Melissa Fleming

SLMMCD 521

Course Module

 

ONLINE SHOPPING

 

Objective:  Students will taking a look at the world of online shopping to see if it is less of a hassle to shop online than to go to a store.

Objective:  Students will be able to comparison shop to get the best bargains.

Introduction:  Have you ever stood in line at the mall, just wanting to purchase you items and leave?  Do the hustle & bustle, kids screaming, and wall-to-wall crowds make you want to tear your hair out?  Wouldn’t you like to shop while still in your pj’s?  Well your wait is finally ended!  Not all shoppers are battling mall lines to find deals.   Over the past 5 years shopping online has become a booming business! Researchers predict online holiday sales will increase 42 percent to $16.8 billion this year, a 21 percent jump over last year.   

     Along with the traditional incentives of reduced prices, online vendors are offering free shipping and even discounts on expedited shipments to entice last-minute shoppers.  Online shopping is going to be the quickest growing retail sector this year due to convenience and comparison shopping.  First-time online shoppers were lured by heavy discounting in past years, only to leave in droves over lousy customer service. But now online retailers are touting easier-to-use product comparison tools.  Combined with incentives like free shipping and the ability to find gifts in stores located near your home, are helping to bring shoppers back online.

 

Activity:  If neither you nor anyone around you has ever done any online shopping, then this will be a crash course in online shopping 101.  For others that have shopped online or know someone that has, then this will be a refresher course for you.  There are certain aspects about online shopping you never thought about before, and may help you in your decision making when you decide if you want to shop online.

 

Online Shopping for Beginners

Online Shopping Beginner Basics - http://onlineshopping.about.com/cs/genmerchandise/a/aa122898.htm

Online Beginners - http://www.wishlist.com.au/Info/Beginners.asp?mode=find

 

Tips for Safe & Secure Online Shopping

Playing it Safe When Shopping Online - http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/12/03/hln.wired.online.shopping/

Everything You Need to Shop Smart Online - http://www.msnbc.com/news/233222.asp

Shop Safely Online - http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/online/cybrsmrt.htm

How Will You Maintain Your Privacy? - http://www.safeshopping.org/privacy/index.html

Shopping Online:  Are You Secure? - http://onlineshopping.about.com/library/weekly/aa032398.htm

        

Pro & Cons of Online Shopping

http://weeklywire.com/ww/12-07-98/austin_screens_feature1_side2.html

http://home.sandiego.edu/~jbarbera/ProsCons.html

http://www.exnet.iastate.edu/Publications/PM1789G.pdf

 

Assignment:  This is a two-part assignment, so make sure you have taken a look at both parts!

 

1.  After reading through the activity I would like a 400 word description of whether or not you will be doing some on-line shopping in the future, or if you do now.  Be specific in your argument and make references to what you have read about online shopping, the pro/cons, and safety.  What questions do you have, or what makes you uncomfortable about online shopping?  What benefits do you see? 

 

2.  For the second part of this assignment, I would like you to take a look at the websites under each category.  Take a look at all of them, but pick only one for you assessment.  Which one of these sites would you be more than the others to buy from?  Why?  Do they have a better selection?  Are the prices reasonable for the products?  Do you enjoy their products more?  Take a look at the return policy, shipping, and FAQ’s to get a better feel of the site.  For the comparison shopping site, which one seems to have the best deals, most users friendly?  Each assessment should be 100 words in length, and have a good argument why you like them the best.   

 

Guys & Girls Apparel

www.ae.com

www.gap.com

www.abercrombie.com

www.pacsun.com

 

Books, Music, & Movies

www.amazon.com

www.barnesandnobles.com

www.thebookcellar.com

www.reel.com

 

Toys & Games

www.ebgames.com

www.kbkids.com

www.toysrus.com

 

 

Beauty

www.drugstore.com

www.sephora.com

www.beauty.com

 

Electronics

www.bestbuy.com

www.circuitcity.com

www.radioshack.com

 

Comparison Shopping

www.mysimon.com

www.bizrate.com

www.dealtime.com

 

 

Once you have completed BOTH assignments, send them to me as an e-mail attachment for full credit.

 

Rubric:

 

6

Well developed and organized

Clearly illustrates and develops key ideas

Virtually free from errors in word usage, sentence structure and diction

Addresses the task set by the assignment

5

Generally well developed and well organized, although may have minor flaws in organization

Illustrates and develops key issues

Generally free from errors of word usage, sentence structure, and diction, although may have minor flaws

Addresses most of the task set by the assignment

4

Adequately developed and organized

Illustrates and develops some of the key ideas

May display some error in word usage, sentence structure, and diction, but not a consistent pattern of such errors

Spells the majority of words correctly

3

Displays weakness in development or organization

Fails to illustrate or develop key ideas

Reveals a pattern of errors in word usage, sentence structure, diction, punctuation, and spelling

Suggests little understanding of the assignment

2

Displays weakness in development or organization

Fails to illustrate or develop key ideas

Reveals a pattern of errors in word usage, sentence structure, diction, punctuation, and spelling

Suggests a lack of understanding of the assignment

1

Displays weakness in development or organization

Fails to illustrate or develop key ideas

Reveals a pattern of errors in word usage, sentence structure, diction, punctuation, and spelling

Fails to display a range of syntactic variety

Suggests no understanding of the assignment

 

Other Cites & Resources:

www.safeshopping.org

www.pricegrabber.com

www.shopping.msn.com

www.overstock.com

www.ebay.com

www.half.com

www.qvc.com

http://www.bbbonline.org/

Top 10 Rules for Online Shopping - http://www.msnbc.com/news/949609.asp