Positive and Negative Aspects of Online and Offline Business: A Comparative Study

BUSINESS REPORT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Positive and negative aspects of service and products sold online and offline...........................3
Challenges and measures of security and privacy taken by individuals and organisations.........5
Use and comparison of online tools.............................................................................................9
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................11
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12
2

INTRODUCTION
The report is on technology going online for businesses. Online technology means businesses
selling their products online. The positive and negative aspects of services being sold online and
offline have been compared and contrasted. The challenges and measures of privacy and security
which individuals and business take when going online have been emphasised. In pandemic
situation, businesses are providing services online, the online tools for the meetings have been
compared and contrasted which businesses use nowadays.
Positive and negative aspects of service and products sold online and offline
Positive aspects of products and services going online
 The businesses have got an online platform to sell the products which increases customer
segment of youth who are the major group in online users. Earlier, there was limited
range of customers who would come to the store and have access to the products which
changed with online.
 Organisation can showcase its products on different website pages with range of products
being showcased.
 In offline selling, there is less chance of customer coming back to shop for purchase.
There are options which customer would search near own residence to compare and buy a
product. However, in case of online business, customer can come back to the site as per
convenience (Kumar and et.al., 2019).
 Organisations have given customers the facility of shopping from their convenience at
homes rather than visiting stores. This has helped people being secure and also assisting
in pandemic control. There has been a number of products on e-commerce like kitchen
and grocery items, cosmetics, soap and oil etc. People do not have to travel and thus save
time and efforts along with money on transport.
 There are agencies which take up the delivery work of products and thus help in swift
delivery of products as and when the customer orders them. Online and offline payment
options are present at purchase time and when the order is delivered.
3

 It has reduced the budget spent on marketing. Online marketing has reduced costs of
making banners, putting them in public view etc. Thus, it saves printing costs.
 It provides start-up costs that are low for business which are offline. Cost of setting an
online business is less expensive compared to starting an offline firm. Money is saved on
salaries and costs such as rent, power and office expenses. It helps the organisation in
compensation for regions where for operating huge money is required. Money is saved on
salaries and other costs like rent, power and office expenses.
 E-websites are useful in determination of products being sold and increase in stock levels.
The products doing well can be classified in order for expansion of range and selling
them online. This enables the organisation to do expansion in terms of customers, profits
and sales. Amazon can be said as one of the examples of expansion of internet business
without barrier of physical locations.
 This is of use for both business and client. Customers can visit any time the website and
decide on whether or not to buy the product, while owners of business may benefit from
bookings done by customers, even after office hours and can be sold to the customer the
next day (Kumar and et.al., 2019).
Negative aspects of products and services going online
 There is only an online interface between the product and the customer. The product
cannot be touched and felt for the authenticity of the material used in making it. Thus,
there has come a lack of credibility which an e-commerce organisation cannot establish.
There is also a connect formed in between the shop owner and customers which is
present in an offline business in which the shop keeper recommends customer the best
product.
 Customer could interact with shop owner when faced problems in product and lodge a
complaint at customer service if it is a mega store. In online, customer does not get the
swiftness of complaint being listened to and being addressed. The problem takes time for
getting resolved after being registered online.
 It happens that the customer orders a product online but gets the product not ordered.
Again, the product has to be returned and customer has to wait for the right product to be
delivered. It involves time and is not pleasant experience for the customer too.
4