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Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) Project
Electronic Commerce (E-Commerce) Project
Electronic Commerce
Electronic Commerce is the process of buying and selling products and
services online. It is also commonly known as E-Commerce. Even though the
internet has come a long way the concept of electronic commerce is still new
to many people. This concept is still emerging and people are getting used to
using e-commerce.
Many literature and books have been penned on this subject; still there is
great confusion and misunderstandings about the concept. Every book has a
different way of explaining the subject of e-commerce and hence this has
left the users confused as to what is the actual meaning of electronic
commerce. This book has been prepared with an idea to provide the readers
a clear understanding about e-commerce and how the application can bring
profits to the business and how the management will benefit from it.
The concept of electronic commerce can be understood easily if the user can
understand the various technical terms which are used in the literature and
also the user has to understand where the terms have been taken from and
the uses of these technical terms. The editor in chief of the International
Journal of Electronic Commerce Mr.
Vladimir Zwass has termed the e-commerce as A medium of sharing the
business information, business transactions, helpful in maintain the business
relationships with the help of telecommunication networks. Mr. Vladimir
Zwass has further mentioned that the concept of electronic commerce
existed before 40 years. It was initially originated in Berlin in 1948 where
the airlifting was done with the help of electronic transmission of the
messages.
The next step in the early electronic commerce was the electronic data
interchange also commonly known as (EDI). Many industry groups had come
together in the 1960 to get a common platform on the electronic data
formats. The main utilization of the electronic formats was for purchasing;
maintaining the finance data, transportation and it was also majorly used for
intra industry transactions. The further development in the electronic
commerce took place in the late 1970.
There were a group of experts who started developing the electronic data
interchange and could develop it by 1990. EDI essentially means the
transferring of business transactions between the sender and the receiver
computer. This can be done on any private network or value added network.
In case of EDI both the sender and receiver should have same type of
software hence the data is transferred at a faster pace compared to other
applications.
The EDI application in electronic commerce is mainly useful for the retail
industry, automobile industry, industries which manufacture heavy
machineries for defense etc. The application helps the industry to coordinate
between the designing department to the maintenance department to help
the manufacturers to share the information regarding designing and
maintenance to their various stakeholders.
The EDI application of the electronic commerce was very expensive to be
used for any industry before the advent and commercial use of internet. This
was mainly because of the high costs of the private networks which were to
be installed for the functioning of EDI. Since the usage of internet has
increased the electronic commerce includes:
The electronic commerce helps in after sales support and also provides
legal advice to the customers about the products and services.
E- commerce solutions are mainly derived for business purposes which help
in streamlining the process and making it more efficient. It enables and
effective media of communication. Nowadays, electronic process will play
vital role in controlling important decisions while there is collaboration
between two big companies which cater to engineering, consultancy
services, online design, media, electronics and much more.
There are some crucial definitions which are significantly found in media and
journals like:
Electronic Commerce project is the process which is established at various
levels in the company and the place where the transaction and media mode
is telecommunications. The network is being authenticated and the internet
is the only communication mode.
Now internet is an important and safe communication mode as service
providers secure the network. So platform in which the buying, selling of
products is done via online and payment mode is also online then its called
as eCommerce transaction.
Trading or doing commercialization of any online communication media,
email or chat is called as e-commerce communication. Essential media
sources are used for any form of commercialization taking place. There have
been extensive range of options which contribute in every successful
transaction attempt with online media. Today eCommerce solutions are also
possible with from small town to urban areas which has compelled every
business engage in e-commerce.
Online shopping, banking, money transfer all is kind of e-commerce
functionalities. Now these essentials have contributed in getting several
kinds of commercial media activities. This will include web commerce,
icommerce (internet) which are nothing but same terms. Now there are
certain cyber stores, icommerce and virtual e-selling stores which have
opened new avenues of online trading, thus promoting the cyber selling
transactions and concept. Now there have been important potential pointers
in commerce for retailers, wholesalers, buyers, sellers and much more.
