Unlike any of the commercial technologies of the twentieth century, with the possible exception of the telephone, e-commerce technologies are interactive. It allows two-way communication between merchant and consumer which was not afforded through traditional mediums such as newspapers, magazines, radio ads and television. Television for instance, cannot ask viewers any questions or enter into conversations with them and it cannot request that customer information be entered into a form. In contrast, all of these activities are possible on an e-commerce website. Interactivity allows an online merchant to engage a consumer in ways similar to a face-to-face experience but on a massive and global scale.
Furthermore, it provides the possibility to individualized marketing messages through interactivity. As a result, companies can now enjoy reach without sacrificing information richness. The Web allows consumers to control what information will be presented, in what order, and for how long. A Web site can be categorized according to the control of the consumer over the communication process, therefore, different levels of interactivity may be found. Through the use of interactivity, the web provides ways to interact with users in ways similar to face-to-face occurrences.
