Home business

Online shopping and searching for products on websites Many people search for and order services and products using the Internet. Online stores have databases of their goods and services that you can access. You can browse or search for a specific thing.

Home business Online shopping Purchasing goods and services using the Internet. Customers browse online catalogues. They add goods to their virtual shopping basket/trolley. They go to the checkout. They then enter their card (debit or credit) details and other details, which are encrypted for security reasons.

Home business Advantages of online shopping to customers

Home business Disadvantages of online shopping to customers

Home business Advantages of online shopping to stores

Home business Disadvantages of online shopping to stores

Home business Online booking services Low cost airlines and ease of booking mean many people book flights and hotels direct. They can get impartial reports from others about resorts and hotels. They can also book car rental.

Home business Advantages of booking online Book from the comfort of your home. More time to look for holidays than when at a travel agent. Make savings when booking direct because no travel agent commission to pay. Read reports of people who have been on the same holiday that you intend to book. Arrange your own travel and accommodation. Find out about the resort before you go.

Home business Disadvantages of booking online You have to enter credit/debit card details and these may not be kept safe. People could hack into the site and know you were away and burgle your house. There is no personal service like at a high street travel agent. You could easily enter the wrong information and book the wrong flights.

Home business Booking using interactive digital TV New interactive digital TV services allow bookings to be made for: holidays flights cars theatre and concert tickets cinema tickets.

Home business Verification of bookings You are responsible for entering booking details. You need to carefully verify data entered. This is done by a visual check (i.e. proof reading).

Home business Verification of a booking Need to check: credit card number entered is correct by comparing it again with the number on the actual card card expiry date all the fields that should have data in them contain data all the name and address details are correct – this is particularly important with flight tickets, where the name on the passport has to match that on the tickets passport numbers against the numbers on the actual passports.