UnitIShoppingandBankingOnlinePartIGettingreadySpotdictation.Fillintheblankswiththewordsyouhear.Wehavejusttwomoredaysto"shoptillyoudrop"tillChristmas,andthattypicallymeansalotoflastminuteshopping.Andthoughbuyingwithamouseisstilltinycomparedtoshoppingwithyourfeet,onlineretailingismorepopularthanever.Christmasshoppinginthestreetisgreatsometimes.Butwhenyou'vejustgottogetabunchofshoppingdoneandyouwanttohavesomethingtosendtoathird-partylocation,it'smuchbetteronline.IntheU.S.,onlineshoppingispredictedtobe30%aheadoflastDecember,whilemallscanexpectlessthana6%increaseinsales.InBritain，Europe'sbiggeste-tailingmarket,onlinegift-buyingisexpectedtogrowby50%，with$8billionworthofgoodssoldthroughthenetintheNovembertoJanuaryperiod.Listentoanewsreport.Supplythemissinginformation.TipsforstayingsafeontheNetMajorpointsDetails(keywords)1.EvaluatethesiteWell-known/trustworthy/customerservice/complaints2.Talktomerchant/EmailandwaitforresponseAddresses/phonenumbers/callup3.EnsuresecureconnectionStrictsafetymeasures4.BeextracarefulatacybercaféorotherpublicconnectionConsumerswhowanttoshoponlinearesuggestedtobearthefollowingthingsinmind:Evaluatethesite.Alwaysbuygoodsfromwell-knownandtrustworthycompanies.Dealwithcompanieswhichoffercustomerservice,acomplaintsprocedureandhavearefundpolicy.Talktomerchant.E-mailandwaitforresponses.Takedowntheaddressesandphonenumbersofthosecompaniesandmakesuretheyarerealbycallingthemupbeforebuyinganyproductsandservices.Ensuresecureconnection.Sincebuyersmustsubmitpersonalinformationlikenumberandexpirydateofthecardtherearefearsoversecurity.Dealwithsitesthatapplystrictsafetymeasuresthatrequireshopperstogivespecificdataknownonlytocardholdersbeforemakingthetransaction.Beextracarefulatacybercaféorotherpublicconnection.PartIINetshoppingunderfireListentothereport.Supplythemissinginformationaboutthemainproblemsofonlineshoppingfoundbythesurvey.Mainproblemsofonlineshopping•Longtimewaitingfordeliveryorevennodelivery(about8%)afterordering•Noclearinformationaboutdeliverycharges•Adangerthatcustomers'personalinformationwouldbesoldtoathirdparty(asmanyas87%ofthesites)•Nopolicyonreturninggoods(about47%ofthecompanies)•Noconfirmationoftheorder(about35%ofthesites)andthedispatch(asmanyas87%ofthesites)•Nomoneybackmorethanfourmonthsafterreturninggoods(intwocases)Nowlistenagain.Completethesummary.Summary:ThesurveyshowsinspiteoftheconvenienceandchoiceofferedbyNetshoppingtherearestillmanyobstaclesthatpreventconsumersfromshoppingwithcompletetrust.Oneofthebiggestproblemsistobuildconsumers'trustinbuyingonline.IttakestimefortheInternettobecomematureasaretailchannelwhenitgivessupporttotrustrelationshipswithguaranteesofpaymentandservice.TapescriptThereisanurgentneedfore-commercerulestoboostconfidenceinbuyingonline.ConsumersInternational,afederationof245consumerorganizations—includingtheUK'sConsumersAssociation—saiditssurveyshowedthattherewerestillobstaclestoshoppingonlinewithcompletetrust.Thestudy,fundedbytheEuropeanUnion,involvedbuyingmorethan150itemsfrom17countries.Eachconsumerorganizationtakingparttriedtofindonesiteinitsowncountryandoneabroadtobuyaselectionofitems.Theseincludedadictionary,adoll,jeans,ahairdryer,computersoftwareandhardware,chocolatesandchampagne.Thekeyfindingswere:•Eightoftheitemsorderedtookmorethanamonthtoreachtheirdestinationandatleast11(eightpercent)neverarrived.•Manys...
