E-Business Basics

• The course ITCC0223 explores the impacts of E-Commerce on business, marketing, and computer technology.
• The course covers the business use of the internet including history, and facilities and services.
• Browsers, search engines, architectures and intranets are also discussed.
• An overview of development tools and security is integrated.
• Students learn to research business problems and understand the role of the internet to support business operations.
• Marketing, data transfer and customer service is included.
• The pre-requisite for the course is CTCC0113.

E-Business Basics

• E-business, short for electronic business, involves using digital technologies to conduct business online.
• E-business activities include buying and selling goods and services.
• E-business includes managing supply chains and processing payments.
• E-business includes collaborating with business partners.
• In a business context, e-business involves using electronic technologies for various operations like marketing and customer relationship management.
• In technology, e-business uses digital technologies to buy/sell goods, manage supply chains, and interact with customers.
• In management, e-business integrates electronic technologies into all aspects of a business, including internal ops and new business models.
• In operations, e-business uses internet technologies for business operations and managing the production and delivery of goods and services.
• In computer science, e-business uses the internet and other digital technologies for business processes and related activities.

E-Commerce vs. E-Business

• E-Commerce refers to the performance of online commercial activities over the internet.
• E-Business refers to performing all types of business activities through the internet.
• E-Commerce is a narrow concept and E-Business is a broad concept.
• E-Commerce is a subset of E-Business.
• E-Business is a superset of E-Commerce.
• Commercial transactions are carried out in e-commerce.
• Business transactions are carried out in e-business.
• E-commerce transactions are limited.
• E-business transactions are not limited.
• E-Commerce includes buying and selling products and making monetary transactions over the internet.
• E-Business includes procurement of raw materials/goods, customer education plus buying and selling, and making monetary transactions over the internet.
• E-Commerce usually requires only a website.
• E-Business requires multiple websites, CRMs, and ERPs that connect different business processes.
• E-Commerce involves mandatory use of internet.
• E-Business involves the use of internet, intranet, or extranet.
• E-commerce is applicable in the Business to Customer (B2C) context.
• E-business is applicable in the Business to Business (B2B) context.
• E-Commerce covers outward/external business processes.
• E-Business covers internal as well as external business process/activities.

Advantages of E-Business

• E-business is cost-effective and helps save more money.
• E-business provides real-time updates.
• E-business can operate as a virtual office.
• E-business enables better marketing.
• E-business generates more revenue streams.
• E-business is more open and unrestricted.
• E-business provides a greater reach than physical stores.
• E-business is simple to set up.
• Setting up any E-business is cheaper than any Traditional Business.

Disadvantages of E-Business

• E-business lacks a personal touch.
• Delivery or product/service is not fast.
• E-business has privacy violations and security issues.
• E-business is not accessible to all.
• Purchases cannot be made when a website is down.
• E-business faces innovation pressure.
• Handling returns may take time.

Timeline of E-Commerce

• 1969: CompuServe was founded.
• 1972: Computers facilitated the first online sale.
• 1976: Online Transaction Processing was introduced.
• 1979: Electronic Shopping was invented.
• 1982: The first eCommerce Company launched.
• 1984: CompuServe opened the Electronic Mall.
• 1990: The World Wide Web was launched.
• 1994: The First Secure Online Transaction was Made.
• 1995: Amazon, eBay, and the Online Marketplace boomed
• 1999: Global eCommerce Reached $150 Billion.
• 2000: The Dotcom Bust occurred and Online Advertising was a thing.
• 2005: eCommerce made a comeback.
• 2006: Online Shopping Platforms Increased.
• 2012: Food Shopping became Virtual.
• 2017: Ecommerce Remained Unstoppable.
• 2020: The COVID-19 pandemic gave a boost.

E-Commerce Tools

• To create an E-Commerce business there are Website Platforms.
• You need to use some kind of E-mail Marketing Tool.
• You will need some kind of Customer Service Tool.
• You will need an Online Payment Tool.
• You will need a way to Shipping Service.
• Inventory Tracking Tool is very important.
• Social Media Management Tool helps you sell your products.
• There are financial tools that can help your business.

