Please respond to two students initial discussion post with 100 words each. Each response must be in a separate paragraph, besure to include one question in each response and add if you agree or disagree.
Student 1: Has the internet changed the way consumers think and behave? Without a doubt, a huge yes. Amazon is the first thing that comes to my brain. I’m sure the average household averages a few packages from amazon a month. Think before the internet, people did their shopping in retail form, at a mall or shopping center. Today, you can order anything you’d buy at Wal-Mart, Shop-Rite and either have it delivered in a certain time frame or go pick it up at the curb and never leave your car. Along with social media, consumers are inundated with ads of products every single time they sign onto an app. The newest kitchen product, the newest trendy sunglasses, really anything of value that businesses can get in front of your eyes, happens everyday. The internet was the best thing to happen to large businesses probably ever in history. And amazon really stood as the biggest beneficiary because of its general store nature. They literally have everything. And most things can be at your doorstep within 2 days since they own thousands of warehouses centrally located to big cities just so you can get your things delivered in a small time frame. But I truly think the marketing aspect of consuming goods has changed the most. We see ads every minute of everyday. Ads spark thoughts of usage, and how you can either save money by DIY or having a cool new gadget cleaning mop that has a foot spindle and works like a traditional mop. 

There are many benefits of this impact. Its created huge companies. Amazon, google, etc. Think of all the jobs its created. All the opportunities and money its pumped into the local and global economy. 

Some pitfalls are these companies also have made us addicted to our phones. We are absolutely addicted to technology as a society with social media apps, shopping apps, deals and saving money and its created a ton of mental illness and doesnt help existing mental illness. 

Student 2:The Internet and digital transformation have revolutionized how we access information and make purchases. In the old days, the consumer was obliged to personally go to many stores to choose the product they wanted to buy. Nowadays, the consumers thinking and behavior are changing; there are plenty of online stores where they can select the product they wish to purchase and buy it. In an already dynamic context, businesses need to understand consumer behavior and how the industry can benefit from it. One of the goals of any company operating in the market is to satisfy the desires of its customers and clients. In the end, satisfied customers with the service are the main reason and generating factor for many sales and increase the brand’s reputation in the market. Consumer perceptions are shifting as a result of the mix of marketing and advertising on the Internet, so businesses have to keep up with this shift and use the Internet and media to their advantage to reach many customers that rely on the Internet to do the day to day chores from communicating using social media to learning about the world to purchasing anything on the Internet. There are advantages to the Internet for businesses as it is a cost-effective platform for advertising. It aids them in targeting potential customers from all around the world to promote its brand and offer them faster product delivery. However, there are also pitfalls to the use of the Internet. The absence of personal interaction and connections can cause a lack of trust, leading to brand switching. Because of the use of the Internet by everyone, competition is boosting among other companies. Trying to keep up with innovation from different competitors leads to consumer patterns becoming more diversified and challenging to forecast. Consumers expect the businesses to provide free shipping, next-day delivery, eco-friendly products, view other customers’ ratings of the product, and a safe/fast check out with flexible paying options, and any of these can be a deal breaker for some customers.