Week 4: E-Commerce

4th post!

Today, I will be talking about something that everybody around me is doing...shopping online! If you have been reading my previous posts, with your deductive skills you might have guessed that....... I do not shop online.

Shocked Patrick is shocked.

Yes, I have resigned myself to a sorry user of the Internet. Some reasons for not shopping online includes my noobness (Noob: a person who is new or inexperienced in a subject - as quoted from Urbandictonary.com) in navigating through the complex waters of online shopping as well as certain restrictions (parental, lack of credit card etc.). To be honest, it's not that bad either. Think about it, I SAVE MONEY!

Moving on, the focus of my post today would be the pros and cons of shopping online (with some help from the neighbourhood's friendly memes)! Just a friendly reminder of the good and bad times that people have definitely experienced when shopping online ;)

Pros:

1. One can shop anytime anywhere. With technology abounding (namely laptops and smart phones), shopping online is made even more convenient, as long as you have the Internet at your fingertips. 
2. On the same thread, there are smart phone apps for even greater convenience. All the better to shop with! These apps, including Qoo10 and Asos, have specially designed interfaces different from their physical websites that provide users with easy navigation on their phones.
3. One saves time and effort from shopping online. Instead of visiting physical stores, one can shop in the comfort of their own home with just a few clicks. With the time saved from visiting physical stores, one can shop with greater efficiency (aka more clothes in less time!)
4. Sometimes the items found online can be cheaper than those in physical stores. This is due to cost savings (from not operating a physical store etc.) that are passed down to the consumers, hooray for us!
5. One cannot deny the greater variety of items one can find online. There are some items that can only be found online and nowhere else, such as those found in blog shops.
   
6. As an add-on to the previous point, one can obtain items that you don't have access to locally. Shopping has become international, even when you're at home. Now one is able to view and purchase items from China, Korea, America and the UK without flying overseas, and save money too.
7. Then there's the wonders of shipping. With offers of free or discounted shipping, how can one resist buying more? In addition, some online stores (such as Amazon.com) offer free shipping for a minimum amount spent, justifying the need to purchase more items. Not to mention, the option of mass shipping on some online stores saves shipping costs too and allows people to shop without inhibitions.

You guys must be nodding your heads by now, I don't blame you. If I had my way, I would have already succumbed to the depths of this addictive pastime of my peers. But life isn't always peachy keen, so...

Nevertheless, some factors make me have second thoughts about shopping online.

Cons:

1. The very fact that this activity is enticing is already a big warning sign. Just like Hansel and Gretel, where a house made of sweet treats can never mean a good thing, online shopping is a trap for consumers too. It is easy to lose control of oneself and get addicted, especially with a credit card in hand. Soon, we might find ourselves with a room full of junk and a growing stack of bills to pay.
   
2. The items purchased might not turn out the way they are supposed to be. Haven't we heard horror stories about people receiving items that are less-than-spectacular looking from the original shown in the website? The pictures usually look good but when you receive your purchase it might turn out to be of a sucky quality. Like how fast food stores 'airbrush' their food in the pictures but when you buy they they actually look kind of 'meh'.
3. You get to 'experience' the product in a physical store as compared to an online store. You can immediately check whether the item is in mint condition, and in the case of clothes, try them on to see if they fit. 
4. While there are short delivery times, the fact is that people still have to wait. At least shopping at a physical store ensures one immediate gratification, as compared to the waiting you have to do for your delivery.
   
5. While in the 'Pros' section I might boast about the "wonders of shipping" (as I quote myself), there are times when shipping rears its ugly end too. Not every online store offers affordable shipping. Sometimes shipping can go into the tens, even for a single product. Furthermore, not all online stores offer shipping to your country.
6. Some purchases might get damaged or lost along the way. It is inevitable that something might happen, especially if your delivery is travelling between countries/continents. 'Nuff said.
7. Inefficient customer support systems. There are times when one might have queries about certain issues regarding their purchases, like how a delivery is taking forever to arrive, but  no one to respond to them. This is especially so if the seller is not from an established source. Many a time have I read message boards on Qoo10 Singapore where people would be asking about their purchases and there would be no reply or unhelpful answers. This is enough to plant a seed of fear in me - What if it never comes? - and turn me off from (hypothetically) shopping online.
8. There is also the fuss of exchanging an item. Exchanging an item would mean wrapping it up and paying for postage, before waiting for the other party to receive the item and sending you another one. It might take a month before you finally get what you want. 
9. Some shopping apps are not well-developed. This leaves users frustrated as purchasing items online is supposed to be an effortless experience but the lack of a few buttons or a messy interface can make all the difference between yay and nay.
10. You need the Internet! (But I don't think that's an issue here because there's Wifi practically everywhere.)