Website Platforms

• Website tools create visually appealing and simple-to-use websites.
• Simpler user interface increases customer satisfaction and improve sales.
• Shopify is a commerce platform to sell online and in person.
• Entrepreneurs, retailers, and global brands use Shopify to process sales and run stores.
• WooCommerce is open-source for WordPress-based websites.
• WooCommerce is commonly used to create online e-commerce shops.
• Wix is a free and user-friendly website building platform.
• Wix' gives the freedom to design professional websites with ease.

Email Marketing Tools

• Email marketing tools are used to create, send, test, optimize, and report on email campaigns.
• Campaign Monitor.
• Omnisend.
• MailChimp.

Customer Service Tools

• Any software facilitating 24/7 customer service delivery is a customer service tool.
• Customer service software includes live chat tools, self-service, messaging apps, CRM tools, and call centre knowledge base software.
• Knowledge Base Self-Service helps customers self-serve by answering common questions.
• Live Chat offers direct customer connections via your company website or app.
• Help Desk manages customer emails, making it easier to track, tag, and manage high volumes of emails.
• CRM Tools manage interactions with customers across all stages of the customer lifecycle.
• Call Centre software manages customer phone calls and can record calls, access customer history and automatically create customer tickets.
• Messaging involves businesses using platforms (WhatsApp/Facebook Messenger) to message customers.
• Social Media involves media monitoring platforms to keep track of social media conversations.
• Customer Feedback includes survey software to survey customers regularly and find out what they think.
• Video Recording allows training demos/sessions ready to share with customers.

Online Payment Tools

• Buyers can pay for goods online or and offline on the internet.
• Payment methods: debit/credit cards, wire transfers, net banking, and digital wallets.
• Credit Cards.
• Debit Cards.
• Third-Party Payment Services.
• Electronic Cheques.
• Bank Transfers.

Inventory Tracking/Logistics Tools

• Logistics tools track inventory & customer shipments and create supply orders.
• Analyzing supply chain performance helps determine its effectiveness.
• Certain tools generate invoices, notify fulfillment personnel of customer orders and create packing slips.
• Route.
• ShipBob.
• Vesta.

Social Media Management Tools

• This allows to manage social media accounts more efficiently.
• It ranges from simple post-scheduling apps to comprehensive platforms
• Involves planning, creating, and publishing to comment moderation/reporting.
• Sprinklr.
• Hootsuite.
• Reputation.
• SocialPilot.
• Sprout Social.

Financial Tools

• Financial analysis tools assess businesses’ financial health/performance.
• Used to make good decisions by analyzing data from statements like the balance sheet, income statement, & cash flow statement.
• Rippling
• Expensify
• Ramp
• Brex
• SAP Concur

Rewards and Referral Programs

• These encourage existing customers to refer friends/acquaintances in exchange for a reward.
• Cash / Cash back
• Gift cards
• Discounts
• Store credit/account credit
• Free products or services
• Branded swag

Digital Asset Management Tools

• DAM enable brands to develop a centralized library of photos/videos/graphics etc.
• This is digital content that is searchable, ready to deploy, and streamlines business functions.
• Bynder for all around DAM
• Wedia for marketing teams
• Filecamp for value
• Air for creative ops
• Ci Media Cloud for growing businesses

E-Commerce: A Catalyst for Global Economic Growth

• This has resulted in unprecedented growth.
• This results in employment generation.
• This helps the overall GDP contribution.
• This is allows Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) to have Empowerment.
• This results in Technological Advancements and Innovation..
• This results in resilience in challenging times.

E-Business Technologies

• Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
• Augmented Reality (AR) & Virtual Reality (VR).
• Mobile Commerce & Progressive Web Apps (PWAs).
• Voice Commerce.
• Live-Stream Commerce.
• Multiple Payment & Collection Options.
• Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions (ERP).
• Warehouse & Delivery Automation Technologies.
• eCommerce Security Technology.

Types of E-Business

• Business-to-Consumer (B2C) Model: Selling products/services to consumers via digital channels.
• Business-to-Business (B2B) Model: Transactions between two or more businesses.
• Consumer-to-Business (C2B) Model: Consumers create demand and value.
• Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) Model: Transactions between consumers through third-party platforms.
• Business to Government (B2G) model

B2C (Business-to-Consumer) Model

• This describes businesses that sell directly to individual consumers.
• B2C defines many product and service models, including: Manufacturers selling products online or stores.
• B2B defines many product and service models, including: Consumer service providers.
• Direct sellers are a common model, where people buy goods from online retailers.
• Online intermediaries connect buyers and sellers.
• Advertising-based B2C uses free content.
• Community-based builds online communities.
• Fee-based Netflix charges a fee so consumers can access content.

