Online Goods and Services

Online Goods and Services

1. Search engines

   • a program that searches for and identifies items in a database that correspond to keywords or characters specified by the user, used especially for finding particular sites on the World Wide Web

2. Storage

   • Online storage
     • data stored on an online server to be accessed through the internet
       • Advantages: the data is available anywhere with an internet connection, some online data storage services are free, it is easier to share data with others and data is already backed up for you
   • local storage
     • data stored on the hard drive of the machine it's accessed from
       • Advantages: you don't need to rely on an internet connection to access the data, it's more secure, can be accessed more quickly
       • Disadvantages: you are responsible for the data, it is more difficult to share and you have to back up your data

3. Payment systems

   • Credit cards allow you to borrow from your bank to be paid back with interest
   • Debit cards allow you to access money from your bank account in a transaction
   • A third-party transaction is a business deal involving a buyer, a seller and a third party. The third party's involvement varies with the type of business transaction. For example, an online payment portal, such as PayPal, acts as a third party in a retail transaction.

4. applications software

   • Application software can be divided into two general classes: systems software and applications software. Applications software (also called end-user programs) include such things as database programs, word processors, Web browsers and spreadsheets.
     • Locally installed
       • Advantages: works without being online, you hold a licence to use the software, there is good security
       • Disadvantages: takes up storage on the hard drive, you must install patches and updates
     • Hosted software
       • Advantages: doesn't take up any storage space, allows users from elsewhere in the world
       • Disadvantages: relies on an internet connection, not as secure, response time relies on network speed

5. Consumer protection

   • In the UK, when you buy something, the item must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. If the item is faulty it has to be replace, repaired or the money refunded.

6. Internet advertising

   • Can be targeted at particular customers, statistics can be gathered, it is cheaper than traditional advertising like on TV, it reaches a wide range of customers
   • organisations like Facebook, which has over 800 million users, can select customers by location, age and interest

7. Transactional data

   • This is information collected about a transaction every time one is made. These can include things like your name, date of birth, location, IP address, financial information and more.
     • It can be used for understanding of customer wants and needs to produce a more personalised experience and for targeted marketing campaigns. It can also be used for the tracking of the transport of goods for a number of reasons; a primary one being prevention of fraud

8. Online gaming and entertainment

   • A central server runs the game software and streams each players position and actions to all players over the internet. It is preferable for players to have high bandwidth and low latency in their internet connection when gaming to avoid lag