E-Commerce

INTRODUCTION

We live in an exciting age of human innovations where a single generation can witness extreme shifts in technology and way of life.   One of the most significant forces driving this development is the ability to record and deliver information across distances and at rates expanding exponentially. This is also referred to as the information age.   Digital technology has changed the economy.   The new terminology being used is e-marketing where the primary source of value creation for consumers has shifted from physical goods to services and information.   This does not mean that everything we previously knew about business becomes irrelevant and obsolete, but it does mean that significant changes in business environment justify new approaches to thinking of the best marketing strategy and management.

In summary E-commerce can be defined as an exchange of goods and services between parties, individuals and organizations as well as the electronically based intra and inter organizational activities that facilitate such exchanges.(Dave.C.,2007,p,4)   There are four categories of E-commerce:-

  a) Business to business

  b) Business to consumer

  c) Consumer to business

  d) Consumer to consumer

Most business still carries out the traditional ways of conducting business. This is by having a physical address where they have their products and services and translations are made there.   Due to the new dot com community and ways of doing business many businesses have taken up the opportunity of conducting business online.   This is because of the benefits brought about by doing business using electronic medium, some of these benefits are:-

  1) Increasing market share

  2) Expanding their geographical reach

  3) Venturing into new markets i.e. niche targeting

  4) Increasing brand awareness

  5) Creating an intimate relationship with the customer

  6) Reduces cost of doing business as it is open 24 hours 76 days

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