In this world of odds and ends, God sees to it that everything will be balanced. That's why the good always has its bad counterpart. Then, there's always the black and the white, the right and left, the protagonist and antagonist, the right or wrong, and the pros and cons.

With the advent of information technology, even in the virtual community, things cannot exist alone. So to speak, the emergence of e-commerce is also manifested with its own advantages and disadvantages. This is to say, that no matter how innovative e-commerce can be, it still has it flaws.

Let's cut all this small talk and zero in on the question that slices into the very core of our existence.

E-commerce: is it an advantage or a disadvantage?

This is truly a matter of worldwide concern. Everybody, with the possible exception of really isolated communities with no satellite dishes or no computers, has an opinion on the subject. But for those who cannot render such opinion because they still cannot distinguish the wheat from the chaff, here are some things that can help you out:

1. It is convenient.

For so many years now, the greatest advantage Internet can give to the people is convenience. It's basically the same thing in e-commerce.

Generally, e-commerce is all about doing business transaction, which is buying and selling, over the digital world of the Internet. Consumers can easily spot the things they want to buy and the entrepreneurs lay out their products all with just a click of the mouse; everything's within the comforts of your home. They no longer have to commute or drive their way to the store. They don't even have to go to the shop just to pay their items because online transactions are definitely cashless, that is, they pay with their credit cards.

2. Familiarity breeds contempt.

In contrast, e-commerce also has its drawbacks. And even if convenience is the name of the game, some people would still hesitate to buy products online. They know for a fact that doing business transactions online can be risky. They know that the Internet is a wild place. They know that there will be instances that their information is not 100% secured over the Net. They just know too much that they're not willing to compromise some things at once such as security, privacy, and money.

After all, it's the consumer's money that is at stake.

3. It's cheaper by the dozen.

As the old business adage says, it's always cheaper by the dozen. With e-commerce, businessmen are able to expand their markets. The market share becomes worldwide and their products are not limited within the location of their shop. And because it is worldwide, the rule in economics applies: the higher the demand, the lower the price.

Also, with e-commerce, businessmen were able to cut down some of their expenses because they don't have to maintain a staff that will manage the business. They don't need to hire additional employees just to look after their business online. They don't even need an additional budget for a new building construction or for mail order catalogs distribution.

Best of all, everything's automated in e-commerce, from ordering to different payment schemes. Plus, most of the products or services being marketed online can be downloaded directly to the consumer's personal computer. Hence, there are no additional cost for delivery and distribution.

4. Interactivity versus socialization.

For so many years now, interactivity is the primary concern of most computer savvy individuals. They contend that doing things online provide a wider range of different possibilities because of its interactive facilities.

However, with e-commerce, even if there are a number of ways how to buy and sell products online, still, people regard shopping as a social activity. Therefore, most of the consumers would rather go to shops were they can tag along their family and do some bonding while buying goods. Or they can always end their shopping spree with some mugs of cappuccinos together with their friends. These are just some of the experiences that most online shoppers cannot equal with.

5. Everything is on the spot.

From web designs to product catalog to advertisements, everything can be achieved with just a click. Business owners can even change their market site instantly. They can update their catalog, change their ads, and renovate their web site, all at the same time.

With e-commerce, entrepreneurs can always assure their customers with updates regarding their business and their products. They can be notified at once if there will be some price changes, sales, or promotions.

6. It's software dependent.

In contrast, e-commerce is still limited to some possibilities. Even if the web can allow business owners to change their marketing and business structure instantly, they can never do this without a reliable software at hand.

As much as information technology provides a higher level of technical solution, still, the fact remains that information technology cannot stand alone. There are so many instances wherein most transactions online were dependent to the kind of software or hardware installed within the computer. Business owners also need an advanced computer program to run their e-commerce website. Therefore, these so-called innovative solutions are only applicable to those who can gain access to it.

Because of these facts, it now seems that the pros and cons conflict is similar to the age-old clash between faith and reason.

However, the bottom line is: the success of e-commerce in today's contemporary businesses is not a matter of the good and the bad. It's more on the concept of applicability. That is, e-commerce is good if it is applicable to the customer's way of life, if not, then it's not even worth a try.

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