B2C (Business-to-Consumer) Benefits

• This results in increased sales.
• This has direct customer interaction.
• This has brand loyalty.

B2C Challenges

• This causes intense competition.
• This causes is high marketing costs.
• Need Customer Acquisition and Retention

B2B (Business-to-Business) Model

• These are transactions between businesses, not individual consumers.
• It involves exchanging goods, services, or information between two companies.
• It involve long-term relationships, resulting in trust and reliability are crucial.
• Manufacturer-Distributor: Manufacturers create products and rely on distributors to sell to end-users.
• Manufacturer-Retailer: Manufacturers sell to retailers, not relying on distributors.
• Manufacturer-Wholesaler: Manufacturers sell to wholesalers, and then to retailers or businesses.
• Service Provider-Client: Service providers offer business solutions and services to clients who need them.

B2B Benefits

• This causes increased sales.
• There is improved efficiency.
• There are lower costs.
• There is Increased Brand Awareness.
• There is Access to New Markets.
• There are Improved Customer Relationships.

B2B Challenges

• This results in long sales cycles and complex sales processes.
• There is Difficulty in Finding the Right Market
• There is trouble Choosing the Right Technology
• That must lead to Keeping Up with Changing Trends

C2B (Consumer-to-Business) Model

• This is a business model where consumer input dictates the terms of deals from a business.
• Consumers offer business products or services for payment or other benefits.
• Freelancers and independent workers complete tasks to get paid by a business with consumer input.
• They will have flexibility, resulting in a higher earning potential.
• They will have a wider reach.
• Consumers give work with variety, and this gives them independence.

C2C (Customer-to-Customer) Model

• This is where customers can trade with each other using any online environment.
• One customer purchases goods from another customer.
• A third-party business or platform that facilitates the transaction.
• Auction platforms: Online auction sites let sellers list their goods at a minimum price and then allow multiple buyers to bid on the item until there's a winner.
• Exchange of goods platforms: Online platforms connect buyers and sellers looking to exchange physical goods.
• Exchange of services platforms: You can also use online C2C sites to buy and sell services.
• This includes hiring a dog trainer, a website designer, or a handyperson, or renting someone's home for vacation.
• Payment platforms: C2C online payment platforms exist to list goods and services for sale and to facilitate payment for C2C sales on other platforms.
• Accessibility to rare items

C2C Benefits

• That must lead to Increased affordability
• Increased affordability
• The products will have convenience
• There is Increased customer base
• It includes Accessibility to rare items

B2G (Business to Government) Model

• Goods and services are marketed and sold to federal, state, or local agencies.
• Most contracts are done through a request for proposal (RFP) from an agency.
• Businesses bid for contracts by submitting responses to RFPs.

G2C (Government to Consumer Model

• The government sells goods directly to consumers.
• Consumers access official documents, information, and employment help and can give to vote.
• Consumers access federal and regional websites to make payments and access helpful information.

Types of E-Commerce

• Partial Commerce is a slightly opposite situation where a business has an online presence with a physical location.
• There is a local fulfillment so good will need to take place in the "real" world.
• Partial E-Commerce is also known as Click-and-mortar where organizations conduct e-commerce activities.
• Doing business is primarily in physical world.
• Pure Commerce is where a business activities happen purely online because the goods sold do not have any physical presence..
• With Pure Commerce all processes happen online.
• Pure Ecommerce is where organizations sell products or services only online.

Click and Mortar v Brick and Mortar

• Click-and-mortar involves investing in both a physical and online presence.
• Consumers seek to buy products online and offline to examine them
• Online only retailers can increase traffic and geographic reach by adding physical storefronts.
• Brick-and-mortar refers to business with a physical store where customers browse/buy in person.
• Traditional stores have difficulty due to lower operating costs and more customer flexibility on the web.

