E-COMMERCE: - A type of business model, or segment of a larger business model, that enables a firm or individual to conduct business over an electronic network, typically the internet. Electronic commerce operates in all four of the major market segments: business to business, business to consumer, consumer to consumer and consumer to business. It can be thought of as a more advanced form of mail-order purchasing through a catalog. Almost any product or service can be offered via ecommerce, from books and music to financial services and plane tickets. E-commerce refers to online transactions - buying and selling of goods and/or services over the Internet. E-BUSINESS covers online transactions, but also extends to all Internets based interactions with business partners, suppliers and customers such as: selling direct to consumers, manufacturers and suppliers; monitoring and exchanging information; auctioning surplus inventory; and collaborative product design. These online interactions are aimed at improving or transforming business processes and efficiency.

COMPETITOR ANALYSIS ON THE INTERNETConducting a competitor analysis is a vital first step in developing any successful online marketing campaign. A well-executed analysis is a good benchmarking tool that not only determines where your company stands next to the competition, but also aids decision makers in strategic goal setting and planning, ensuring that your project is on the right track.We use analytical tools to determine information about your competitors websites such as:Page rankWebsite trafficLink building strategySales and revenue streamsInternet marketing campaignsAssociations and charitable organizations they are part ofKeywords currently being optimized, andKeywords proving to be the most effective at driving in salesThis information is then leveraged to develop a superior online marketing strategy that provides our clients with an effective competitive advantage over the competition.

CATEGORIES OF E COMMERCEON PREMISE E-COMMERCEOn-premise E-commerce software usually requires initial one time purchase investment in terms of licensing fees. Also, it implies extra costs related to hardware and installation services as well as data migration and on-going maintenance fees that are usually charged on a yearly basis for software updates and support. Two examples of typical on premise E-commerce platforms are Hybris (company) and Sana Commerce.Advantages:Easily customizable;Data security;High performance;Disadvantages:Large initial investment;Self-maintenance;Scalability issues;SOFTWARE AS A SERVICE (SAAS) E-COMMERCESoftware as a Service (SaaS)- is a cloud based delivery model in which applications are hosted and managed in a service provider's datacenter, paid for on a subscription basis and accessed via a browser over an internet connection. Two examples of typical SaaS E-commerce solutions are Shopify and Demandware.Advantages:Affordable low-cost solution;Hosted/upgraded by E-commerce provider;Easily scalableDisadvantages:Limited integration with back-end systems;Lack of data security;Limited control over the system;OPEN SOURCE E-COMMERCEOpen source e-Commerce is a free of charge platform that doesnt imply licenses fee. Furthermore, open source users are also responsible for installing, maintaining, securing and configuring the software on their own servers. In order to set up an open source platform, basic technical expertise is required in the areas of web design and development. Software products that are distributed as open source are generally free, and users can access and modify the source code. Three examples of typical open source E-commerce platforms are PrestaShop and osCommerce, Magento and Thelia.Advantages:Free of charge system;Wide variety of available add-ons/plugins/extensions;Better flexibility with a customizable source code;Disadvantages:More technical knowledge required;Performance depends on hosting costsNo standard integration with back-end system;

SALES SCENARIOThere are multiple types of sales scenario that e-commerce system can combine depending on a companys sales approach towards their customers.Business-to-Consumer (B2C)In a Business-to-Consumer E-commerce environment, companies sell their online goods to consumers who are the end users of their products or services. Usually, B2C E-commerce web shops have an open access for any visitor, meaning that there is no need for a person to login in order to make any product related inquiry.Business-to-Business (B2B)In a Business-to-Business E-commerce environment, companies sell their online goods to other companies without being engaged in sales to consumers. In most B2B E-commerce environments entering the web shop will require a log in. B2B web shop usually contains customer-specific pricing, customer-specific assortments and customer-specific discounts.Consumer-to-Business (C2B)In a Consumer-to-Business E-commerce environment, consumers usually post their products or services online on which companies can post their bids. A consumer reviews the bids and selects the company that meets his price expectations.Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C)In a Consumer-to-Consumer E-commerce environment consumers sell their online goods to other consumers. A well-known example is eBay.

REASONS FOR GOING ONLINE reduce cost/increase efficiency/profit improve communication with customers keep up with progress improve communication with staff competitive pressure increase speed if access to information\ improve communication with suppliers customer demands market share in existing markets increase IT knowledge improve quality employee demands increase turnover supply demands improve reliability reduce paper shorten delivery time