and Google concerning data collection. Explore how you feel about these practices and which side you would come down on regarding your information and right to privacy. Week 7 Content In some e-commerce sites, the acquisition of content is pretty straightforward. Products are created and/or acquired from suppliers and then presented to be purchased. But what about sites that offer purely digital or even virtual content? How does a site like Netflix make enough money to afford to continue purchasing or creating content from subscriptions alone? Do you foresee this model expanding to other types of media? Is it a sustainable model over time? Discuss where you see this trend going in both the short and long terms. Week 8 Social Media as Business Driver We are all familiar with Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. But there are also platforms for professional organizations, places like LinkedIn for professional interaction and potential job connections, and much more. Do you see a value in such organizations and platforms? Can such remote connections lead to professional or business opportunities? What would be your concerns? Do you feel it is more of the same or does it hold the potential to increase connection between professionals? Do you think this sort of social media will be sustainable? If not why? What’s the potential for misuse and is it being addressed well enough? Using our readings as well as your personal experience, address the above questions as well as your personal feelings about social media as a whole as well as the benefits of networking.