Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or eCommerce, or e-business consists of the buying and selling of products or services...

E-commerce vs. E-business

E-commerce involves Digitally enabled commercial transactions between organizations and individuals. Digitally enabled transactions include all transactions mediated by digital technology Commercial transactions involve the exchange of value across organizational or individual boundaries in return for products or Introduction to e-commerce G53DDB services

E-commerce vs. E-business

E-business involves Digital enablement of transactions and processes within a firm, involving information systems under the control of the firm E-business does not involve commercial transactions across organizational boundaries where value is exchanged

Introduction to e-commerce G53DDB

7 features of e-commerce
1.

2.
3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Ubiquity Global Reach Universal Standards Richness Interactivity Information Density Personalization/Customization

Ubiquity
Available everywhere Built into other devices Hidden, but still there

Why is ubiquity good?

Global Reach

e-commerce technologies enable a business to easily reach across geographic boundaries. Its really easy to understand how this feature can benefit business and consumers.

Universal Standards

e-commerce is made possible through hardware (Internet) and software/content (World Wide Web)

The Internet In its infancy, the architects developed standards that are now globally recognized (TCP/IP) The World Wide Web Standards are becoming #1 priority (XML, HTML, etc.)

Richness
Advertising and branding are an important part of commerce. e-commerce can deliver video, audio, animation, etc. much better than other technologies (billboards, signs, etc.)

However, its about as rich as television technology.

Comparison: Airplanes enable global reach, but how about Richness?

Information Density

The e-commerce technology

reduces information costs raises the quality of information

How does the technology reduce costs? How does it raise quality.

Consider the old way to share information, i.e., paper, mail, voice communication, etc.

Interactivity

Consumer/user can interact with the content.

Here is where Web technology kicks TVs ass!

TV is a passive activity
Engaging consumer/user is a powerful feature.

Personalization/Customization

It seems like a contradiction that ecommerce has more opportunities for personalization then, umm, going to a store and buying an item faceto-face with a cleck. How can e-commerce permit or enhance personalization and customization.