Marketing strategies for e-commerce marketing
Global competitive forces have compelled firms to design adaptive strategies
.Out of the innumerable activities which a firm indulges in marketing as a
process determines the expectations of a products success or failure
Marketing and sales are cogent applications of logic. Some companies have
developed and converted their marketing strategy in to their unique selling
proposition. Different channels of marketing involve television, print media,
agents of mass communication, banners, posters, hoardings, word-of mouth,
internet etc. The latest and advanced technique of marketing is mobile
marketing.
It would be better to discuss both mobile marketing and the firms strategy
of marketing in detail to further understand how they are synchronous in
nature.
According to Kotler et al(2005), marketing mix involves a set of marketing
tools which are convenient and fused by the organization so that the target
audience can get attracted towards it.
Marketing theory was first presented by MMA(2006) the credit for placing
the market research foundation. There is 4Ps which exists and they are
theory of place, price, promotion and product according to author Mc Crathy.
No critics have argued on the marketing mix theory but there is a possibility
of a support tool which can recognize the difficulties implicated in the theory
of the marketing mix.
An efficient tool for obtaining the set prospect and goals from marketing is
marketing communications and is used by personal marketing,
advertisements, direct marketing, sales promotions, public relations
managers, etc.
Policy of Integrated Marketing Communications
however, rising competition force the organizations to take up the new rules
of competition and plan the policies accordingly.
The author Balasubramanian.et.al (2002), explains marketing
communication goals are set hierarchically in an organization based on the
company's goals. Marketing communication goals are concerned with
attitudes, consciousness, creation, etc.
The demanding responsibilities are identifying the correct customers. This
duty can be simply held by use of CRM (Customer Relationship Management)
where it allows the marketers to spotlight on the marketing communication
policies and offer rules in satisfying the exact requirements of customers
(Peppers et al. 1999 and Petlier et al. 2003). Butterfield (1977) discovers
that the marketers want to construct the goals of marketing communications
program after they choose the customers and get the knowledge on their
requirements in detail.
Smith, (1999), tactics has played crucial role in a marketing course because
the sellers or and manufacturers of the customers can satisfy them.
Therefore, tactics are considered as a communication tool and indicates how
well can a product perform in the market as far as selling is concerned. The
working strategies are constantly developed with the growing competition
that face new designing strategies accordingly.
Balasubramanian.et.al (2002), has arranged hierarchically the marketing
communication objectives which satisfy hierarchy levels. The marketing
objectives for communication cluedde generation, knowledge,analysis and
lots more.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is quite challenging with varied
aspects as per (Peppers et al. 1999 and Peltier et al. 2003). Butterfield
(1977) explore marketers for marketing communications by selecting
customers having knowledge on the needs. Smith (1998) mentions tactics
as a common in marketing having detailed strategy. Direct mail, PR,
advertising are assessing growth for the firm for any new product in the
market.
Any firm marketing communications having segregated objectives as stated
by Bickton and Broderick (2005)are hierarchically related to corporate levels.
It is quite essential for making the specific strategies integrate for giving an
achievement.
Design
universal digital library or the global digital library. Moreover, the website
enlightens various roles and functions of a Digital Library in retrieving the
information, delivering the content, navigating and browsing.
The website aims at educating and training the digital librarians in a
professional manner for enabling them to manage the digital information
systems. Moreover, it specifies various features related to the Digital Library
that includes its interface functions, roles, skills. It also determines
competencies for managing the digital information systems applicable to the
areas of importance such as imaging technologies, optical character
recognition, mark-up languages, cataloguing, metadata, multimedia
indexing, database technology, user interface design, programming and web
technology (LAAKSONEN, 2005).
Significance of E-commerce network
E-Commerce and Its Extensive Network
It doesnt mean that e-commerce and e-business will only include the
internet surfing, online transaction and different times of email marketing
systems. Its extension is wide covering different fields to enhance the
multifunctional features of e-marketing and e-trading.
The business management online program has extended its hands to bring
different disciplines under one umbrella for the benefits of personal
observation and research. For instance, e-marketing covers the
telemarketing, endorsement programs and sophisticated marketing methods
to enhance the proper betterment of the business using the hi-tech
interactive technology. Comparing to the conventional marketing, internet
based telemarketing is more advantageous and powerful.
