E-commerce refers to digitally enabled commercial transactions between organizations and individuals, primarily focusing on facilitating order fulfillment. It differs from e-business in that e-business may also involve customer service and product development. The document outlines eight unique features of e-commerce technology, types of e-commerce including B2C, B2B, C2C and M-commerce, and limitations to the growth of B2C e-commerce such as expensive technology requirements and cultural attraction to physical markets. It also describes three eras of e-commerce and disciplines concerned with e-commerce such as information systems, economics, and marketing.

1. The Revolution is Just Beginning Chapter 1

2. Overview What is e-commerce? What is the difference between e-commerce and e-business? Eight unique features of e-commerce technology Types of e-commerce The growth of e-commerce Limitations on the growth of B2C e-commerce The e-commerce eras What disciplines are interested in e-commerce?

3. Question What is e-commerce?

4. Answer E-commerce is digitally enabled commercial transactions between and among organizations and individuals The primary focus is on facilitating order fulfillment, but e-commerce may also involve customer service and product development activities

5. What is the difference between e-commerce and e-business?

6. Eight Unique Features of E-Commerce Technology Ubiquity available everywhere – at work, at home, etc. Global reach reaches across national boundaries Universal standards Richness video, audio, text, etc. Interactivity Information density reduces information costs Personalization/customization Social technology user content generation and social networking

7. Types of E-Commerce B2C – Business-to-consumer Most commonly discussed, currently about $200+ billion revenue B2B – Business-to-business Largest form of e-commerce, currently about $2+ trillion revenue C2C – Consumer-to-consumer P2P – Peer-to-peer Enables Internet users to share files and computer resources without having to go through a central Web server M-Commerce – Mobile Commerce Other?

8. The Growth of the Internet, Measured by Number of Internet Hosts with Domain Names

9. The Growth of Web Content as Measured by Pages Indexed by Google

10. Limitations on the Growth of B2C E-Commerce Expensive technology Requires $400+ PC, Internet connection charge, etc. Sophisticated skill set Skills required are far more sophisticated than television, newspapers, retail stores, etc. Persistent cultural attraction of physical markets and traditional shopping experiences Persistent global inequality limiting access to telephones and personal computers Saturation and ceiling effects

11. The E-Commerce I Era (1995-2000) Innovation Technology-driven Revenue growth emphasis Venture capital financing Ungoverned Entrepreneurial Disintermediation Perfect markets Pure online strategies First mover advantages

12. The E-Commerce II Era (2000-Today) Consolidation Business-driven Earnings and profit emphasis Traditional financing Stronger regulation and governance Large traditional firms Strengthening intermediaries Imperfect markets, brands, network effects Integrated, multi-channel “bricks-and-clicks” strategies Strategic follower strength; complementary assets

13. The E-Commerce III Era (2006-Future) Re-Invention Audience, customer, and community driven Audience and social network growth emphasis Smaller VC investments; large firms buyout early small firms Extensive government surveillance Large pure Web-based firms Proliferation of small online intermediaries Continuation of imperfect markets, brands, network effects Return of pure online strategies in new markets; large firm multichannel strategies First-mover advantages return in new markets as traditional Web players catch up

14. Disciplines Concerned with E-Commerce Information systems Economics Marketing Management Finance/accounting Sociology Computer science Management science Other?