How does e-commerce over the Internet differ from traditional commerce?
E-commerce is changing the relationship between merchant and customer, whether it be business to business or business to consumer commerce, or the government isomers of these. Relationship building is paramount. Savvy Internet users know that if they cannot get good service, which also means an easily navigable web site, they can move on — and quickly. The Internet is providing customers with growing power and purchasing control. Shopping agents will find the lowest price; scams or poor service will quickly be identified and passed on. In addition there is still a strong ethic of ‘free stuff’ on the web. Consumers in particular are looking for free information and services. Providing these aspects is a crucial part of relationship building which will form the basis of electronic commerce into the future. With the potential speed and efficiency of electronic communications and transactions, the nature of inventory is changing. A virtual shop on the web may carry no stock at all, relyin