I found an article in The Straits Times recently which is just timely for my blog post. Long story short, online shoppers are unhappy! A poll conducted locally has revealed that out of a 1000 online shoppers only 51% are satisfied with their experiences shopping online. Compare this figure to the 83% of the United States, 78% of Europe and 60%  of China and you can see that there's a problem. Some grouses includes what I've mentioned above: delivery issues, high shipping costs, damaged items, inability to contact the retailer or get a refund. Interesting fact: Singaporeans have the highest tendency in Asia to abandon their "shopping carts", due to reasons such as delivery costs being higher than expected. Conclusion: Shopping online isn't such a breeze after all.

It's fine to shop online! One just needs a little self control for a rewarding experience. To be honest, I don't shop much at all, online or offline. When I'm offline, I go out to mainly eat (oh the calories!) or look at stationery (such a sucker). When I'm online, I'm busy watching YouTube videos or catching up on K-Pop stuff, so no online shopping for me, although I must say I was tempted at times with the cheap prices and beautiful things. BUT I SAVE MONEY! I'll just keep telling myself that.

I save money!

Until next time! じゃまったね~!안녕~!

Week 3: Social Networking

My third post!

As you can see in my second post, I do not really have any form of social media.

Yet, I am perfectly fine with it and my social life is not that much of a mess.

Which begs the question: Why are social networks so important that everybody is asking me to create social-networking accounts and yet why I myself am not compelled to get them and how am I (or more specifically my social life) surviving without it?

I wonder...

Social networks, as defined by Wikipedia, is "a social structure made up of a set of social actors (such as individuals or organizations) and a set of the dyadic ties between these actors". Social networking sites facilitates these ties, and these include Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter etc. In a previous module, I learnt a few terms that are applicable to the social networking context. These terms include weak and strong ties and network roles consisting of social insiders, social outsiders, social connectors, social neighbours and social gateways. They are all important terms that explain more about people's roles in their networks, as well as the complexity of the networks.

Moving on...

Social networking has many useful functions, I must admit. Below are my points in numbered form, because it is easier to read than a chunk of text:

1. We can get the latest updates about people's lives, and keep in touch with friends any time and anywhere to keep relationships strong. 
2. We can get to know more people who share the same interests as us, with platforms such as Pinterest to serve that purpose. We get to know people's links with each other, making it easier to discover that we share mutual friends. This information could come in handy later when we need favours.
3. Speaking of favours, we can make use of our other weak links (such as acquaintances) to form connections as well. This allows us to request for favours in the future. 
4. People can even use social networking sites to satiate their curiosities and follow celebrities to get updates about their daily activities, not to mention support them.
5. Getting jobs could be easier too, as others can hire you or you could look for a job on platforms such as LinkedIn. 
6. Mobilizing a group of people for a cause and getting fresh information is also easy with social networking. The Arab Spring is a prime example, as people were able to receive on-the-ground information in real time. Furthermore, social activists successfully utilised Facebook and Twitter to organize protests against the government. 
7. The inconvenience of not having social network accounts when everybody else has one also encourages one to get them so that they do not get left out of conversations or other activities. 
8. From the perspective of businesses, they are able to advertise their product or service to a wider reach of people. Promotions are also commonly presented through social media and people can even 'Like' a company's Facebook page to get offers. This marketing method is relatively inexpensive yet effective and efficient.

The quote below aptly sums up the benefits having social networks:

Very true.

However, much like my social media post, I don't use social networking sites as there are also certain downsides to their uses.

