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INTRODUCTION
As we enter a new millennium, we find cyber shopping has become the order of the
day. Consumers find it easier to cyber shop than to take time from their schedules to
visit malls. One can shop any time depending upon availability of time. Many working
couples order the items as they leave from their workplaces and receive deliveries
right when they reach home. Some people shop late at night and receive items the very next
morning. Cyber shopping is exciting because: 1) one can shop directly from home or the
workplace, and 2) the cost of items may be cheaper than the traditional buying.
Considering these conveniences, many people prefer cyber shopping. Also, there are
very many exciting sites such as E-auction etc. on the Net which otherwise are not
available.
Some consumers consider cyber shopping as unsafe. They argue that: 1) giving
credit card information on the net may bring problems if credit card information falls
into the wrong hands; 2) the net does not provide the expected level of security; and
3) companies may record all their purchases, purchasing habits, etc., and may pass on or
sell this information to other potential marketers who in turn may solicit the
customer
(Handerson, 1999).
The growing popularity of cyber shopping means information can be transmit-
ted all around the globe with just one click of the mouse (Manes, 2000). However,
it also means that some information that was thought to be private,
such as medical
records or financial data, is now out in the public domain for all to see and there are
people who are actually hacking them all the time. Those hackers or companies
know an individual’s name, address, phone number, marital status, age and