• Business-To-Business e-commerce
The largest category of e-commerce is
business-to-business (B2B) commerce. This involves companies conducting
e-procurement, supply chain management, network alliances, and negotiating
purchase transactions over the internet. Businesses use e-commerce to lower
transaction costs of conducting business and to make savings in terms of time
and effort when conducting business.
• Business-To-Consumer e-commerce
Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce involves businesses
introducing products and services to consumers via internet technologies. This
includes companies selling software and hardware through the internet, taking
orders for products that are subsequently delivered to the consumer, and
providing digital services such as online magazines and search engines.
• Business processes
Business process refers to the use of e-commerce to
tailor the internal activities of a business in order to maximize their
efficiency and effectiveness. Through the use of e-commerce, businesses can
fine-tune supply chains, provide advanced consumer relations management
systems, and reduce transaction costs.
• Consumer-To-Consumer e-commerce
Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) e-commerce is concerned with
the use of e-commerce by individuals to trade and exchange information with
other individuals. There has been a huge growth in consumer-to consumer
auctions sites such as e-Bay and sites enabling consumers to offer goods and
services to other consumers on an individual basis.
• Business-To-Government e-commerce
Business-to-government (B2G) e-commerce is concerned with
the need for business to sell goods or services to governments or government
agencies. Such activities include supplying the army, police force, hospitals
and schools with products and services. Furthermore, businesses will often
compete in an online environment for contracts to provide services to the
public on behalf of the government. Such services may include the collection of
taxes, and the supply of public services.