1. Social networking requires one to be up-to-date with everybody else. The amount of information coming in might be overwhelming at times and it is hard sieving through the countless information. Lots of time is needed to go through the information as well.
2. It is troublesome to manage your accounts. Having to constantly update your accounts seems like a waste of time sometimes, especially when it is just about random things like what you are doing now ("Am writing a blog post and it's taking forever!").
3. There is less need to meet up in real life when you can know the details of another person's life through their updates.
4. As more and more people go online to network, conversations become lesser. I personally have experienced this countless of times, where a table full of people would just be on their phones instead of talking to each other. No interaction?
   
   
   
   
   
5. The need to social network could serve as a distraction, with many people unable to concentrate on conversations with their friends (like me) and even lessons.
6. Through social networking sites we tend to see the worst in some people. There are the narcissists, the show-offs, and various other colourful characters that turn people off.
7. Don't people feel like stalkers sometimes going through other people's accounts? I do not really like that icky feeling. The thought of people knowing something you did without you being aware of it is kind of weird too.
8. I really feel strongly about my privacy. Therefore, social networking sites will definitely not help in this belief of mine. While there are times when I feel like sharing things but am unable to do so, I do not really mind as they can be used for future conversation fillers instead.

Here's a chart of interesting facts about social network users in different parts of the world:

Please click me for a better viewing experience and to find out which few countries Facebook is not taking control of!

As always, I try to put up some statistics that gives a better picture of the topic of the week:

I require clicking to have a better viewing experience as well!

The statistics don't fail to amaze me. As always, I am proud to not be a part of the numbers.

To round it off, I guess I am jaded about the social networking experience. At the start it might seem fresh and fun, but the thought of needing to constantly make updates (because I am that kind of person) will make me feel like a slave to social media (I had a similar experience with game apps that consumed a significant amount of my time). I feel that it is a little too late for me to catch up anyway, and it is too tiring to keep up with everybody. As I mentioned before, I have a small circle of close friends, and I keep my all contacts in my phone, so it is not like I do not have a social life at all or have no connections. Thus,I don't need a social network account. We all just need to put in the effort to actually get in touch with someone to catch up with them or sincerely ask for a favour to achieve the same result. Granted, this method might not be as successful or efficient, but it is nonetheless fulfilling (at least to me) to do so. Everyone has a right, and while people have the right to use social media, I have a right not to use it too.

Signing off! #berylhasnosocialmedia #totallyfinewithit

Week 2: Social Media

My second post!

This time, I am writing about social media.
This is kind of ironic because I do not have ANY social media.

Yes, I admit it. And I am proud of it! Unless you count Whatsapp as a form of social media, I have no Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. and have no intention of getting any of them despite pressure from well-meaning friends (Sorry guys!). My non-conformist tendencies can be explained with several reasons. My circle of friends is small and I am not exactly the most social person around, so I do not see the point. Furthermore, my life is pretty boring so I would not have anything to report on these platforms. Not only that, less sincerity is involved when utilising these platforms, such as with friends' birthdays. With so many people using social media, I feel that there should be at least someone to go against the flow, lest it consumes my life, like how it does with others, and render the good old days of traditional communication obsolete. I know the feeling of how social media occupies a significant amount of our lives, as it is with handphone game apps for example. Believe me, it is hard to look away and not think about it constantly.

Despite me not having any forms of social media, it does not mean I am completely clueless to their functions. I am surrounded by people who all have some form of social media, so it is natural for me to need to remain relevant and adapt somehow.

The proliferation of social media and its users is amazing. Over the years there are many that have mushroomed on the Web to become the successful platforms that they are today. The few earlier ones include Friendster, Myspace and LiveJournal. However, these platforms bowed down and gave way to the likes of the wildly popular Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest just to name a few. Below is a quirky song about social media by local singer Shimona Kee:

What is so good about social media that has everybody using it? For starters, social media is convenient (due to many people owning smartphones and other digital technology), free and easy to use. It allows us to communicate and stay connected with our family and friends, regardless of where they may be. We could even make new friends. We can get news and information even faster than before. From another viewpoint, it is easier for businesses as well as people to advertise their wares, due to its inexpensive and far-reaching nature. People can also make use of social media to gain greater exposure and prominence or promote a meaningful cause. There is little wonder why social media is widely used.

