e-commerce

e-business

E-Business involves conducting business via the Internet. This includes the buying and selling of goods and services, along with providing technical or customer support through the Internet and direct marketing on-line.

E-business uses the internet to facilitate a range of activities including:

 Providing corporate and product information to consumers

 Providing access to a wider range of products and services

 Gaining access to international markets for a business

digital marketing

Digital marketing is used for the marketing of products or services using digital technologies, mainly on the internet. It can include the use of advertising, market research and sales channels.

digital marketing evaluation

 More cost effective

 More personalised and targeted marketing

 It allows businesses to search for new market opportunities globally

 Target global market 24 hours a day

 It helps build relationships with customers more effectively by being able to track their buying habits and recommend other products they might like.

 It allows firms to target very specific segments

 It allows firms to involve customers more in the marketing process. They can provide reviews and ideas for improvements of what the business is doing.

 The whole idea of digital marketing can be a very important aspect in the overall communication between the consumer and the organisation.

Digital Marketing is highly dependent on the internet.

 The initial cost of investment in the digital technology is very high

 The success of digital marketing is not guaranteed in a highly competitive global business environment

 The Internet is subject to a lot of clutter, so its marketers may find it hard to make their advertisements stand out, as well as get consumers to start conversations about an organisations brand image or products.

 A large amount of competing goods and services are also using the same digital marketing strategies.

 Some companies can be portrayed by customers negatively as some consumers lack trust online due to the amount of advertising that appears on websites and social media that can be considered frauds.

 An individual or small group of people can harm the image of an established brand

mobile technology evaluation for business

Mobile technology refers to wi-fi, 3G, 4G and 5G communication systems and is accessed through mobile devices such as phones or laptops.

 Employees can complete business tasks from remote locations and outside normal business hours if required

 Businesses can communicate with their customers immediately at any time

 Businesses can undertake a range of activities using mobile technologies including mobile ticketing and mobile payments

 Businesses can accept news forms of payment

 Easier to communicate with customers through e-mail and social media

 Target customers with promotional deals

 Highly convenient – 24/7

 Expensive to buy the original hardware and software

 Processes aimed at ensuring consumer confidence in the security of their

data are expensive to implement

 Staff training costs are incurred by the business and may reduce profitability

 New Competition

 Businesses have to adapt to new innovations

 Screen size is small

 Increased security risk

mobile technology evaluation for the customer

 More convenient

 Customers can complete purchase transactions and payments much quicker.

 Gain more information

 New Services

 Easier to communicate with businesses

 Mobile data can be expensive

 Increased security risks

 Information may be given to third parties

 Constant Communication from businesses may be unwelcome

ways to use e-business

 Selling products on-line

 Develop an ‘app’ that allows bookings to be made and webcam services to be

provided

 Use of social media to promote products

 E-mailing customers to provide updated information

 Providing customer support on-line

 Advertising on-line

 Carry out Market Research

e-business evaluation for the business

 24/7 availability

 A website enables the business to sell to a worldwide market

 The business can source products globally and find cheaper suppliers/innovate faster

 Market research can be conducted electronically for faster results

 The business can use the website to showcase its products and prices to customers and improve its corporate image

 The business can use the website to gain feedback from its customers which helps it to develop its products to meet customer needs

Improve the cash flow of the business as the business receives payment straight away.

 Fast communication with customers

 Environmentally friendly due to less paper marketing techniques

 Increased competition

 It can be time consuming for the business to keep its website continually up to date

 The business needs to be sure that its website is secure or it will gain the business a bad reputation therefore this adds to costs

 Not all potential customers have access to the Internet so the business may be missing out on a market segment

 The website may suffer from technical difficulties outside the control of the business

 It can be expensive to purchase additional electronic equipment and it may be expensive if an outside firm is managing the system which reduces profitability

 The business needs to ensure that its employees are properly trained to use the electronic equipment

 Customers may be put off as a result of not being able to see the product

e-business evaluation for customers

1. Very convenient .

2. Websites provide lot of information about products therefore customers are more likely to find the product that best suits their needs.

3. Greater choice of goods and it is easy to research and compare prices

4. Time is saved

5. Repeat orders are easy to process as they can be stored on the computer

7. Provides more convenient customer support

1. Lack of trust of the payment system is the biggest disadvantage

2. Security issues about customer information

3. Customers must be linked to the internet and have credit cards

4. If goods are needed immediately, they must be purchased from a shop

5. There is no guarantee of product quality

6. Returning goods can be a nuisance

7. The customer is unable to handle the goods prior to purchase

social media

Social media is digital technology that allows the sharing of ideas and information, including text and visuals, through virtual networks and communities.

Ways to use Social Media

 To gather market research quickly and cheaply

 To promote products faster and more cost effectively

 To generate more leads linked to its website therefore leading to higher sales

social media evaluation

 Brand awareness - Compelling and relevant content will grab attention

 Brand reputation - You can respond instantly to industry developments and be seen as an expert in your field. This can improve how your business is seen by your audience.

 Cost effective - It can be much cheaper than traditional advertising and promotional activities. The costs of maintaining a social media presence are minimal.

 Website traffic - Social content can boost traffic to your website. This can lead to increased online conversions such as sales.

 Evaluation - It is easy to measure how much website traffic you receive from social media. You can set up tracking to determine how many sales are generated by paid social advertising.

 Customer interaction - You can deliver improved customer service and respond effectively to feedback.

 Target audience - Customers can find you through the social media platforms they use most. You can choose to maintain a presence on particular social networks that are in line with your target audience.

 Brand loyalty - You can build relationships with your customers through social media. This can help increase loyalty and advocacy.

 Resources - You will need to commit resources to managing your social media presence, responding to feedback and producing new content. This can include hiring and training staff, investing in paid advertising and paying for the costs of creating video or image content.

 Evaluation - It can be hard to measure and place a monetary value on the brand awareness and reputation that social media can bring. It’s difficult to know how social media effects sales in-store.

 Ineffective use - Social media can be used ineffectively. For example, using the network to push for sales without engaging with customers, or failing to respond to negative feedback - may damage your reputation.

e-commerce

E-Commerce or is the buying and selling of goods and services on-line with money being transferred in the opposite direction.