The term "Electronic commerce" (or e-Commerce) refers to the use of an electronic medium to carry out commercial transactions. Most of the time, it refers to the sale of products via Internet, but the term eCommerce also covers purchasing mechanisms via Internet (for B-To-B).
A client who purchases on the Internet is called a cyberconsumer. E-Commerce is not only limited to online sales, but also covers:
- Preparation of estimates online
- Consulting of users
- Provision of an electronic catalog
- Access plan to point of sales
- Real-time management of product availability (stock)
- Online payment
- Delivery tracking
- After-sales service
In certain cases, electronic commerce makes it possible to highly customize products, in particular when the electronic commerce site is linked with the production system of the enterprise (e.g. business cards, customized items such as T-shirts, cups, caps, etc.)
Finally, insofar as electronic services and products are concerned (MP3 files, software programs, e-books, etc.), electronic commerce makes it possible to receive the purchase in a very short time, if not immediately.