| eCommerce, Ecommerce, e-commerce; | | | | known as spam. Terrabytes of spam is |
| however you spell it, the term is now | | | | circulating around the Internet at any |
| firmly lodged in our language. So just | | | | given time, which slows down our global |
| what is it? | | | | network. While this is one of the |
| At it's most simplistic level; eCommerce | | | | negative aspects of eCommerce, direct |
| is simply the buying and selling of | | | | marketing ploys, if carried out properly |
| goods, services or information via the | | | | are a very successful and acceptable way |
| World Wide Web, email or other pathways | | | | of generating income for a business |
| on the Internet. It is here to stay and | | | | - Security services. The broad exposure |
| will play a bigger role in our lives | | | | of (and sometimes hyped) dangers of |
| over the years ahead. Ecommerce and | | | | credit card and direct debit |
| Ebusiness are interchangeable terms. | | | | transactions via the Internet has |
| eCommerce can be broken down into the | | | | rocketed the growth of many companies |
| following sections: | | | | who provide security services to protect |
| - eTailing. These are mainly "virtual" | | | | consumer & business transactions. |
| storefronts which act as a catalogue of | | | | This can include authorisation |
| products of merchants and usually | | | | encryption technologies and creating |
| include a "shopping cart" system to | | | | secure areas on web sites. This will be |
| enable consumers to purchase online with | | | | a growth area for as long as eCommerce |
| the use of credit cards. Today's | | | | is with us because you can guarantee |
| Internet climate dictates that if you | | | | that as soon as a new "unhackable" |
| can't buy what you see online while you | | | | technology is introduced - someone has |
| are online; you will probably lose the | | | | hacked it. Some hackers view themselves |
| sale. The great advantage of etailing is | | | | as rebels, antiestablishment and |
| international coverage at minimum cost | | | | "socialists"; but in reality they |
| and the ability to trade 24 hours a day | | | | actually fuel the security services |
| with minimum staffing levels. The | | | | market and provide huge dividends for |
| benefits to consumers are shopping from | | | | shareholders in successful security |
| home and a wide range of choice. This | | | | services firms. Good one guys... you |
| range of choice can sometimes be a | | | | won't change the world for the better by |
| downfall as it confuses some consumers | | | | sniffing around bank accounts! |
| who in frustration may give up on buying | | | | - Statistics. Demographics and survey |
| the product at all! | | | | results regarding Internet habits is a |
| - EDI (Electronic Data exchange). This | | | | huge industry. Web planners rely on |
| is the business to business (b2b) flow | | | | information from these sources in |
| of information between companies or | | | | planning web sites and justifying |
| within a company itself. The 90's saw | | | | marketing and promotional expenediture. |
| the concept information equalling power. | | | | - B2B (Business to Business). When I |
| Whatever creates power also generates | | | | began in Computer Hardware sales some |
| money and therefore creates new | | | | years ago, I spent a great deal of time |
| enterprises to supply this information. | | | | and money on national and international |
| EDI is being replaced with XML. He with | | | | phone calls to locate components. In |
| the most relevant data on his hard drive | | | | 2001, if contacting a supplier meant |
| wins! | | | | having to pick up a telephone; I |
| - Email and faxing. Direct marketing | | | | wouldn't bother doing business with |
| through email. Unfortunately, it also | | | | them. The B2B world of today means that |
| creates the equivalent of what we find | | | | wholesalers and retailers have a means |
| in our physical mailboxes every day; | | | | of fast and efficient communications and |
| junk mail - electronic junk mail is | | | | transactions; the Internet. |