Knowledge and Understanding of E-Commerce - Essay Example

E-commerce Name Institutional affiliation Introduction Electronic commerce, commonly referred to as e-commerce is the buying and selling goods or services using electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks available across the world (Cunningham, 2002). This type of trade has extraordinarily grown over the years at the moment it is practiced across the world. Currently the electronic commerce tends to use the World Wide Web in specific business situations (Schneider, 2007). This kind of technology uses a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, electronic messages which can be done through mobile phones and even in some situations specific software’s can be used such as customer relations software among others (Chaffey, 2007). Currently different industries in the world have embraced this technology since it is more convenient and fast means of reaching a wide ranges of customers across the world. For example, it has been successfully used in the following industries compared are the hospitality industry and the tourism industry (Loudon & Travers, 2006). This industry mostly consists of hotels ad restaurants. This sector has been known to lag behind other industries, such as manufacturing when it comes to use of electronics and the electronic data facilities in their business operations (Scott, 2003). Through the embracing of the e-commerce ideas and technologies, today the hotel companies are taking lead of the Web-based applications that are in existence with an aim to easily improve their purchasing, overtime e-commerce application in the hospitality industry has resulted in direct benefits those industry owner engaged in it (George, Reynolds, and Stair,2009). In this regard the e-procurement platform provider has developed solutions for hotel companies that solve many of the business process problems( Thanasaankit, 2003). Other traditional problems and their e-procurement solutions include: -- Partial accessibility to the marketplaces - Web-based E-procurement applications only require a standard Internet Browser for involvement -- Overpowering manual catalog searches - Most applications allow easy uploading of keyword-searchable catalog information, so it is no longer essential for purchasing managers to flip through piles of catalogs (Alder and Mosbrucker, 2007). -- The current technology today allows for product in manner that one can order a product online through a mouse click away. Generally it is estimated that the hospitality industry spends probably $50-60 billion annually on the supplies and the services of which we will expect the number to continue gain an upward trend in the coming years. There is indication that the sector stands to benefit a great deal by moving its purchasing operations to the Internet (Schneider, G.P. 2007) On the other hand, he the tourism industry has also embraced this new technology. It has assisted tourist attraction sites to advertise themselves internationally hence giving them new customers. This has really helped the less known places to be recognized since they have been able to boost their profits (McLaren, 2001). Examples of e-commerce based websites Dalegarth House Country Hotel - www.dalegarth-house.co.uk The hotel cottage in the wood -www.cottageinthewood.co.uk The Langstrath Country Inn - www.thelangstrath.com The current owners of Dalegarth House have been looking at renewing their website for the past 12 months as the previous site didn't reflect the quality and standards of their business. The site has completely been redesigned and introduced high quality photographs and dynamic features allowing the owners control over some of the content. The site also includes a virtual tour showing the most of the village location. Share everything as you learn (Chaffey and Chaffey, 2000). Great Web sites share all they learn and hear with their users this can be evident when one observes the scenes accounts of recent site features, go open source, start a circular and you'll get more than you give. For example the hotel cottage in the wood -www.cottageinthewood.co.uk. In their new website they showed visitors on how the hotel has developed over the years and included latest photographs and even the new menus. Development (Website design) Custom-tailor the information to user preferences Research indicates that one of strongest elements of a website is the availability of information and materials to the users. When a website has no sufficient materials then it is evident that it will not have many users using or accessing the site since it is always considered useless hence necessary that a website should have sufficient user information and materials. This helps the users filter the information and decide on what to and not take. Use graphics sparingly to pass on information Broken tables should be avoid during website development since most of these tables appear heavy to load on the site as well as non responsive. Only small tables should be used since heavy tables take long time to load and even sometimes it is hard to display the content which has been stacked in the tables and this may deny the user accessibility to important information as well as materials needed by the user .Also it be time wasting hence necessary that only small tables be used (Alder and Mosbrucker, 2007). Graphic designs on the file should be optimized to a maximum of 20KB and Minimum of 15KB per graphic. It is necessary that you make use of page display speedups of approximately 60 seconds per download as well as use of other speed displays such as WIDTH and HEIGHT attributes especially for Imagery purposes. It is necessary that the entire HTML being used by the users of the Web site be optimized primarily to save on space. Hence it is necessary that all the excess spaces be removed. Additionally, on your webpage, it is important that all comments, tags, explanation on your home page be minimized on the file size when the user is