E-COMMERCE
CONSUMER
APPLICATIONS
Categories OR Types of e-commerce
applications
Three main categories:
Business to consumer (B2C)
Business to business (B2B)
Consumer to consumer (C2C)
Other categories:
Business to government (B2G)
Mobile Commerce
B2C applications
Offer directly to the customer an interface of activity
Examples:
Online book store (e.g. [Link])
Online car purchasing (e.g. [Link])
Booking and purchase of airline tickets (e.g.
[Link])
Correspond to retail sale
Growth of B2C applications thanks to Internet
A new kind of B2C applications are the Cybermalls
B2C applications:
advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
Allow company to extend existing services to
customers
Allow company to increase its customers
Offer a wider choice and allow cheaper prices
May give to the company a worldwide visibility
Online shops are accessible 24h a day
Disadvantages:
High risk (see Cyberphobia)
B2B applications
Realize transactions needed to perform
financial or commercial activities by
companies over the Internet
Some typical applications:
E-procurement
E-Marketplace
The turnover is much greater than that
dealed with B2C applications
B2B applications:
advantages and disadvantages
Advantages:
Help to automate communications between
companies making them easier and
quicker
Allow to cut prices drastically
Help in reducing mistakes
Disadvantages:
Often need legacy integration
C2C applications
Concern the consumers who run
negotations with other consumers
sometimes utilizing as intermediary a
company
Examples:
Ebay
[Link]
C2C applications:
advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
Allow consumers to interact directly among
them
Give to the consumers a new way of
purchasing and selling services and goods
Disadvantages
Little earning capacity
B2G applications
Correspond to all kind of transactions
between company and public
administrator
Utilized mostly in the USA
Mobile commerce
applications
Concern doing businesses by means of
mobile wireless devices
Can be both B2B and B2C
Have a growing importance in the future of e-
commerce applications
Will introduce completely new forms of electronic
commerce
E.g. E-tickets
The development of such applications faces some
of the greatest challenges in the security area to
secure the trust of consumers
NETWORK FOR E-
COMMERCE
What is a network
Series of points or nodes interconnected
by communication paths
Node is a connection point for
transmitting data
Types of Network
Local area network (LAN): small
area, share a single server
Metropolitan area network (MAN): a
wider network, can bridge several
LAN’s
Wide area network (WAN): a broader
area covered, can include several
MAN’s
Internet: a network of networks that
covers the entire globe
What is Information Way
A set of interrelated elements or
components that collect (input),
manipulate (process), and
disseminate (output) data and
information and provide a feedback
mechanism to meet an objective
Input, Processing,
Output,Feedback
Input
The activity of gathering and capturing data whatever
goes into the computer
Processing
Converting or transforming data into useful outputs
Output
Useful information, usually in the form of documents
and/or reports
Anything that comes out of a computer
Feedback
Output that is used to make changes to input or
processing activities
Use for estimating future sales or inventory needs