Intranet

• This is a tool for sharing information for all organizations.
• It is used privately.
• A valid username and password must be used.
• This involves a limited number of connected devices.
• Because it is secure it will have a small number of visitors.
• There is need for Maintenance Costs.
• There limited Accessibility to personnel.

Advantages of Intranet

• Enhanced Communication: Promotes easy flow of communication between departments.
• Centralized Information: Enables easy retrieval key resources that are used in a given process.
• Increased Productivity: Decrease locating information and conducting work within the organization.
• Secure Environment: Ensures is information by only allows accessing internal personnel to application.
• Maintenace costs are to expensive.
• Limited accessibility to personnel.

Extranet

• An intranet is owned by a single or a many organization.
• Managed on a contractual is basis between organizations and tools for sharing information. For Internal members andexternal members.
• Only those who have a valid username and password can use the extranet because it privated.

Advantages Extranet

• This promotes Improved Collaboration: Facilitates interaction with other bodies outside the organization.
• This promotes secure Data Sharing: restricted access to communicate with outsider. This lead to saving cause they are Cost-Effective: Saves on costs by doing away with physical consultations which are often too expensive

Disadvantage of Extranet

• There is that Complex Setup and proper implimentation and design is too strong.
• There a security risk
• There are external threath
• The planning is key is too security

INTRANET v EXTRANET

• In intranet, security is implemented through a firewall.
• Security is implemented through a firewall to separate the extranet and the internet.
• Intranet is used is private network type for an organization.
• It used in order to share the information to the -suppliers and customers.
• Intranet andused in order to get employee information, telephone directory etc.
• Used to check status, access data, send mail, place order.
• Intranet is the limited and compromised version of Extranet.
• While Extranet is the limited and compromised version of Internet.
• A particular organization is the regulating authority for intranet.
• That can used for multiple organizations.
• Intranet is Used accessible to only the members of organization.
• Its accessible to members of organization and to externals
• Only restricted to organization It is restricted area is upto an organization and some of its stakeholders.
• It is derived from Internet.
• It's derived from Intranet. Example: DHL Group
• Example: DELL and Intel using network for business related operations.

Evolution of Internet

• Web 1.0 was read-only and static.
• Web 2.0 was read-write and interactive.
• Web 3.0 is read-write-trust and verifiable.
• Web 1.0 was a static web, where users could only read or view the content and had no ability to interact with it
• Website were all designed in html and css, and it was for one way.
• Communication with composed of plain text andimages.
• There was no data base connectivity.
• There was manual search and human analysis that was web directories.
• Some examples of popular websites in the Web 1.0 era are Britannica, AOL, Netscape Navigator and Mosaic.
• Web 2.0 websites are dynamic, collaborative and feature-rich.
• Web 2.0 include Wikipedia, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
• Web 2.0 is built with the user in mind.
• Encouraged participation and collaboration with other users that generated more content.
• It used use of open-source software and web applications that operate without the need to install software on a user's device Web 3.0 and Web 3.0 represents the next phase built built upon the core concepts of decentralization, openness, and greater user utility. It includes semantic Web, Machine Learning and AI, Trustless Data, 3D Graphics, Participation without authorization

Enterprice 2.0

• Enterprise 2.0 was defined by Andrew McAfee as the use of emergent social software platforms by organizations in pursuit of their goals.
• Web 2.0 tools and technologies are moved into the enterprise.
• Helps employees, partners, suppliers and customers work together to build networks of like-minded people.
• This results in better communication. It Increases Productivity
• It increases easy access to information
• It helps the communication process.
• Knowledge - Through the use of like page information. It allows information readily available to users of the system Communication - Enterprise 2.0 allows for increased communication through social media like outlets. Modernization - the emergent technology represented by Enterprise 2.0 systems is the future of business. Transparency - because information, data and knowledge is readily available, Enterprise 2.0 increases the transparency of a business.

Tools For Enterprice 2.0

• Wiki - software that encourages the creation of content by users.
• It helps shared knowledge across all organizations.
• This is originally developed journals for businesses that promote discussion. There a easy voting mechanism to create feedback. There a query searches that runs 24/7 delivered quickly can be filtered. It is allows develop and foster relationships and place trends. SNA provides a framework that allows businesses to visualize the way It helps identify potential bottlenecks as well as uncover effort.