eCommerce Fundamentals

You've heard of eCommerce, and maybe you know it's something important in the world of online business. But do you know what the term means? If not, this is the article for you. 

This informative and factual blog post will break down all that you need to know about what constitutes an eCommerce strategy. 

First published in April 2013, this article remains essential reading for those who want to know what an eCommerce strategy is all about. 

This blog post from March 2014 offers a concise summary of the six essential elements of an eCommerce strategy. 

Written by the Ecommerce Manager at Zendesk, this article provides a complete overview of the six essential elements of a successful eCommerce strategy. 

Written by Ecommerce Manager at Shopify, this article provides an in-depth look at the six essential elements of a successful eCommerce strategy. 

This article outlines the six essential elements that characterize a successful eCommerce strategy. 

A legally binding online contract in which a seller and a buyer agree to transact business together online. See also: B2B, B2C, EDI, eTail, SaaS.

The process of using technology to connect a business with its customers and suppliers. Ecommerce can occur across several channels including online storefronts (eCommerce websites), social media platforms, traditional media (such as TV or radio ads), email, direct mail campaigns and more.

An online marketplace where buyers connect with sellers so they can conduct ecommerce transactions over the internet. Some online marketplaces include eBay, Etsy, and Amazon.

The purchase of goods or services using an online shopping cart system that allows users to check out securely. The most common payment methods are credit cards or PayPal.

A subscription service that enables the direct purchase of goods or services over the internet.

An eCommerce website that allows customers to browse products and prices and make purchases on behalf of themselves or a third party.

A commerce platform that provides a secure environment where sellers and buyers transact with each other, as well as an eCommerce store for the sale of products.

Conclusion

You've reached the end of the eCommerce Fundamentals series of blogs. This three-part article series has been designed to provide you with an overview of the basics of eCommerce. If you're new to eCommerce, or if you'd like a refresher on what it all means, we hope that these articles have been useful to your business education.

The fundamentals of ecommerce blog series is now completed and available in this collection. To keep up to date with more news, views and ideas from SAP Digital's Ecommerce team follow us on Twitter @SAPDigiEcom or LinkedIn via SAP Digital Marketing - Ecommerce .