Web Systems Design and Online Consumer Behavior [Electronic resources] نسخه متنی

Future Trends

The Web is in the early days of its evolution, and change has been rapid, but some components
of its future can be anticipated. It will always be imperative to follow the basic rules of design:
create a consistent look and feel, and make the Web site easy to use. But innovation and
differentiation are also important. Web sites need sophisticated designs to be visually
stimulating, effectively organized, and easy to navigate. With these characteristics, Web sites can
achieve the standard e-commerce goals: to attract attention, to encourage a sustained visit and so
move the customer to purchase behavior.

Online shoppers are more likely to order if they have a positive impression about a Web site
that has a professional look and feel, and is customer-centric. In many instances, Web page design
is the first impression a potential customer has with respect to a particular company. A
well-designed and organized site is crucial not just for converting sales, but for establishing
loyal and repeat customers.

New tools are constantly in development to meet the complex demands of online enterprise.
Unfortunately, perhaps, this extraordinary technology has outpaced appropriate legal and cultural
responses. The online community must take responsibility to develop social norms and codes for
online behavior. Web sites that cater to consumer concerns about privacy and offensive marketing
practices will build long-term relationships with customers. Trust is a competitive advantage for
virtual companies.

Voice-over Internet protocol (VOIP) looms as the next major innovation to penetrate, first
the business and then the consumer segments of e-commerce. This technology involves much more than
using the Internet as a phone route (at greatly reduced costs). Business is innovating this
technology rapidly because it allows an organization to connect all their locations using one
infrastructure. Between 20% and 30% of all phones currently sold to business in the United States
are IP, and the number is expected to grow rapidly. VOIP enables a person to have just one number
for real-time voice conversations from all locations. It is one element that will accelerate the
rapidly expanding use of mobile devices for e-commerce activities. However, there remain several
factors to hinder m-commerce including technology standardization, limited mobile Internet
coverage, and poor service quality (Lee et al., 2003).