Online stores respond to different models, depending on who the 'merchant' is, the issuer, and who they are targeting, what clientele their products and/or services are aimed at. Thus, there are different types of electronic commerce , as we will point out below.
B2B (Business to Business): From company to company. The final consumer does not appear in these operations. These are commercial interactions that occur between companies, between wholesalers.
B2C (Business to Consumer): From a company to a final consumer. This is the most popular and well-known. A company sells an item/service to the final customer, without any type of intermediation between the two.
C2C (Consumer to Consumer): From consumer to consumer. A perfect example of this is second-hand shops and home buying and selling portals, for example, when the relationship is established between individuals.
C2B (Consumer to Business): Commercial relationship between consumer and business. In this case, the individual, so to speak, is the one who supplies the product/service to the company.
B2A (Business to Administration): Companies supply el salvador whatsapp data products/services to the administration.
B2E (Business to Employee): Companies sell to employees. These are known as 'internal customers'. Company employees who purchase items and/or services for their own use.
Advantages and disadvantages of e-commerce
Selling over the Internet is a practice that is increasingly adopted by more companies, as we pointed out at the beginning. This is because of the advantages of e-commerce for those companies that are committed to its development and for users who decide to make online purchases . Obviously, there are both lights and shadows, so we focus on the pros and cons of e-commerce .
Advantages of e-commerce
Low initial investment, since no street-level premises are needed, for example.
Store open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Without geographical limitations, being able to sell to different regions and different customer profiles.
Highly controlled maintenance costs.
Disadvantages of e-commerce
Risks related to privacy and data security.
Possible customer dissatisfaction, as they cannot see and analyse the product before it arrives at their home.
Delays in deliveries. Shipments that arrive late due to logistics issues, etc.
Generally speaking, the pros outweigh the cons when it comes to thinking about what e-commerce is and what it means for businesses and users. Internet sales figures are increasing exponentially year after year and this is the best proof of this.
Examples of e-commerce
E-commerce occurs in different forms, we have counted up to six, depending on who is the sender of the sale and the receiver, the one who acquires the goods and/or services. Examples of e-commerce ? Zara or the online stores of firms such as Desigual, Massimo Dutti or Adidas, are cases of B2C. Vinted, Wallapop and Segunda Mano are other e-commerce options , C2C; Pixabay, iStock or any other image bank is the materialization of the C2C model, consumers who sell to other users, between individuals.
As you can see, the world of online sales is vast and has great potential and future prospects. Today, it is a field in which numerous professional opportunities are being generated, which is why this business model is addressed and explored in such specialized training courses as the Master in Marketing and Commercial Management or the Master in Marketing Management , two of EAE's training proposals. In both cases, e-commerce is a subject to be taught to students, because in the 21st century, in the digital age, it is essential to understand that electronic commerce is linked to the world of marketing and sales.