e-Commerce
e-Commerce is the term for the buying and selling of products and services by businesses and consumers over the internet. Generally, e-Commerce is subdivided into three categories: business to business or B2B (Cisco), business to consumer or B2C (Amazon), and consumer to consumer or C2C (eBay).
As a place for direct retail shopping, with its 24-hour availability, a global reach, the ability to provide custom information and ordering, the Web has become a a significant source of revenue for the world's businesses. For effective e-Commerce, all that is needed is a high-speed connection to the Internet and the proper web tools and processes.
Research:
A recent study done by Forrester Research predicts that the number of households engaging in online research and buying will be more than 55 million by 2010. Last year, 39.5 million U.S. households shopped online--3.5 million more than in the previous year.
Resources:
Verisign - How To Create An e-Commerce Web Site (Click here to download free booklet)
Microsoft Articles:
Learning Resources:
The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has created an e-Commerce training initiative for communities in West Virginia. The initiative is designed to help small businesses obtain access to broadband technology and increase their profit by opening their doors to the global economy through the Internet. (Click to read more)
2005 Copyright West Virginia Chamber of Commerce Visitors: 187944 | Updated: 13 May 2008