What is E-commerce?
E-commerce, also known as electronic commerce, is the process of buying and selling products and services through the Internet and other electronic means, transferring money online, and sharing data. Apart from physical products, electronic goods are also traded in e-commerce.
In more simple words, online shopping is called e-commerce. You can find physical products (furniture, kitchen items, industrial machinery, etc.), digital goods (e-books, e-magazines, e-papers, video courses, graphics, paintings, etc.) and services (consultancy, teaching, writing, health advice, legal advice, etc.) can be bought and sold online.
Through e-commerce, shops and goods are just a click away. You just select the goods, pay and you are done shopping. You neither went to the shop, nor counted the money, nor met the shopkeeper. It is easy to do online shopping through e-commerce.
E-commerce players like Amazon, Flipkart, Walmart, BigBasket, Alibaba, Paytm Mall, Myntra, Snapdeal, ShopClues, etc. (e-commerce marketplaces) have made online shopping widespread and have ensured easy access to their customers. This has benefited customers as well as merchants.
Types of E-commerce
- Business-to-Business (B2B),
- Business-to-Consumer (B2C),
- Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C),
- Consumer-to-Business (C2B),
- Business-to-Administration (B2A) and
- Consumer-to-Administration (C2A)
Advantages of E-commerce
The biggest advantage of e-commerce is that you do not have to go to the shopkeeper or store to buy goods, but the goods will come to you. You just order and pay and choose the delivery address and the purchase is done. But apart from this, there are many other benefits to a customer whose details are as follows.
Globally reach
With the help of e-commerce, you reach all over the world. If you are a seller then there is no need for you to find new customers. Because the whole world is ready to be your customer and stores are available for the customer to sell goods all over the world. He can buy anything of his choice by looking and knowing it comfortably.
All-time availability
Like street shops or malls are a fixed time to open and close. But in online shopping, you can do 24 × 7 shopping. This shop is open 365 days a year.
Easy shopping
It is easy to buy goods online. People themselves have admitted that instead of buying goods from the shop, they find it easier to buy goods online. And this method is effective for those who find it difficult or uncomfortable to visit stores, malls. He can order his choice of goods from home, office, college, etc. from the comfort of his choice and can also get it to his choice.
Fast checkouts
If you go to a store, then you will have to wait for the already reached customers to settle, after this your number comes. And if you want to buy more items, then you may have to visit many stores. Which can prove to be a tiring task but, during online shopping, you do not need to know anywhere because you can order all the goods from one place and there is no need to line up.
Disadvantages of E-commerce
Lack of customer services
While shopping from the store, you can get a solution to many doubts within minutes. You can meet the cashier, clerk, manager, and ask questions directly. But this facility is not available at the online store and you will have to wait for a certain time if you want to answer any question.
No self-satisfaction
When the customer touches the item with his hands and sees and examines it with eyes, then the satisfaction he gets is not possible with the online purchase, because you can only see photos of the product.
The need for tech knowledge
If you want to do online shopping then you need to be digitally literate. If you do not have practical knowledge of computers, the internet, net banking, etc. then online shopping is useless.
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