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Tip
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Focused
eforts will lead to success in the online world!
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What Is E-Commerce?
E-commerce (electronic
commerce or EC) is the buying and selling of goods and services on the
Internet, especially the World Wide Web. In practice, this term and a
newer term, e-business, are often used interchangeably. For online retail
selling, the term e-tailing is sometimes used.
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While e-commerce once
required an expensive interface and personal security certificate,
this is no longer the case.
Virtual storefronts
are offered by a variety of hosting services and large Internet
presences such as eBay and Yahoo!, which offer turnkey solutions to
vendors with little or no online experience.
Tools for running
successful e-commerce websites are built into the hosting servers,
eliminating the need for the individual merchant to redesign the wheel.
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These tools include
benefits like shopping carts, inventory and sales logs, and the
ability to accept a variety of payment options including secure credit
card transactions. Even personal services such as hair and nail salons can
benefit from E-commerce by providing a website for the sale of related
health and beauty products normally available to local customers
exclusively.
E-commerce can be divided into:
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1. E-tailing or "virtual
storefronts" on Web sites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a
"virtual mall"
2. The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts
3. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the business-to-business exchange of
data
4. e-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospects and
established customers (for example, with newsletters)
5. Business-to-business buying and selling
6. The security of business transactions. |
The growing popularity of E-commerce is understandable considering the
time and hassle involved in running from store to store, searching for an
item in the real world. It not only takes valuable time and encourages
cities and high gas prices, shopping online wherever the mood strikers
even in the night, has unarguable, uneatable advantages.
Benefits of
E-Commerce
E-commerce can provide the
following benefits over non-electronic communication:
1. Reduced Costs:
reduced labor, reduced paper work, reduced errors in keying in data, etc.
2. Reduced Time: shorter lead times, faster delivery of product.
3. Flexibility with Efficiency: the ability to handle complex
situations, product ranges and customer profiles without the situation
becoming unmanageable.
4. Enhanced Long-Term Trading Partner Relationships: improved
communication between trading partners leads to enhanced long-term
relationships.
Contributed By: Barry Johnson writes
articles about the latest developments in technology, electronic commerce
and many other topics. He'd like to inform you that he is ready to provide
you the best web articles. For more information on Search Engine
Optimization, please go to
http://www.smartimeinc.com Email:
barryjohnson100@gmail.com
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