E Commerce

E-commerce (electronic-commerce) refers to business over the Internet. Web sites such as Amazon.com, Buy.com, and eBay are all e-commerce sites. The two major forms of e-commerce are Business-to-Consumer (B2C) and Business-to-Business (B2B). While companies like Amazon.com cater mostly to consumers, other companies provide goods and services exclusively to other businesses. The terms "e-business" and "e-tailing" are often used synonymously with e-commerce. They refer to the same idea; they are just used to confuse people trying to learn computer terms.

Business-to-Consumer 

• E-commerce refers to all online transactions; B2C stands for "business-to-consumer" and applies to any business or organization that sells its products or services to consumers over the Internet for its own use. B2C has grown to include services such as online banking, travel services, online auctions, health information and real estate sites. Peer-to-peer sites such as Craigslist also fall under the B2C category.
  
  Business-to-Business 

• B2B or Business-to-Business is a transaction that occurs between a company and another company, as opposed to a transaction involving a consumer. The term may also describe a company that provides goods or services for another company.

Consumer to Consumer

• In internet commerce, means through which consumers interact with other consumers through online auctions.
  
  

  E-Banking  

  Online banking (or Internet banking or E-banking) allows customers of a financial institution to conduct financial transactions on a secure website operated by the institution, which can be a retail or virtual bank, credit union or building society.
  
  
  E-Banking Features:
  
  
  • You can view a summary of your account and transaction history
  • You can view or print your account statements and balances
  •  Set up online payments and direct deposit services
  •  You may be able to reorder checks for your account via the web
  •  Some services allow you to export your account histories to third-party accounting software
  •  You can transfer funds from one account to another or make deposits
  •  Other accounts and services like CDs, IRAs, and others can be managed from the online account

   Security (Online Transaction)

  • Exchanging sensitive information without the appropriate encryption technology or security measures can make a computer user or identity particularly vulnerable. Online transactions take place at record speed, oftentimes faster than a standard credit card transaction or check processing. Online transactions can be monitored, recorded, and key logged by a variety of hackers and third parties without the knowledge or consent of the user. 
      
    Some tips on how to make sure your transaction is secure:
    
    
  • use the latest Internet browser
  • look for digital certificates
  • read the privacy policy
  • only use one credit card
  • never give out passwords or user ID information online unless you know who are you dealing with
  • keep records of all of your Internet transactions
  • after you've made purchases online, check your e-mail
  • not sharing password 
   

 Enterprise wide technologies & Methodologies

Collaboration Key - companies set up smart hubs that are not only used by their own customers, but also interact with other companies' sites

Breaking Barriers - allowing constant updates of information related to inventory, product availability and shipping status

Supercharged Kiosks - The customer could even purchase the TV directly from the kiosk for later deliver

IM's New Role - instant messaging likely will be beefed up to handle everyday business processes

Speeding Things up - the real-time aspect of future e-commerce technologies will allow users to engage in "threaded discussions" as they negotiate contracts and share data

On the Same Page  

Wireless e-commerce - also called mobile commerce or m-commerce