What is e-commerce?
Posted: Sun Apr 20, 2025 4:52 am
In recent years, e-commerce has become an increasingly important economic sector. Literally translated, e-commerce (electronic commerce) simply means electronic or digital commerce. All processes involved in selling a product or service are handled digitally. In practice, however, this term often also includes digital marketing, digital sales, and all types of digital services, as well as all associated business processes. The exact media used is not relevant. The most well-known of these is online commerce with online shops such as qatar phone number data Amazon. In simpler cases, ordering via email can also be included. But more complex systems such as digital product configurations for creating offers, digital services, and more are also part of the scope of electronic commerce. What began with a few pioneers and trailblazers of new technologies has now become a central economic factor and a multi-layered, complex process. E-commerce is therefore an integral part of today's business models.
Features
Electronic commerce encompasses all processes that handle the digital sale of a product or service within a company. These include, for example, digital customer acquisition through digital marketing, a digital presence of the company (online shop, website, blog, etc.), and digital payment systems. After-sales activities can also be further captured through CRM systems, thereby improving customer relationships. In larger companies, these elements are further expanded to include ERP systems, CPQ systems, and digital logistics solutions such as automated warehouses. To be successful in e-commerce, all of these processes must function smoothly and be coordinated with one another.
The goal is to solve and automate a company's business processes more efficiently, thereby saving time and money. If implemented correctly, this can generate more revenue with less effort. As the name suggests, with its reference to retail, optimizing sales processes is usually one of the first steps a company takes in this direction. Practical implementation can take a variety of forms, from simple chatbots on the homepage or in the online shop to support sales, to highly technical solutions with automated, AI-based web scraping for lead generation.
The basis for this is always a form of digital technology, through which the company as a seller exchanges data with its customers as buyers. A key task here is to remove the previously analogue restrictions of commerce, such as store opening hours or the need to physically store inventory. This makes e-commerce usually part of a company's comprehensive digitalization strategy. Ideally, e-commerce completely replaces physical contact with the customer, and purchases of non-advice-intensive products can be made from the comfort of the sofa.
Features
Electronic commerce encompasses all processes that handle the digital sale of a product or service within a company. These include, for example, digital customer acquisition through digital marketing, a digital presence of the company (online shop, website, blog, etc.), and digital payment systems. After-sales activities can also be further captured through CRM systems, thereby improving customer relationships. In larger companies, these elements are further expanded to include ERP systems, CPQ systems, and digital logistics solutions such as automated warehouses. To be successful in e-commerce, all of these processes must function smoothly and be coordinated with one another.
The goal is to solve and automate a company's business processes more efficiently, thereby saving time and money. If implemented correctly, this can generate more revenue with less effort. As the name suggests, with its reference to retail, optimizing sales processes is usually one of the first steps a company takes in this direction. Practical implementation can take a variety of forms, from simple chatbots on the homepage or in the online shop to support sales, to highly technical solutions with automated, AI-based web scraping for lead generation.
The basis for this is always a form of digital technology, through which the company as a seller exchanges data with its customers as buyers. A key task here is to remove the previously analogue restrictions of commerce, such as store opening hours or the need to physically store inventory. This makes e-commerce usually part of a company's comprehensive digitalization strategy. Ideally, e-commerce completely replaces physical contact with the customer, and purchases of non-advice-intensive products can be made from the comfort of the sofa.