In past businessmen had to do door-to-door campaigns for the endorsement
of products. However, with times advancing, the format of promotional
survey and the advertisement has undergone a prominent transition. This
type of switchover from the traditional stereotyped marketing and
advertisement to the upgraded online campaigns to ensure the trouble free
promotional campaigns is more user-friendly and cost effective.
Customer Relationship Management
Customer relationship management is another area of concern and you will
have to gain efficiency to communicate with different types of customers
whose demands are at variance. They like to buy sophisticated products.
Now you will have to understand pulse rates of consumers and try to choose
the best business to earn revenues in higher percentage.
Up gradation of Computer Science
walking in the shop, customers may be compelled to buy You can view
endless products and check out same designer products on the official
website. A little research will help you save many hard earned bucks with
effective use of e-commerce. It is a value added service for customers which
not only makes them feel happy but the user friendly platform and
communication today used by many sites have made addictions grow in
society.
Limitations of e-commerce to consumers
Well there are not only flowery aspects of the e-commerce overtime but
rather some limitations exists which can be overcome easily. Few just for
your information are:
As technology has progressed this has enabled an increase in electronic and
many computing equipment. In e-commerce business today digitization is
the basic need and extensive need of equipments has been required such
that the network never is interrupted and functionalities always keep on
increasing by making every portal and site user friendly, interactive too. Now
in e-commerce there is a need for dialling connections, broadband and
networking connectivity devices. Now there are various internet costs
associated which is not the case today in offline commercialization. In ecommerce there is an initial good equipment cost for establishing. The ecommerce ventures have to always keep in mind the technology changes
and always be updated with it.
Security is another important aspect which was not a concern in an offline
commercial market but since the number of threats, virus, hackers have
grown so the protection of e-commerce platforms have just changed and
new softwares are used with firewall protection to completely safeguard the
security of the commerce online. The transaction and payment systems too
are secured and governed by cyber law and privacy as per company
guidelines. The data security is difficult to control on the internet. As there
are no specific cyber laws and varies from one state to another so
implementation of data tasks can cause private data hampering.
The electronic process has replaced the physical contacts with any customers
causing problem for the image of the company. In e-commerce the
customers cannot touch the quality of products, they have to rely on
companies. This also results in lacking trust as faceless justifying money is
not accepted culture in many parts of the globe.
As the main focus is on the internet so the e-commerce environment has
really become quite complex which enables in strategically making a
different presence on the web with additional value added services which are
integrated as per the business and depends on several aspects keeping the
In views of Kiss & Bichler (2008), social marketing can be considered as the
important marketing technique which uses different types of social networks
in order to create brand awareness among the customers that distribute the
messages in the form viral messages that spreads from one customer to the
other.
(Hennig-Thurau et al. 2004) stated that social marketing is the customer
communication process through which the brand information of the company
will be shared from one customer to other customer by using customer
contacts.
Social Media Networks
Among the total internet networks, social media networks are playing vital
role in connecting users from different ends. Especially the popular social
media networking sites such as Facebook, Orkut and Twitter are playing vital
role in social marketing process. By using these social networking sites many
companies are marketing their products by using social messages of
customers (Kirby, 2006)
According to the views of Kirby (2006) social network marketing is the
process that allows the existing customers to perform the advertiser role in
order to promote specific product of the company to the new customers.
Ferguson (2008) specified that, social marketing is not only the process of
marketing products to the new customers by using old customers feedback,
but it is the process of supporting the product with existing customers in
order to build trust among new customers.
In views of De Bruyn & Lilien, (2008) the messages communicated between
existing and new customers might be of active or passive in nature because
active promotion process allows the companies to market their products
successfully but in some situations passive promotion process doesnt
support the company with required resources.
Hotmail can be considered as the beset example for successful social
marketing process when compared with other social networks. Hotmail
services include a signature message of particular company by which each
and every message or mail transferred from hotmail includes the
promotional message that reaches to the other users as marketing message.
For this particular reason, among the total social media networks hotmail
services are widely used for social marketing process (De Bruyn and Lilien,
2008).
Kirby (2006) argued that social marketing process is widely accepted by
many customers because there will be no physical disturbances in the
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