E-commerce Basics

E-commerce started when businesses started to exchange information and files with each other electronically. Today the Internet allows business-to-consumer transactions where people can buy goods and services online.

Due to the fact that the number of internet users as increased dramatically during the last decade, e-commerce has become a multibillion industry and is expected to grow even more during the following years. The US Census Bureau data, projects that e-commerce for 2010 in the United states will climb to over $152 billion, up 12.7 percent from last year.

So, what are the benefits of e-commerce for consumers? I will try to explain.

· The shopper can compare prices among different stores that have the same product instead of driving from store to store.

· Websites provide detailed product information and in many cases reviews from other choppers that bought the same products.

· Shopping online can help reduce our carbon footprint. The US Postal Service, along with shipping giants such as Fed Ex and UPS are making the rounds anyway, driving close to most American households every day, if not right past it.

· The consumer can find a wider variety of sizes, colors and online only products.

· Save time: when a consumer knows the product needed, it can take less than 5 minutes to order it and have it delivered between 7-10 business days Vs. driving to the store, find a place to park, walk to the store, search the item, make a line to pay, walk to the car and drive back home can take at least 30 minutes or more.

· Save money: Depending on the retailer, the consumer can get products or services that are free of State tax. Avoiding trips to the store reduces the gas consumption saving money (and helping the environment). Retailers frequently issue online coupons that can save the consumer something between 10-40% of the retail price.

· In many cases customers can pick up or return items to the land base store.

Most online retailers are looking for different ways to grow their businesses and increase sales. Affiliate Marketing is growing in popularity, where retailers allow other websites to create links that direct potential customers to their websites and in return they give the website a percentage of the amount of the purchase that was generated using this link creating a win-win situation for the retailer and for the owner of the website with the electronic link.

It is estimated that in 2010 over 162 million people research a specific product on the Internet. Many will head to the store to get it, but the percentage of research that will end up in a sale will increase dramatically during the following years.

The amount of money saved and the convenience of receiving items that either a business or a household use on a monthly basis right at the door are one of the main reasons why e-commerce is growing at a very rapid pace.

So go ahead and explore the world wide web, you soon will discover that online shopping goes beyond airline tickets and hotel reservations. Have fun and save more!!