using it or when downloading it. Be easy to read. Make your pages visible so that users can easily read it. For example The Langstrath Country Inn - www.thelangstrath.com. Ensure that the website implemented has white colour for its background mainly to make the website site content easier to be read and use black colour for the text. This is because black is much visible and anyone can read it. Additionally, the website should be more interactive and interesting to the users when using them. Interesting sites are memorable to the users and frequently they visit the website as a result of good interactivity. A site should involve its users and have a sense of fun and can charge more for adverts. Self-generating content is one of the advantages displayed by a self interactive website. Allowing users to freely interact with your website add valuable information to the site as well as creates more resources and materials for the user. Have a good organization Make sure the number of the levels are balanced with the length of the page and this is to reduce scrolling and the time of display. Have a secure and automated server Usage of data should be properly done. What is new or old should be clearly outlined. Auto responders should be implemented, URL checkers should be in place to detect any malicious users, search engines as well as surfing tools should be implemented on the site too. Web masters should be put in place primarily to make tracking of all website users. Part of Web marketing is therefore used to gauge the effectiveness of your pages has on the entire public or your audience. Also, the Stylish site usage tools like the site track, I/count, Interse and Web Trends. Their market Focus will thus allow the site developers and even their clients to easily notice the attractiveness of these diverse web pages, the duration of stay, their location of origin and where they want to go and the path they will use through your site. Include what’s a new area to give the common users another way to see what could have changed since the time of their previous visit. Management of e-commerce Automation From studies it is evident that maintaining a large Website can be strenuous as well as hard for individuals who have no information related to website maintenance. Due to these factors proper maintenance of a website requires proper attention as well as experience hence it can be hard. In order to effectively maintain your Website without any problems, it is important that automation tools be used if necessary for effective site maintenance. Searching Once a website has been created by an individual it is always important that the owner lets users search materials from the site more frequently and easily using different kinds of tools. Therefore, it is important that users be allowed to search the site using different kinds of tools such as SWISH or Excite for important Web Servers. Additionally, it is necessary that more ideas and information be offered in relation to the site created using important tool such as TOC or other important and relevant features (Corbham and Curtis, 1999). Security Security is considered to be a very important issue in relation to any bigger commercial web sites. It is important that any website owner provides sufficient security to its users as well as to the created sites primarily to avoid fraud or any malicious user activities (Hanson & Kalyanam, 2006). Allowing adventurous visitors to sniff around your files is not a good strategy, but astonishingly only 20% of existing Web sites are secure. Good website features A good website should: Provide reliable, original content in as many forms as possible; Original content is the most significant attribute of a great Website. Sites that have information that is useful to the user will be often revisited (Laudon, 2002). Valuable information should be provided in a timely manner and the information provided should be current and useful to the users. Information provided should not be outdated rather relevant to the users of the websites (Chaffey,2005). In order to ensure that the Websites are properly functioning then it is necessary that they should be updated frequently and with the current information as well as news. For the information to be important it should be well-edited. In case of external links then it is important that only best sites be included with detailed user description (Hanson & Kalyanam, 2006). References Hanson, W. & Kalyanam, K (2006) .Internet Marketing and E-Commerce, South-Western, International edn, Thomson Learning; Laudon, K. & Travers, C(2006). E-Commerce: Business, Technology, Society (3rd edn) Prentice Hall Schneider, G.P (2007) .Electronic Commerce Course Technology Inc; (7th rev edn) Scott, C (2003).Internet Riches, The Simple Money-Making Secrets of Online Millionaires. America, illustrated Publishers Chaffey, D (2005). Business and e-commerce management: strategy, implementation and practice. Times prentice Hall, Illustrated publishers McLaren, B. C. (2001). E-commerce; business on the internet, America. Cengage learning college Publishers George, W. Reynolds, G. and Stair, R.(2009). The principle of information system, America. Cengage Learning College Publishers Laudon, C., K (2002). Management information systems, managing digital firm. New York. Pearson Educational Publishers Chaffey, D (2007). E-Business and E-Commerce, (3d edn) FT Prentice Corbham, D. and Curtis, G. (1999). Information systems; analysis, design and practice, Prentice Hall. Financial Times Publishers Chaffey and Chaffey, D. (2000). Internet marketing, America. Pearson Publishers Cunningham, J.M (2002). How to build a profitable e-commerce strategy, Persus. Illustrated revised Publishers Alder, T. and Mosbrucker, P (2007). cyber Gold; A guide on how to start your own home based internet Business, build an e-commerce website, and strategies for making money online. Thanasaankit, T (2003). Commerce and cultural values, Idea. Edition Illustrated Publishers Read More