While there are plenty of benefits of using social media, there are various drawbacks as well. The associated dangers of social media include scams and meeting unsavory characters. There are cases of hoaxes being passed around through social media, with quick diffusion of the (mis)information. Not to mention, making friends with strangers online could lead to terrible consequences as no one knows who is hidden behind the persona that was created. The stranger might turn out to be a stalker or pedophile preying on innocent young schoolgirls, one never knows.

Furthermore, one cannot connect to social media without an internet connection or a data plan. I for one do not have a data plan, making it another reason why social media is a hassle for me. Lesser face-to-face interactions could arise as a result of social media as well. As we can just use social media to communicate with our friends, the need to physically meet up with friends for a chat becomes irrelevant. We become more impersonal, making no effort to remember a friend's birthday when it is up on Facebook for easy reference. It is also easier to hurt people on social media, through thoughtless rants and discriminatory posts that can be easily spread. This could lead to conflict and disharmony.We are also bombarded with excessive advertising that appears on social media platforms. The more worrying thing about social media is that our privacy, something I am rather protective of, might be compromised. Our personal information is out in the Web for anyone to find, and we might even be under surveillance from external sources. Your future employers might just do a check on your Facebook account to see what you have been up to too. Moreover, it is scary to think that our personal information is given to advertisers in order to customize the types of advertisements we see on these platforms. All these reasons are in my list of 'Why I Choose Not To Have Social Media' as well.

Here are some interesting facts about Facebook users:

Facts that might freak you out into NOT having Facebook, or any social media for that matter, lest you become part of these numbers.

The obsession with social media is mind-boggling. I'll stick to surfing the Web, thank you very much.

Social media is good and all, and one could always take measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, but I am sticking to good ol' text messaging.

To end off, here's a funny video about the types of people that use social media, which I find quite accurate. Maybe you yourself will think twice about how you use it. ^^

Signing off!

Week 1: Something Related to the Internet

First official post! ^^

Today, I am going to talk about something that I think we take very much for granted...the unassuming email!

As mentioned in class, it is the most used service of the Internet, and the medium most professionals use today to communicate with each other electronically.

The email has its humble beginnings in the late 1971, where Ray Tomlinson, a US programmer, sent the first networked email with the message "QWERTYUIOP". Here's an Interesting Fact: The '@' symbol is a creation of Ray Tomlinson as well. Its function was to indicate which user was "at" what computer. The '@' symbol connects the user's login name to the host computer. Until the World Wide Web became available in 1991, email was one of the few options for Internet services, so it was a pretty significant service. Currently, some of the more prominent email service providers are Hotmail, Gmail and Yahoo! mail, with others such as PacificNet losing their popularity.

There are many benefits of having an email address. There is the ease of convenience of sending messages anytime and anywhere as long as we have an Internet connection, and the fact that it is inexpensive to use. The interface is relatively easy to operate on, and documents, pictures and messages can be sent in a matter of seconds digitally instead of physical copies through snail mail without compromising quality.

Of course, email has it's drawbacks as well. Spam, annoying unsolicited messages not to be confused with the more appetising canned meat, have been around since the creation of the APARNET in the 1970s. Here's Interesting Fact #2: The term 'spam' originated from a Monty Python skit, where the word 'spam' was repeated countless of times in the most annoying way, thus hindering proper conversation, as it is with the spam messages that we receive in our emails. The video below is an obvious explanation. Just be warned that you might be compelled to lower your volume a bit.

There is also the danger of receiving viruses through our emails, not to mention the possibility of being scammed. The possibility that our emails are also under surveillance from external parties also raises the issue of our privacy. However, when we weigh the pros and cons of having an email address, the pros definitely outweighs the cons. We just need to be informed and engage in practices that do not compromise our safety or privacy when using email.

In summary, here's a brief timeline of the history of the email:

This better explains the history of email than I ever will.

In my humble yet somewhat crude opinion, email is like toilet paper. It is something that we constantly use but taken for granted. We only realise its importance when it is not available and we are in desperate need of it. Without an email, we can't possibly register or access our social network accounts. We won't be able to receive important documents or use Googledocs. We require email in many aspects of our lives, more than we realise.

That's why kids, learn to appreciate your email more ;D

Signing off!

The Internet...NOT! Haha. Never tired of this!