e-Commerce Company

A e-Commerce Company is a digital business that provides online transaction services (that support internet commerce).

• AKA: Online Retailer, Digital Commerce Company, Internet Merchant.
• Context:
  • It can (typically) provide Online Storefronts through digital platforms.
  • It can (typically) process Electronic Payments through payment gateways.
  • It can (typically) manage Digital Inventory through automated systems.
  • It can (often) collect Customer Data through web analytics.
  • It can (often) support Supply Chain Management through digital tools.
  • It can (often) enable Online Marketing through digital channels.
  • It can range from being a Pure-Play e-Commerce Company to being a Multi-Channel Retailer, depending on its sales channels.
  • It can range from being a B2C e-Commerce Platform to being a B2B e-Commerce Platform, depending on its target market.
  • It can range from being a Single-Category Seller to being a Multi-Category Marketplace, depending on its product scope.
  • It can range from being a Regional e-Commerce Platform to being a Global e-Commerce Platform, depending on its market reach.
  • ...
• Examples:
  • General e-Commerce Companies, such as:
    • Amazon Corp. for multi-category retail.
    • Alibaba Corp. for global trade.
    • eBay Corp. for marketplace service.
  • Platform e-Commerce Companies, such as:
    • Shopify Corp. for merchant service.
    • Etsy Corp. for artisan marketplace.
    • Wayfair Corp. for furniture retail.
  • B2B e-Commerce Companies, such as:
    • Thomasnet Corp. for industrial commerce.
    • Grainger Corp. for business supply.
    • Ariba Corp. for procurement service.
  • Social e-Commerce Companies, such as:
    • Meta Corp. for social retail.
    • Pinterest Corp. for visual commerce.
    • TikTok Corp. for video commerce.
  • ...
• Counter-Examples:
  • Traditional Retailers, which lack digital transaction capabilities.
  • Content Platforms, which focus on media delivery rather than commerce.
  • Payment Processors, which provide financial services rather than retail platforms.
  • Logistics Companys, which handle physical delivery rather than online sales.
• See: Digital Commerce, Online Marketplace, E-commerce Platform, Internet Retail, Digital Payment System, Supply Chain Technology, Customer Data Platform.
• See: VigLink Inc..

---

---

References

2012

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_commerce
  • Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or e-comm, is the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks. Electronic commerce draws on such technologies as electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. Modern electronic commerce typically uses the World Wide Web at least at one point in the transaction's life-cycle, although it may encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, mobile devices and telephones as well.
    • Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of business transactions.
  • E-commerce can be divided into:
    • E-tailing or "virtual storefronts" on Web sites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a "virtual mall"
    • The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts
    • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the business-to-business exchange of data
    • E-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospects and established customers (for example, with newsletters)
    • Business-to-business buying and selling
    • The security of business transactions

---

---