Week 5

For this week, I choose to analyze Facebook. I have always wondered how facebook became so successful and most profitable than any other social network sites that also offers free subscription. I've always wondered how a website like facebook generate revenues while its subscribers received free service. If you go to Facebook's press room, you can see how facebook currently has over 300 million users and 50% of their users log on to facebook at any given time of the day. It's statistics are true since I do surf on facebook periodically through out the day. While conducting some online research about facebook, I learned how they generate their revenues. I had came across some key factors; portal, advertisement and user registration. Facebook uses the advertising model to general large revenues through online advertisements and most importantly, the subscribers data. By registering with facebook, you provide key information to the advertisers, your age, gender, (city or town) demographics and interests. Advertisers use your data to generate advertisements based on your profile. Web advertising model works extremely well when the volume of viewer traffic is large or highly specialized. Although facebook claims that they firmly respects the privacy of facebook users, its hard to believe how else they would generate such extraordinary revenue each year.

Week 4

If I were to have an e-commerce site, I would choose paypal as my payment service provider.  Personally, I already have a paypal account because I purchase from ebay from time to time.  It seems that almost all of the ebay sellers choose paypal as their payment service provider, its secure, it’s fast and easy for both sellers and buyers.  Paypal’s logo is very popular among e-commerce, most buyers are very familiar with paypal, and new online buyers would trust paypal because of its logo and reputation. 

It’s very easy to set up a paypal business account, and its rates are very competitive against other payment service providers. There is no credit application to set up, no monthly fees, and sellers only pay for each online transaction.  Pay pal also works with most major credit cards, bank payments, and even third party shopping cart providers.  Paypal partners with hundreds of popular shopping cart providers to make online transactions easy and smooth for either experienced or non-experienced online buyers.  

Financial reports are part of your paypal business account, it is very easy to track every one of your online transactions, you can download logs easily onto excel spreadsheet and QuickBooks. One of the key features of paypal is fraud reduction, paypal has automatic fraud screening for each transaction, this greatly reduces the stress of online sellers against identity theft and so on. In conclusion, I would trust paypal more than other payment service providers. 

Week 3

For this week's assignment, I have decided to contact Verizon for an estimate on the internet service package for an office of 12 people. While I was browsing on Verizon's small business page, a pop up window had asked if I would like to join a live chat, and so I decided to share this conversation on the blog.

09/25/2011 - 5:28PM

Thank you for choosing Verizon Small Business.
A representative will be with you shortly. For quality control and training purposes, your session may be monitored or reviewed.

You are now chatting with Pau.

Pau: Hello!  Welcome to Verizon's Small Business Chat Service. How can I help you today?

Chin Hsin: Hi

Pau: Hi, there how may I help you?

Chin Hsin: What would you recommend for an office of 12 people

Chin Hsin: I am interested in the internet service package

Pau: May I ask are you only need Internet service?

Chin Hsin: I'm sorry, if you could include the phone as well that would be great.

Chin Hsin: We currently have comcast and looking to switch

Chin Hsin: we would like to know what verizon would offer for a small office

Pau: I see, I can check for the bundle services available.

Pau: Would that be alright?

Chin Hsin: yes thank you.

Pau: Thank you, I may need to your business address Zip code please?

Chin Hsin: 01854

Pau: One moment please.

Chin Hsin: ok

Pau: Thank you for waiting, let me send you the link for the available bundle services on your area.

Pau: Please cl;ick this link for Bundle Services.

Chin Hsin: ok

Pau: Please let me know if you can access the link.

Chin Hsin: Yes I can

Chin Hsin: this is great, it lets me compare

Chin Hsin: Thank you Pau.

Customize and Compare Bundles for Small Business 

Personally I really enjoyed this live chat, any information can be shared within seconds. Once I clicked on the link above, it gave me instant access to three different rates that Verizon offers for small businesses. It also allows me to customize my options as to what I need vs. what I want.

Week 2 assignment

Amazon:

Revenue:  up 42%

Profit:  up 71% in 2009

Forecast:  30-40% increase in 2010.

Self Introduction

I am expecting to graduate with an AS in Business Administration by the end of this semester. I will be transferring to Southern New Hampshire University for the online program by next spring to pursue my BA in Business Administration. I am undecided at the moment of choosing either Human Resource or Marketing as a concentration, this is why I am taking E-Commerce Marking and Human Resource Management this semester to help me decide.

The reason I chose to take this course in E-Commerce Marking is that I believe, and the general population will agree with me as well, internet is a powerful tool! For example, lets look at facebook, twitter and youtube. Although they are simply just social network sites, however, most people know that is not the main reason how facebook, twitter and youtube became such a phenomenon in today's era. They are the revolution of internet, it connects people from all over the world, therefore in my belief, E-Commerce Marketing is a powerful tool in reaching and grabbing attention from the targeted audiences.