In the Internet today, Electronic Commerce has become an essential part of its daily usage. It has created a totally new way of buying and selling products. However, several dangers of e-commerce to the buyers and sellers should be considered. Customers are at risk of deceit, where they can purchase bogus products or poor quality items. Many are out there who take advantage of the distance between customers and send the wrong goods and wrongfully lure clients to buy items which are touted to be great bargains but when customers receive these items, they find themselves feeling stupid for falling into the traps of these scum business owners.
Many dangers of e-commerce are created by the obscurity of internet buying and selling. In several occasions, those who cheat business transactions are never prosecuted. It is safer to purchase items in large auction sites on the Internet since they offer protection to the buyer during numerous transactions made in their site. E-commerce poses dangers that may involve the products themselves and even the electronic transaction.
From the buyer's perspective, these dangers include purchasing products of low quality or not measuring up to what was previously advertised or promoted in the website of the seller. The transaction may be considered as a "bait and switch" transaction means that what was offered is unlike that of what the customer receives. This happens if the quality of the goods is sub-standard.
Another risk in e-commerce is identity theft. Since items sold in the Internet may need electronic transactions to complete the purchase, hackers may acquire confidential information about the user from these transactions. For example, when a seller gets hold of the buyer's credit card data, they can use it for their financial and social gain. They can use this information to make other purchases for themselves. They can also sell this information to identity thieves through the black market.
From the seller's perspective, dangers of e-commerce may also occur. Situations where the buyer complains that they never receive their goods may happen. But there is no sure way to know if the customer is telling the truth unless the products were delivered with a return receipt request. But this is not usually done because it is an added expense.
There are still honest businesses out there that sell their products and services but gain a very small profit. These businesses are forced to make the prices of their products as low as possible because they have a lot of competition, not only in the Internet, but also in local stores as well. That is why one of the hazards of e-commerce that should be considered is the bankruptcy of businesses since profit is low if they need to sell their goods as cheaply as possible.
Although e-commerce has revolutionized the way businesses are done in today's market, one should not disregard the possible dangers and risks it poses to both businesses and consumers. It is therefore imperative to be well-informed about the trends in today's market for everyone to get what they want and deserve.
E-commerce can be regarded as a means of using the internet as a medium of online business transactions. The internet is creating a lot of momentum and the world is becoming digital-crazy. This make is very important for us to emphasize the various types of e-commerce or e-business.
E-commerce can be grouped into five major classes or platforms.
1. Business-To-Consumer: Otherwise known as the acronym B2C, this is the commonest part of e-commerce which involves both businesses and their consumers. When it initially sprang up, it didn't really affect the market. After the year 1995, it witnessed an increase in growth. The basic rule guiding B2C is that retailers sell their stuffs to consumers via special tools used for marketing in an online community.
2. Business-To-Business: This is also called B2B and is the largest form e-commerce has ever witnessed. This class generates up to hundreds of billions of dollars. In this case, there are only sellers and buyers; and no room for consumers. If you know how a manufacturing company distributes their products to wholesalers, then you have an idea of what I am saying. Take for example, Dell, which purchases computer products from various business enterprises like Microsoft and eventually sells them.
3. Consumer-To-Consumer: The acronym for this class of e-commerce is known as C2C. C2C enhances transaction of business products between groups of just two persons online. A visible middle-man does not exist in this case. Such a free platform is very disadvantageous because both parties cannot carry out online transactions.
4. Peer-To-Peer: Also known as P2; it is not only an e-commerce platform. It involves a process by which people can share files and resources directly without the need of a central server. Using this platform requires that both parties install the necessary software required for communication. This is a free platform that shouldn't be used for e-commerce website design and development because it generates low revenue.
5. M-commerce: This involves the use of mobile devices in transacting online business. Users of such mobile devices can comfortably complete any business transacting after contacting each other. The websites can also be properly viewed on these devices. The disadvantage of M-commerce is that is requires more time to complete because to the discomfort that can arise due to prolonged use.
There many more types of platforms used in the e-commerce key34 business. We have the like of Government to Business; otherwise known; Government to Citizen, also known as G2C and the last but not the least Business to Employee, which can also be called B2E. There are no difference between these platforms and the ones I explained above. Free e-commerce platforms need not be implemented wholeheartedly in online businesses. A corporate web design consulting firm will tell you that your only business only needs just one of them. So it will pay off if you don't consider going for the free ones.