The ARPAnet, which was originally created by the military, was the first major e-commerce platform. The military needed the system to communicate important information in the event of a nuclear attack. Today, this type of technology serves as the foundation of many e-commerce sites.
Business to consumer in E-Commerce
Business to consumer e-commerce enables companies to market their products directly to consumers. This model helps businesses improve their products’ quality, as they get immediate feedback from consumers. It also facilitates better information management among different business units and fosters greater collaboration among employees. Business to consumer e-commerce is becoming more popular and has many benefits for companies.
Companies can save money by cutting down on inventory. They can also access more capital, making e-commerce an attractive option. Major e-commerce players have formed strategic alliances in order to position themselves as formidable forces in the field. In addition, television advertisements are being used to promote e-commerce services. Consumers can also browse through websites, read product descriptions, and make purchases directly through a website.
Business to consumer e-commerce is closely related to business-to-business e-commerce. These models are both driven by customer expectations and the needs of businesses. Customers expect businesses to protect their personal information and make sure payment and shipping mechanisms work. Furthermore, customers want to locate businesses easily on their smartphones and tablets.
Globally, business-to-consumer e-commerce is expected to hit USD 8,016 billion by 2030. Asia-Pacific is projected to be the largest market for B2C e-commerce. Examples of B2C e-commerce platforms include Amazon.com and Alibaba.
In B2C e-commerce, a business can sell its products to other businesses. For example, a local business can purchase office equipment from Xerox or vehicle parts from Goodyear through the internet. In such a scenario, the traditional roles of a business and consumer are reversed. In e-commerce, individual consumers can also sell products to businesses.
Social shopping
Social shopping is a part of e-commerce, and it involves the use of online and social media to support social interaction and user contributions to the buying and selling process. This type of commerce has numerous advantages for the buyer, but it also brings in considerable costs for the seller. Luckily, social commerce is gaining in popularity, and many companies are already taking advantage of it.
The concept of social shopping is similar to the in-person shopping experience, but it centralizes consumer touch points and eliminates friction. With social shopping, online sellers can engage with customers to increase sales and provide personalized customer service. It can also help boost customer satisfaction and loyalty. To make social commerce work for your company, you need to understand the psychology of customers.
Consumers are driven by the experience they receive during their shopping experience. The more personalized the experience is, the more likely they will purchase. As social commerce continues to grow, retailers will need to invest in technologies that automate manual processes and enable shoppers to make decisions based on their preferences. The use of AI-enabled selling tools, such as Commerce Cloud Einstein, will be a critical part of this process.
Social media has made consumers feel more connected to brands. They can share content with their friends and engage in real-time chats. They are also increasingly moving beyond just being a source of inspiration and influencing purchases. As a result, social media platforms are rapidly evolving into virtual stores. The future of social commerce is bright for both brands and retailers.
Mobile devices
The use of mobile devices in e-commerce is growing rapidly, and this trend is expected to continue. According to a recent survey, one-third of consumers prefer to shop for goods and services online. With mobile devices, consumers can shop from anywhere and anytime. Using mobile devices in e-commerce means that a retailer must design its website or mobile app to make it compatible with the mobile user experience.
Consumers are increasingly comfortable using their mobile devices in their daily routine, and leveraging this behavior can benefit the supply chain. Mobile devices are more accessible and convenient to use for consumers, and can also be used for pre-transaction activities, such as product authentication. Moreover, mobile devices are widely used in entertainment and leisure.
According to Forrester, in 2020, over 80 million consumers will use their mobile devices to make purchases. This growth is expected to reach US$142 billion in revenue. Mobile payments are also expected to continue to gain popularity in emerging countries. For example, in China, mobile payments grew by 170% in 2013 to 4.5 billion transactions. Another promising market is Turkey.
Scalability
Scalability is an important aspect of e-commerce because it enables companies to respond to changes in market demand with increased technical capacity. This means that companies can take advantage of recent innovations and capitalize on consumer trends. Scalability has many advantages, but there are also some limitations. For example, the scalability of e-commerce may be compromised due to too many users.
To be scalable, an e-commerce website must be flexible and expand to accommodate the growing number of visitors. This is dependent on the scalability of the website’s database. For example, if a website is slow, customers will quickly switch to a faster competitor.
The scalability of an e-commerce website is important for the growth of the business. Without scalability, a website would struggle to process a high volume of content. Furthermore, a site’s speed can significantly affect its search engine rankings and user retention. Despite the importance of scalability, many businesses still fail to consider this important element.
Scalability is crucial for e-Commerce businesses that want to continue to grow and avoid downtime. In order to scale successfully, businesses must analyze their current architecture and identify technologies that best support their needs. Scalability is not a simple task. It requires thorough analysis and an effective development strategy. Moreover, scaling requires a business to focus on delighting new types of customers.
Security
E-commerce security is one of the most important considerations for a company that wishes to do business online. Aside from the obvious security concerns, a company should also consider the safety of the data collected through the online process. Many regulations are available to help businesses protect their data. Some are specific to specific industries, and some are more general in scope
Data breaches are common, and even high-profile e-commerce retailers are not immune to these incidents. In fact, 62% of cyber-attacks are directed towards small businesses, so a company must implement the necessary e-commerce security measures to protect its customer data. By following best practices in e-commerce security, a company can enjoy a competitive advantage and develop its business.
Another important feature of e-commerce security is authentication. Authentication ensures that an individual has the legal authority to make a purchase. An online store can use non-repudiation to verify whether the buyer is who they say they are. Furthermore, the buyer must be able to trust that the seller is a legitimate entity.
Aside from data breach prevention, e-commerce security requires companies to educate their employees about the risks associated with online transactions. Providing best-in-class security awareness training can help employees become more proactive in preventing cyber attacks. Furthermore, monitoring for suspicious activities can save a company a lot of trouble in the event of a cyber attack. For example, stringent brand monitoring can help track fraudulent activities online, protect websites from phishing, and ensure that applications do not violate copyright.