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I'd like to look at a vital aspect of e-commerce, and that is the nature of the product or service. There are certain products and services that are very suitable for selling online, and others that simply don't work.
(23) Suitable products generally have a high value-to-weight ratio. Items such as CDs and DVDs are obvious examples. Books, although heavier and so more expensive to post, still have a high enough value-to-weight ratio, as the success of Amazon, which started off selling only books, shows. Laptop computers are another good product for selling online.
Digital products, such as software, films and music, can be sold in a purely virtual environment. The goods are paid for by online transactions, and then downloaded onto the buyer's computer. There are no postage or delivery costs, so prices can be kept low.
Many successful virtual companies provide digital services, such as financial transactions, in the case of Paypal, or means of communication, as Skype does. The key to success here is providing an easy-to-use, reliable service. Do this and you can easily become the market leader, as Skype has proved.
Products which are potentially embarrassing to buy also do well in the virtual environment. Some of the most profitable e-commerce companies are those selling sex-related products or services. For a similar reason, online gambling is highly popular.
(24) Products which are usually considered unsuitable for selling online include those that have a taste or smell component. Food, especially fresh food, falls into this category, along with perfume. Clothes and other items that need to be tried on such as diamond rings and gold necklaces are generally not suited to virtual retailing, and, of course, items with a low value-to-weight ratio.
There are exceptions, though. Online grocery shopping has really taken off, with most major supermarkets offering the service. The inconvenience of not being able to see the food you are buying is outweighed by the time saved and convenience of having the goods delivered. (25) Typical users of online supermarkets include the elderly, people who work long hours and those without their own transport.
23. What is important to the success of an online store?
24. What products are unsuitable for selling online?
25. Who are more likely to buy groceries online?
我想说一下电商中一个重要的方面，即产品或服务的性质。有些产品和服务很适合进行线上交易，而有些则不行。适合在网上出售的产品通常具有较高的价值重量比。光盘、光碟之类的产品是很明显的例子。书虽然很重，运费也贵很多，但仍有足够高的价值重量比。这是从最一开始只卖书籍和影音产品的亚马逊的成功例子中得出的。笔记本电脑也是一个非常适合在网上销售的产品。数码产品，比如：软件、电影、音乐，可以在纯虚拟的环境中销售。买家购买这些产品可以在网上付款，然后将它们下载到自己的电脑中。因为没有运费和递送服务，所以价格很低。有很多成功的虚拟公司提供电子服务，比如提供金融交易服务的贝宝和提供通信服务的Skype。它们成功的关键在于能够提供便捷、可靠的服务。一些在人们羞于购买的产品也适合在虚拟环境中出售。出售性爱产品和服务是最盈利的电商行业之一。同样的道理，网络赌博行业也很兴旺。不适合在网上销售的产品包括那些需要人们品尝或者闻味道的产品。食品，尤其是新鲜食品，属于这一类。还有香水。衣服或其他需要试戴的物品，比如钻戒和黄金项链，不适合在网上零售。当然还有价值重量比低的商品。但是也有例外。网上果蔬商店开始红火起来，提供这些服务的大都是大型超市。不能看到要购买的食物的弊端显然没有节省下来的时间和送货上门服务的便利重要。网上超市的消费人群包括老人、工作时间长的人以及自己没有交通工具的人。
问题23 网络商店成功的重要因素是什么？
问题24 哪种商品不适合在网上销售？
问题25 谁更可能光顾网络果蔬商店？
译文属可可原创，仅供学习和交流使用，未经允许不得转载
