Electronic commerce is categorized according to the transaction relationship, as shown below.
BtoC
(Business to Consumer)
Transactions between corporations and individuals.
Includes electronic marketplaces (virtual markets) and
online malls (virtual shopping centers). Also widely
used in Internet advertising, Internet banking, and Internet trading (electronic stock trading).
BtoE
(Business to Employee)
Exchange of information between corporations and
employees. Includes information communication systems such as schedule management systems and
electronic bulletin boards.
CtoC
(Consumer to Consumer)
Transactions between individuals. Includes electronic
auctions.
GtoC
(Government to Consumer)
Transactions between governments and individuals.
Includes electronic application/notification systems to
public offices.
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Precautions in electronic commerce
In recent years, all kinds of work involved in the lives of individuals and
corporate business has been computerized. Consequently, strict security
measures are required so that users do not disclose their personal information recklessly, and corporations manage the information they collect safely.
When conducting electronic commerce, the following matters must be kept
in mind.
(1)Precautions for buyers
●Consideration of security
Confirm that the website is trustworthy so that important personal information is not leaked by mistake. Also, do not disclose more information than
required.
●Consideration of Internet fraud
Confirm information such as the vendor’s business performance, history,
and contact address in order to avoid damages such as non-arrival of goods
after transferring payment.
●Consideration of transaction method
Confirm the transaction method, including the method of payment and the
method for delivering the product before ordering.
Reference
EDI
“EDI” is the exchange of electronic data
for the purpose of commercial transactions between corporations via communication lines. The format of the electronic data exchanged and the network
connection method vary depending on
the type of industry. In recent years, use
of the Internet and HTML or XML formats has started to become the standard.
Abbreviation for “Electronic Data Interchange.”
Reference
CALS
“CALS” is an approach that attempts to
reduce costs by sharing all kinds of information between departments or corporations, from design to manufacturing, distribution, and maintenance. It
also refers to acceleration of electronic
commerce by using this approach.
Since the main contents are standardization and unification of formats, SGML
or XML are used.
Abbreviation for “Commerce At Light
Speed.”
Business strategy
Transactions between corporations. Includes “EDI”
and “CALS.”
Chapter 2
BtoB
(Business to Business)
Reference
Reverse auction
A “reverse auction” is a type of auction
in which the buyer indicates the amount
of money that they wish to pay, and the
sellers present the price that their corporation can offer. The buyer then conducts a transaction with the seller offering the lowest price. This method is
widely used in bidding for public works
or services.
(2)Precautions for sellers
●Consideration of security
Manage the collected personal information safely, and ensure that leaks do
not occur.
●Consideration of reputation
Confirm information with the person placing the order so that mistakes
such as failing to send products, shipping address errors, or sending the
wrong products do not occur. Also, for products that can easily cause misunderstandings, display them clearly using pictures and double-check with
the person who placed the order before sending.
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