Introduction to E-Commerce
E-commerce is defined as the online transaction of business, connecting a vendor or seller and a buyer. Diverse products and services are being offered, but it’s foundations is that the interactions, deal sign-ups and the payment processes happen online. According to www.searchcio.techtarget.com, e-commerce can be divided into the following:
E-tailing or “virtual storefronts” on Web sites with online catalogues
Use of demographic information through Web contacts
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Business-to-business purchasing and trading (B2B)
key facet of e-commerce is online shopping. Online shopping was actually started by Michael Aldrich in 1979. E-commerce has made a foothold in the today’s world. Almost in every corner of the globe, people have accepted the increasing significance of e-commerce. It led to the development of electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems.
1. Electronic funds transfer - is the computer-based systems that are used to do electronic financial transactions.
2. Supply chain management - is the management of integrated businesses involved in providing products and services to consumers.
3. Internet marketing - is simply put, the marketing of products through the Internet.
4. Online transaction processing - is used to facilitate and handle transaction-oriented applications through data entry and processing.
5. Electronic data exchange - this is the transmission of data among companies or organizations over electronic means.
6. Inventory management systems - it is electronically tracking objects or materials over the use of barcodes, or other automatic identification for the inventory of objects.
Electronic commerce carried on among business is generally named B2B or business-to-business. Meanwhile, electronic commerce carried on between businesses and consumers is called B2C. E-commerce actually falls under the umbrella of e-business and also covers data exchange for the facilitation of the financial and payment aspects of business deals and transactions.
Find out more about E-Commerce principles and how you can boost your Company Sales with different Online Marketing strategies.