E-commerce-an introduction

The e-enablement of business is simply a logical step in a progression which has taken business from the model of the privately owned, self-contained trading unit through to a publicly owned and traded enterprise, integrated into its markets, supply chains and culture. The technology of e-commerce provides businesses with an unprecedented ability to communicate directly with their market. At the consumer level, Web surfing is a very personal activity. An individual customer makes personal contact with the information systems of a potential supplier directly via their Web browser. The availability of active content, personal identification (via the acceptance and analysis of ´cookies´ or via exchange of personal digital certificates) and of sophisticated customer databases has allowed businesses to develop very personal relationships with their customers.