E-Commerce Today - The evolution of online store

In early 1990, opening a shop meant rent commercial space, the purchase of goods and professional (such as shopping carts and cash registers), paying employees to keep the shop open during business hours, and purchase a service that allows customers to pay by credit card paper.

Starting an online store today means pretty much the same thing, even if the shop has changed the nature of these steps and combined in a unique online store software by itself eliminates the need for well-located commercial real estate, 99 percent business equipment, cashiers, and a separate service credit card.

E-commerce did not develop in this miracle during the night, though. Rather, it took years of visionary programmers and enterprising entrepreneurs to bring us the world of online shopping as we know it today.

At E-Commerce Ventures

Some of the earliest e-commerce sites are now even more famous. Although the World Wide Web was introduced in 1990, it was not until 1995 that two of today's most popular sites were launched: Amazon.com and Craigslist. eBay followed a year later.

You'll notice that all three of these early e-commerce sites represent very different types of online commerce. Amazon.com follows more than a traditional store format, with fixed prices and a major seller, although small-time sellers can now hawk their wares on the pages of Amazon products. eBay provides a regulatory and a meeting place for buyers and sellers to come together, with most sales taking place in an auction format. Craigslist is the least involved, offering little more than a message board community where people can buy and sell directly from another.

Limitations of the first online stores

If you buy on-line in the early days of e-commerce, we know that the experience was very different from what we know today. With the exception of the up-and-coming giants like eBay and Amazon.com, most online stores were remarkably basic compared to what we expect nowadays - although then, of course, seemed truly remarkable. E-commerce were much more limited in what they could do what they are today, the graphics and appearance as well as in coding and programming. Fewer sellers offered amenities such as the ability to place an order immediately with credit card payment accounts buyer who saved settings and purchase history. SSL encryption was introduced in 1994, enabling some online stores offer secure transactions, but the technology was not so common - and as expected - as it is today.

In general, the phenomenon of small-time seller was virtually unknown in the early days of e-commerce, simply because there are many options available to small shops then.

Catering to consumers: Balancing Convenience with Peace of Mind

As online shopping has become more popular, consumers are interested in two things: convenience and security. Many of the features offered by the online store software reflect these priorities. For example, the need for convenience has brought the biggest online stores offer the ability to create an account, review past orders and track and store customer information to facilitate and expedite the checkout. At the same time, concerns about the security of information exchanged on the Internet have led many online retailers offering cash and account management through secure channels.

Welcoming the Little Man

Another aspect of e-commerce has evolved over time is the great role played by small shops and vendors. With the cost of setting up a shop and e-commerce site, smaller shops were much harder to come. Today, on the other hand, small firms have as many options as are the larger companies: for example, professional software for display and online shopping cart systems and services that enable them to offer the same payment options larger stores.

While many of the main actors are programmers, designers, technicians and other personnel, the majority of small and medium enterprises do not have that luxury available to them - or need. Online stores can now choose from a variety of options for doing business, including:

* Taking orders by phone and email. Many online stores have not yet established a system online checkout. They may be products listed online, with a telephone number or e-mail address set up for checkout. This method typically inspires the least confidence in online shoppers, which are used for functions such as shopping carts, accounts, and one-click checkout from the most important online shops.
* Using a service like PayPal. PayPal has revolutionized online shopping makes it possible even for smaller vendors to offer credit cards as a payment option. PayPal and similar services offer everything from sellers "Buy Now" buttons for individual entries, integrated shopping carts.
* The use of online software store. No need to reinvent the wheel - for salespeople who want the professional look of a sophisticated online store, there are a lot of software packages on the market. This software enables entrepreneurs to quickly and easily create a professional quality shop online.

The evolution of the E-Commerce

Although it may seem at times, the realm of electronic commerce does not really come up during the night. Many of the things we now take for granted - like shopping carts and comfort a-Click, easily accessible services like PayPal, and a smorgasbord of online sellers to choose from - evolved through trial and error. In little more than a decade, online shopping has changed the concept of trade, for owners of online stores as well as for customers ....