E-commerce foundations and global regulation

Defining e-commerce

E-commerce (electronic commerce) refers to commercial activities—especially the buying and selling of products and services—conducted over online platforms or the Internet. It typically uses the web for part or all of a transaction’s life cycle (and may also use other technologies such as email). Common e-commerce transactions include purchasing physical goods (e.g., books) and digital services such as music downloads delivered through online stores. E-commerce relies on supporting technologies and systems such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management, and automated data collection. It is supported by electronic business and is often described as enabling consumers to shop and pay online more efficiently, saving time and improving transaction efficiency. E-commerce can be organized into areas such as online retailing, electronic markets, and online auctions, and it is commonly categorized by participant relationships (e.g., business-to-business, business-to-consumer, consumer-to-consumer, and direct-to-consumer) as well as by the type of goods and services involved (including digital content and “meta” services that facilitate other electronic commerce).

0/2 modes complete

E-commerce transaction lifecycle and technologies

0/2 modes complete