Ebay Vs Amazon

Part 2 - A business report evaluating existing e-commerce systems

Introduction: On this Business report, aims to evaluating two existing well knowing e-commerce sites. I will describe they weakness and strengths during the report I will provide a clear explanation how these theories are applied on today business.

At the end of the report, I will describe and explain the principles of a good web site design.

EBay vs Amazon

EBay and Amazon are two very popular sites for online shopping. They provide a lot of convenience since you would no longer need to leave your chair in order to buy things. Amazon is an online store which is just like a regular store. They have lots of stocks of the products that they are selling and you can return or ask for a replacement in case what you receive is defective. EBay is not an online store, it is an auction house and it does not actually sell anything. EBay is a site where people go to buy and sell their stuff.

Since Amazon is a store, it is also covered by the laws that stores are under. They are required to provide some level of service and warranties to their customers. With eBay, you are basically dealing with another person and not the site itself. In case your transaction goes wrong, eBay is not legally bound to compensate you.

An issue that has plagued eBay since its inception is the presence of scammers. These are the people who pretend to sell stuff but would disappear once they receive your payment. To counter this, eBay has a feedback system where each party can leave feedback about their experience. Reliable and honest people on the site would have high positive feedback while those who have negative or no feedback are generally not trusted. Still, there are a lot of people who gets tricked by scammers on eBay.

The products that are being sold on Amazon are generally brand new but some refurbished products appear now and then. These products carry the same warranties just like buying in a standard store but they also cost just about the same. The stuff on eBay is usually old items that the owner likes to sell, just like a garage sale. You do not have the same level of assurance that Amazon offers but the prices are also substantially less. This is why eBay is populated with bargain hunters who are looking for a great deal on the items that they want.

Summary:

1. Amazon is an online store while eBay is an online auction site

2. Amazon owns and is responsible for all the items sold on their site while eBay does not own the things that are being sold or auctioned on its site

3. There is a chance of being scammed at eBay but not on Amazon

4. A great majority of the stuff being sold on Amazon