benefits of e-commerce?

[_88]

Despite the demise of many "dotcom" companies, E-commerce and information technology have had an important impact on productivity. It has already impacted on small and also large international businesses too. More and more business will go into E-commerce inevitably.But the question i wanna ask is what are the benefits of E-commerce on businesses?And what are the impacts of E-commerce on the economy?

[The Old Sarge]

Impact on economy ...

IMO, it spreads money more evenly between regions and countries. It also offers more people money-making opportunities they might not otherwise have.

Benefits on businesses that engage in ecommerce ...

Again, my opinion. Any existing business that successfully engages in ecommerce is only going to raise it's bottom line. Any business that starts up as an ecommerce business has certain advantages over physical, bricks and mortor stores, etc. i.e. much less invested in getting off and running, less overhead, more freedom in work hours, etc.

[JPnyc]

I think the biggest advantage, speaking as a consumer, is convenience and price comparison. To compare prices in the real world is much more difficult and time consuming. With the web, it takes a few seconds.

[roban]

Well it certainly opens up a customer base that wasn't available before. How about all those midnight surfers ordering stuff. I do most of mine at 4 am in my PJ's.

[JPnyc]

You and me both. I do my xmas shopping in the wee hrs, or whenever I feel like it, and have the items gift-wrapped and dropshipped. Xmas was never so easy!

[_88]

No doubt there are alot of benefits for businesses which go into E-Commerce.Another question i would like to ask is "Are all businesses able to go into E-Commerce? " And "What kind of businesses would be most suited to go into E-Commerce?"

[JPnyc]

I would say all businesses can benefit from a web presence, but not all are ecommerce capable. A plumber's site can't really be called e-commerce, since the product is a service that has to be performed on-site. It can't be mailed to the user.

[Corey Bryant]

Other issues you need to watch out for is the products you are selling. What might be legal in one state / country, might not be legal in another state / country. Or even mailing these products. (I am not referring to just 'adult' products, but other things as well, like weapons, for example.)

Do your research carefully.

[The Old Sarge]

Good point, Corey. We once got an order for some wrist watches and the buyer wanted them sent to Indonesia. Indonesia bans the import of watches ... any watches.

[JPnyc]

Why? Does that sound patently absurd to anyone else?

[Corey Bryant]

The Old Sarge - you have my curiousity peaked as well. I would have thought that watches would have been a really safe product. (Of course things are going through my head now, but I'll hold while I start searching.)

Absurd - that's a good word for it JPncy. A few others come to mind as well LOL

[The Old Sarge]

Turns out watches are one of Indonesia's prime exports. Rather than tax imports, they simply ban them ... to protect their own watch industry.

[The Old Sarge]

Besides, the Sultan doesn't want his subjects to know what time it is.

[JPnyc]

Then how do they know when Star Search is on?

[The Old Sarge]

lol I think, like me, they really don't want to know.