How websites handles security, confidentiality and international issues

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My job as an Online Teaching Assistant is to help you to do your assignment and definitely not do them for you. In fact, if I did 'do' some or all of your assignment for you I could be in big trouble with BrainMass or even worse fired from BrainMass because it clearly states that we are NOT to do it. In fact BrainMass states "The student will quickly receive a detailed explanation from a qualified Online TA. Knowledge is valuable but only if it is untainted. The members of our community must have a common trait - they should all believe in fairness to the owners of original work and take the responsibility to do independent work. Online TAs help a great deal in limiting such morally-incorrect practices by informing students about plagiarism and how to cite and acknowledge others work correctly. The system is not intended to replace the many services already provided by professors and teaching assistants. It is intended to supplement the learning process by offering more timely and direct access to graduate-level assistance. The Online TA's have all been through undergraduate studies and understand better than anyone else where, when and how students get stumped. The job of the OTA is NOT to write an essay for the student, but to provide ideas, definitions, research help, and instructions on how the student should approach the problem.

This look's like an interesting assignment, though, so let's see where I can be helpful

Question: Describe how dell.com, apple.com, and gateway.com websites handles security, confidentiality and international issues.

Here are some examples of what I would include. Each one has similarities to another but notice how each one of them tries to be a stand alone, make their selves unique. This information is easily obtained by going to each ones web site. All three have a search box so be sure to go there and type in the key words you are investigating. If you would like to quote anything from 'my version' please make sure you use the following format to site it properly.

[BrainMass Online TA Name], Online TA [OTA ID#], Posting Code [Posting Code], http://BrainMass.com (hyperlinked if submitted electronically), [Month], [Year].
eg. Cherie J. Hetland, M.Ed, Online TA# 105280, Posting Code #####, http://BrainMass.com, November, 2006.

Gateway

International

Gateway has expanded its international sales after having largely exited the international market in 2001 to focus on North American operations. Prior to their acquisition of e-Machines, the international sales were limited to Canada and Mexico while e-Machines sold its products internationally in Japan and the United Kingdom. After the e-Machines acquisition, they took advantage of each company's distribution channels and implemented common supply chain management techniques and service infrastructures to expand distribution within Canada, Japan, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Gateway and e-Machines products are now sold in more than 2,000 retail locations internationally, including Canada, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and France. Substantially all of their international sales are through third-party retailers and distributors. They continue to evaluate opportunities to develop and grow our international business, currently focusing on Western Europe and Asia. Approximately 7% of their net sales in 2005 and approximately 6% of their net sales in 2004 came from sales to customers outside North America, with limited sales outside of North America in 2003 (excluding e-Machines which were acquired March 11, 2004). Margins on sales of Gateway products in foreign countries and on sales of products that include components obtained from foreign suppliers can be adversely affected by foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations and by international trade regulations, including tariffs and antidumping penalties.

Gateway has outsourced a substantial portion of their manufacturing operations to countries in Asia and Eastern Europe and to Mexico. A change in these countries' economic liberalization and deregulation policies could adversely affect business and economic conditions in the affected country generally and could negatively impact the cost-saving benefits of their outsourced operations overseas. While Gateways' contract obligations are typically in U.S. dollars, changes in currency exchange rates could impact their suppliers and increase the prices. In particular, the recent change in the Chinese yuan to United States dollar exchange rate, or any future changes, could increase their costs for products and components sourced from China. Any political instability could also change the present satisfactory legal environment for them through the imposition of restrictions on foreign ownership, repatriation of funds, adverse labor laws, and the like. Further, risks associated with transportation and other natural or human factors, including disease epidemics, may disrupt operations in and the flow of products from certain countries. Gateway also has outsourced workers in countries outside of the U.S. in technical support call centers, repair centers, and refurbishment centers. These outsourced operations present us with similar economic and political risks. The political climate in the U.S. also could change so that it would not be practical for them to use international operational and manufacturing centers. This could adversely affect Gateway's ability to maintain or create low-cost operations outside the U.S.

Gateway has expanded sales of PCs and certain Non-PC products into international markets. While Gateway previously sold PCs in international markets and e-Machines has been selling in international markets for several years, there can be no assurance that such markets will accept Gateway PCs and Non-PC products to the extent they expect. International sales are subject to certain inherent risks including unexpected changes in regulatory requirements and tariffs, including antidumping penalties, risks in hedging for foreign currency fluctuations for non-U.S. dollar sales, difficulties in managing foreign operations, legal remedies that can affect accounts receivable collection and potentially adverse tax consequences. In addition, given that their products in international markets are sold primarily through a small number of third-party retail partners, Gateway's business and financial results could be adversely affected if the financial condition of any of these retailers weakens or if they were to cease or significantly reduce the distribution of their products. For those international sales denominated in U.S. dollars, any strengthening of the U.S. dollar relative to the currencies of other countries into which they sell Gateway's products and services could make their products and services more expensive, thereby reducing the price-competitiveness of their products. Should any of these difficulties arise, the results of operations and financial condition could be adversely impacted.

In January 2005, Gateway introduced the Gateway-branded products into more than 600 Circuit City retail stores in the United States. In July 2005, they also added 876 Staples locations. Retail partners in Japan, the United Kingdom, Mexico and France were also added during 2005. Gateway and e-Machines products are now sold in more than 7,000 third-party retail stores throughout the United States and Canada and in more than 2,000 international retail locations, including Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and France. Overall net sales for the Retail segment increased 59% in 2005 compared with 2004. Based on the most recent estimates by The NPD Group, Gateway's U.S. retail desktop market share increased from 29.5% to 33.2% and U.S. retail market share for notebooks increased from 7.2% to 11.0%.

The standard warranty applies to Gateway's products shipped to a country outside the United States, provided that customers outside the United States and Canada are responsible for paying all freight charges incurred in shipping, importing/exporting and receiving replacement products and parts and for arranging and paying for the shipment of any defective part(s) back to the Gateway. All international customers are responsible for all customs duties, VAT and other associated taxes and charges.

Security

Customer concerns over the security of transactions conducted on the Internet or the privacy of user information may inhibit the growth of their web sales. To securely transmit confidential information, such as customer credit card numbers, Gateway relies on encryption and authentication technology. Unanticipated events or developments could result in a compromise or breach of the systems they use to protect customer transaction data. Furthermore, the information systems infrastructure and that of their service providers may be vulnerable to viruses, other harmful code or harmful activity transmitted over the Internet. While Gateway proactively searches and protects against intrusions into their ...