Online Advertising: Advantages and Disadvantages

A comprehensive analysis of different forms of online advertising and their advantages and disadvantages.

In today?s age of information, the move toward establishing an Internet presence is becoming more and more popular as companies move to position themselves to compete more efficiently on a national and international basis. The paper explains that this trend towards a global marketplace was demonstrated recently by the merger between America Online and Time Life, as well as the unbelievably rapid growth in global Internet sales. This paper provides an overview of electronic commerce and some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with the various types of online forms today. Several case studies and examples of companies that have been successful, as well as those which have not, are also provided. A summary of the research is provided in the conclusion.
“Forms of E-Commerce on the Internet. The literature notes that the term “Internet” is almost never used in its proper context. The Internet, simply put, “is a whole bunch of computers connected together” (Jardin 4). However, the Internet has become much more than just a network. “What makes the Internet different is the number of computers connected to it, as well as its immense geographic span. The Internet wasn’t always that way; it used to consist of a few big, ugly computers. What happened It often seems as if the Internet appeared out of the clear blue sky and materialized as a massive technological explosion. In fact, it did? (Jardin 11). Even though the Net may have appeared virtually overnight, certain aspects of marketing have not. It has been said that the dimensions of electronic commerce revolve around pure electronic commerce and traditional electronic commerce. According to Cecil C. Hoge, Sr., ?Electronic buying and selling started by telegraph in the nineteen century. With the advent and mass acceptance of the telephone, radio, TV, and then cable, electronic media have become the dominant marketing forces.