Introduction to E-Commerce

E-commerce is a transaction of buying or selling online. Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as  mobile commerce​, ​electronic funds transfer​, ​supply chain management​, ​Internet marketing​, ​online  transaction processing​, ​electronic data interchange​(EDI), ​inventory management systems​, and automated  data collection​ systems. 

   Typical e-commerce transactions include the purchase of online books (such as ​Amazon​) and music  purchases (​music download​ in the form of ​digital distribution​ such as ​iTunes Store​), and to a less extent,  customized/personalized online ​liquor store​ ​inventory​ services.​[1]​ There are three areas of e-commerce:  online retailing, electric markets, and online auctions. E-commerce is supported by ​electronic business​.

   E-commerce businesses may also employ some or all of the followings:

   ● Online shopping​ web sites for ​retail sales direct​ to consumers

  ● Providing or participating in ​online marketplaces​, which process third-party  business-to-consumer or consumer-to-consumer sales

 ● Business-to-business​ buying and selling;

 ● Gathering and using demographic data through web contacts and social media

 ● Business-to-business (B2B) ​electronic data interchange

 ● Marketing to prospective and established customers by e-mail or fax (for example, with  newsletters​)

  ● Engaging in ​pretail​ for launching new products and services

 ● Online financial exchanges for currency exchanges or trading purposes.