Purchasing goods and services over the internet or what we call online shopping is becoming popular over the years because of its convenience. Consumers can purchase desired goods and services in the comfort of their home and office and no need to be in long queues to pay for the purchased goods. With online shopping, consumers need not walk or travel a long way and enter an all brick and mortar retailers in order to look for a lower price and better quality. Shoppers can choose a wide variety of goods online from different suppliers regardless of location. Aside from convenience, shoppers go online because it saves time. An e-shopper is capable of multi-tasking while shopping online.

However, there are consumers that do not conform to shopping online due to inconvenience it brings or simply, lacks trust and confidence to it. Some consumers are hesitant to make transactions online primarily because of the risks it brings. The image of an item in a computer screen may look good but may have a different look physically. In this case, the item delivered is partly or entirely different from the item ordered online. Consumers may not trust the unknown supplier because of some cases wherein a customer pays through a bank and the item is not delivered. To customers who are so excited to get hold of their purchased items, they will feel frustrated especially when the delivery is delayed or even worse, item get lost along the way and is never delivered. Furthermore, most items purchased online have no warranties. Some items like the equipment may need the after sales service which is very much important for the customer but some suppliers online disregard warranties.

As a consumer, there are things to be considered when buying online. I have tried buying online but obviously, it was in a very conservative manner. The supplier was identified and was personally known which made me feel confident in buying the products. One of the products that made me buy without hesitation is the baby lotion of a reliable brand and of authentic quality. The brand is not readily available locally and I find it convenient to order this brand of lotion to a known supplier. Another product which made me buy online and even made me earn are the kind of bracelets called candy arm. Candy arm bracelets look very nice and chic which are made by a friend and sold online. In some cases, I try to find products online and request e-supplier if she/he can accommodate my order. Any product that is authentic and of known brand sold by a known supplier will make me buy without hesitation as long as it is within budget. I choose authentic product because I am sure of its quality. Aside from goods bought online, I always tried buying airline tickets online first before trying to buy over the counter. Buying airline tickets online is more convenient, has a cheaper price and shows various flight schedules to choose from. I made online transactions only to known and credible suppliers because hard earned money is being considered.

Not all products sold online are grabbed immediately. The products on sale and mode of payment are always assessed. The products which I thought a hundred times before buying are clothes, watches and shoes. Clothes really look good on computer screen but the kind or the quality of material is different when seen physically. Wrist watches even of known brand are no guarantee that it is in good condition. I once bought a wrist watch of good brand name but after a few months, it stopped working even with battery changed. Online products have no warranty. And lastly, I always hesitate to buy shoes online because just like clothes, it may not fit or have a different size especially that it came from other countries where it has a different sizing. Before deciding to really buy the product online, I do research and identify the specifications of a product and most importantly, ask for warranty.

Buying online is convenient indeed but the quality and serviceability should not be compromised. Thus, not all goods and services that I need are bought online. Items like appliances, furniture and IT hardware are best bought when seen physically. It is important that these items are bought in a brick and mortar retailers to actually inspect for damages it may have prior to delivery. When seen physically, the buyer may know if its function will fit into his need.

Online shopping is very much popular that it actually connects consumers and suppliers from different parts of the world. In deciding of what goods and services to purchase online, the buyer must consider the benefits it gets from the transactions, the quality of products that is not being compromised and the cost that is reasonable enough.

Organizations are typically focused on its operation and meeting the demand of its customers that IT security became the least of its priority. However, with the onset of technologies, organizations need to protect its website and critical information from malicious malwares and hackers. There are options to protect the organization’s IT system either in-house or contracting out IT services or functions.

In-house IT security team is a set of experts hired with corresponding equipment and facilities for IT system. Employing an in-house IT security team to defend from cyber crimes is very costly and usually only the largest companies can afford.

Outsourcing IT security may be considered to manage the organization’s IT system or a portion of it. Usually, IT security service providers offer state-of-the art technologies with a set of IT experts specialized in different IT fields.

Before an organization decides and chooses an IT service provider, it has to internally assess the IT needs of the organization. The organization must identify the specialized tasks needed that in-house IT is not capable to provide. They may need experts for regulatory compliance and business operation needs. Security maintenance of information database may require protection against hackers. Furthermore, protection of the intellectual property of the company which may be at risk to outsiders and even to service providers is of utmost importance. The needs and risks in employing IT security service provider must also be considered.

For managers, the cost in any projects or business endeavours is of primary considerations. How effective will the service provider be and what are the expected benefits of the company. Will the cost commensurate to the services and benefits that the organization may obtain?

Once a service provider is outsourced, it will become an “insider” and will handle the most sensitive and important information of the company. The best thing to do for the company to secure its data source is having a security management process and procedures in place. Though there is an external IT service provider, there must be at least one internal IT expert who will monitor and review rights granted to external service provider. Conditions like limitations of outsourced IT security service and access of in-house IT personnel of the company to the system for monitoring must be stipulated in the contract to protect the company’s sensitive and high risk data.

To effectively implement the outsourced IT security service, constant monitoring and review access rights granted to service provider must be done. All reports generated and effects of operation reflect the company and so it must be responsible to all IT functions and operations.

Long before I understand information technology, we used pen and paper to store important information and used telephones or telegraphs to communicate or send out information. Other ways of reaching out far flung areas that doesn’t have telephone were through mailed letters, telegraphs or through announcements on televisions and radio. News about our government, events and situations in other places here in the Philippines and abroad can be accessed through television and radio. This was my life at least 15 years ago and our way in connecting with other people.

With the introduction of computers, my life in school and in work is much easier particularly in the preparation of letters, research papers and reports. Information gathered maybe stored and can be accessed in a computer. Computer replaced the tedious jobs of typewriter. Letters and reports submitted are clean without a paint of correction fluid, justified or centered correctly and even printed in colors.

IT tools like telephones and internet changes the way I live. Communication is directly connected without passing through a telephone operator or waiting for days or months to get in touch. We can talk with friends, families and business partners even in the middle of a farm or an ocean. We can access news and events on real time. It is because of networks and satellites that reaching people in other parts of the world and finding long lost peers and families is made possible.

Now that I am used to life with computers, internet and cellphones, life without them is indeed unimaginable and difficult which I actually experienced last November after Super Typhoon Yolanda struck the province. We report to office without means to communicate with the regional office and clients. No internet to access and determine what is happening outside our area and no way to connect with families, friends and business partners. In effect, we became less productive and costly to accomplish a task because we need to travel to communicate, meet clients and report to regional office to prepare and submit reports.

Information Technology is indeed a part of our everyday life and will cripple us without IT tools and equipment to use.