Ecommerce or electronic commerce is buying and selling goods online. It is business via electronic medium like internet, and other computer networks.
Ecommerce is useful not only for virtual (non physical) items like access to information on a website but also involves sales and transportation of physical items as well. The retailers who sell online are known as e-tailers and an online sale of goods is known as e-tail. Almost all retail sellers make use of the World Wide Web to sell their product using secure protocol and electronic payment systems.
Business has flourished due to latest inventions in online marketing and transaction processes. World Wide Web is most used form of computers for e-business.
Ecommerce has come a long way from just being used to send purchase order for business. It now includes merchant accounts, payment gateways, shopping carts, Data mining and Data warehousing.
Some common applications related to electronic commerce are the following-E mail, instant messaging, online shopping, online banking, payment systems, tele conferencing, and electronic tickets.
More advanced Ecommerce tool is to arrange the Web-seminars commonly called “Webinars” which is an important soft ware wherein a number of specified persons can attend the seminar without the need to travel. If one is into digital goods sales a soft ware which protects the product from piracy is innovated.
Ecommerce can be categorized as B2B, involving two business persons, B2C involving businessman and consumer, C2C where consumers can buy and sell without a middle service, C2B where a consumer places his requirement and the business person applies with his services.