What is E-commerce?
E-commerce is the buying and selling of goods and services using the internet. It starts when a potential customer learns about a product. It continues through purchase, use, and, ideally, ongoing customer loyalty. Data powers the most successful e-commerce operations, which take advantage of best practices such as targeted email marketing, audience segmentation, and marketing automation.
Example
Imagine you want to purchase a new pair of running shoes. Instead of going to a physical store, you visit an online retailer’s website, such as Nike.com or Amazon.com.
You browse the website’s selection of running shoes, filtering by size, color, and price to find the perfect pair.
After finding a pair you like, you add them to your online shopping cart and proceed to checkout.
At checkout, you enter your shipping address and payment information, such as credit card details or PayPal account.
Once your order is confirmed, the online retailer processes the payment and ships the shoes to your doorstep.
You receive the shoes and, if satisfied, may leave a review or share your experience with friends and family.
In this example, e-commerce enables you to purchase goods online from the comfort of your own home, without the need to visit a physical store. E-commerce has revolutionized the way people shop, offering convenience, accessibility, and a wide selection of products available at the click of a button. It has also opened up new opportunities for businesses to reach customers globally and expand their market reach beyond traditional brick-and-mortar stores.