End of Term Summary

As an individual who has been determined to work in ecommerce since first year, INSY 440 really made me realize how ignorant my view on ecommerce was. As a frequent and avid online shopper, my perceptions of ecommerce has always been: just put on an attractive website, present a nice product catalogue, do some promotions and BAM, sales will come pouring in. However, INSY 440 has exposed me to many deeper levels of ecommerce, including the key fact that ecommerce the term itself means more than just clicking on the “Add to Cart” button. 

There are three key takeaways for me from this class. First of all, I finally understand how the Internet came to be and how it works. The evolution of the Internet has never been something I thought about as it just seemed to happen. However, I am grateful to actually learn how it came to be, and grasp the protocols that make the transfer of information and data possible. I will never forget that Mr. Tim Berners-Lee is the one to thank for the development of WWW! 

My second takeaway is the importance of security. From deciding which encryption method to use to determining what kind of virtualized server to implement, security considerations are embedded in many aspects of building a sustainable and functioning ecommerce platform. I found it extremely meaningful to learn about the existence of PCI DSS, since it’s such an integral audit for organizations that handle credit card information. 

My third takeaway is the reinforcement of my interest in data and data analytics, and my goal of pursuing a future career in this field specifically in the fashion and beauty industries. Especially in the data analytics lecture, hearing words like shopping basket analysis and clickstream analysis fascinated me and it opened my eyes more to the degree of tracking and data collection possible through a user’s each and every movement. I also believe that the mantra, if you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it will be one that follows me throughout my career. 

INSY 440 was undoubtedly a worthwhile learning experience. I cannot wait to learn even more in the real playing field!