Angelie New Media Technologies 08

Amazon.co.uk

Amazon.co.uk is the UK branch of the American e-commerce company Amazon.com, Inc. Amazon began as an online bookstore but then it diversified by also selling videos, DVDs, CDs, MP3s, computer software, video games, toys, jewellery and many more products. Users shop online and get their products delivered directly to their home.

Amazon uses online surveillance to track consumers searches and purchases. Then, they recommend other products based on these. This enables them to target the consumers more effectively.
So, when a user browses for different products, at the bottom of each product page is details on 'Your recent browsing history'. It also offers you a few other products based on the ones you've recently viewed. If you click on the link 'Visit the Page You Made' , you can get a list of all the products you've looked at recently. On that page, there is a 'You May Also Like...' section.

When you go on a product page, if you choose to buy the product, you can select the quantity you want, and then add the product to your shopping basket. If you purchase over £15 worth of eligible items, then delivery will be free. Once you've finished browsing, you can proceed to the checkout where you will give details on the delivery address and pay using a credit card or gift voucher.
As well as buying brand new products, users can buy and sell used products.

Audiences use Amazon.co.uk because it's convenient. They can shop whenever they feel like it, from the comfort of their own homes. Amazon offers a wide range of products, which are likely to suit lots of different audience members. Different users will buy different types of products from there. Users also know that they will get high quality products from Amazon, and don't have to worry about buying things online and then receiving poor quality products. The audience also gets a personalised experience through the online surveillance system.

The main institution involved is Amazon. They can use the online surveillance system to effectively target their audience, which could encourage users to spend more, therefore increasing their revenue. If Amazon gets a good reputation for their good services and high quality products, then more users will start to use it and brand loyalty may increase.


Key Concepts

1. Online surveillance
Amazon uses online surveillance a lot in order to track users browsing habits and then recommend other products to them based on this.


2. Personalisation
   The individual recommendations mean that the users experience is more personalised, since they are targeted based on their individual wants.
   
3. Time-shift/Convenience
   Users can shop on Amazon whenever is convenient for them.