Return or exchange of a product
Amazon.com
In the Amazon online purchasing site, it is very easy to return or exchange a television set as long as the product is unopened and is less than a week old from the day of reception. In order to return or exchange the television set, the buyer must visit the online return centre. Once on this page, the customer will click the section marked as return items. The return item page will give the customer the order options for the item to be returned. After selecting the item to be returned, the customer should enter appropriate product description and the click the most appropriate return option. The procedure is completed by selecting the desired shipping method. It is important for the customer to print the product label which should be attached to the return package (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
The return or exchange policy for the Amazon states that there should be a return authorization which authenticates the online return application for the television set. However, the television set should be its original condition, unopened, unworn, and still having the serial number intact. The time limit for a television set is 30 days upon reception as indicated in the delivery order. The only charges for a return or exchange of a television set are the shipping costs, which depend on the location of the customer (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
eBay
In order to return a television set on eBay, the customer should start by locating the item from the dropdown menu called More Actions. The page will give the customer options and reasons for exchange or return. Upon selecting the reason for the return, the customer will get a postage label which is to be printed and parked with the television set in the packaging slip. The customer completes the steps by dropping the items at one of the local collection centres (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
The eBay’s return policy indicated that the television set should be returned within 35 days upon reception. Same as the Amazon’s return policy, the television set should be its original condition, unopened, unworn, and still having the serial number intact. However, the charges are only applicable when shipping is involved.
Security
The Amazon and eBay online shopping sites have adopted several strategies to ensure that information of the customer is protected. These policies are influenced by the need to ensure that safety and security over the cyberspace is guaranteed. Thus, the introduction of a Secure Online Shopping System (SOSS) by these sites is vital towards protecting customer information. Secure online shopping system is a platform where consumers are able to make orders on particular product and make payments using their credit cards. The SOSS platform ensures the safety and security of those cards.
Besides, these sites offer password protection system in collaboration with the customer. As part of their security policy, every customer is required to choose a strong password which should be changed frequently. In addition, the sites use very secure trading platform that has a 24/7 system support centre (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
Forms of Payment
Amazon accepts payment for its products through the Amazon.com cards. The cards are customized to meets the demands of each customer. Amazon has two types of cards which are the Amazon.com Store Card and Amazon.com Rewards Visa Card. For those within the US, the site also offers payment options such as the Credit Card Marketplace. On the other hand, the eBay site has more payment methods than the Amazon site. Among the payment methods include ProPay, PayPal, Bill Me Later, and Skrill. Besides, the site accepts international credit cards and the direct payment for customers who prefer picking their products at the collection centres (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
Shipping costs
For the eBay site, shipping is always free. However, if the customer request for a faster delivery, there are expedited shipping charges. For the television set, which was a Samsung LN32D403 32” HDTV, I purchased it at $328.88 which is inclusive of the shipping charges of $10 within the US. On the other hand, the similar product was going for $317.90 with a free shipping charge within the US. However, there is a flat charge of about $100 for shipping outside the US.
Taxes
For both sites, taxes are pre-calculated at 5% of the product price. However, taxes tend to vary for different products, depending on the location of the customer and the category of such a product. For the television set, the tax charged was 5% of the product price (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
Other fees
For international companies outside North America, the Amazon and eBay sites, there are custom charges in addition to taxes in the receiving countries. Depending on the taxation regimes in the receiving countries, the companies will have to pay more to cover for these additional charges (Fagerstron & Ghinea 2011).
References
Fagerstron, A., & Ghinea, N. (2011). On the motivating impact of price and online recommendations at the point of online purchase, International Journal of Information Management, 2(31), 103-110.