E-Commerce and Globalization, Essay Example

Amazon.com is American-based multinational electronic commerce company. With variety of product categories consisting of books, DVSs up to health and beauty goods, one can find almost everything on Amazon now. “Amazon’s four-year rise from upstart online bookseller to one of the largest retailers on the Web is now legend.” (Brooker, 2009).  The website includes browsing history where you can check your previous purchases. Amazon provides one click check out upon setting your account. It offers advantages for those consumers who use company’s own credit card. Company offers variety of graphics of DVD and book covers. This means that if the purchaser does not recollect the name or title of the book, he/she can identify it by its cover or the picture. Company offers simple tracking of order which is called Where’s My Stuff. Amazon also offers its consumer a brand new option – new Kindle which is an unique electronic-paper display that offers high-resolution screen that looks and reads like real paper. In terms of shipping purchases for over $25 are free of charge around the US.

On the other side Barnes&Noble provides lesser range of goods. The company is the largest book retailer in the US that mainly functions through its Booksellers chain of bookstores headquartered in Manhattan. It mainly includes books, educational toys and DVDs. The books that company is offering are new and used mass market. Barnes&Noble also provides used textbooks as well as new. The website of the company contains fewer graphics. However, it holds much more information on the titles of the products. Barnes&Noble provides benefits and incentives to the customers to use its own credit cards and joining membership programs. For the users company provides discounts. Shipping is free if order is over $25 and the payment is done via PayPal. Compared to Amazon, Barnes&Noble has 800-help number. Company targets serious readers. Its customers have weekly online book club meetings where different authors and writers participate in the discussions.

References

Brooker, K. (2009). Amazon vs. Everybody Forget Amazon vs. Barnes & Noble, Amazon vs. eBay, even Amazon vs. Wal-Mart. This company has bigger plans. But when will it make money? CNN Money. Last retrieved on July 19, 2009 from http:/ /money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune_archive/1999/11/08/268493/index.htm.