Ecommerce in General-Global

World Total	359.80 million
Africa	3.11 million
Asia / Pacific	89.43 million
Europe	94.22 million
Middle East	2.40 million
Canada & USA	157.24 million
Latin America	13.40 million

Doing business - electronically

E-commerce is conducting business transactions facilitated by the Internet or other electronic networks. It is the exchange of information, goods, services or money through the use of computers with customers (Business to Customer) or with other businesses (Business to Business). Whether you are marketing or selling products or services to your customers, or communicating inventory data to your suppliers, you are taking part in e-commerce.

E-commerce can be defined by various electronic activities from web page creation to supply chain management:

customer orders (buying and selling)
invoicing
fund transfers
inventory control
customer service
market information research

E-commerce continues to evolve,addressing customer concerns about privacy and the security of on-line transactions. Net security systems now assure that there isn't any danger of breaching confidentiality. Governments, as well as international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, and the International Organization for Standardization are working to define legal, taxation and intellectual property rules in order to build a global commercial framework that is fair, predictable and consistent.

According to a Canadian Bankers Association survey The Economy, Business and Technology (April 2000), Canadians are almost unanimous that adopting technology and the internet for business is important, if not critical to the growth of economy.

Quick access to international markets

E-commerce started through private networks connecting businesses to specific clients or other businesses. Doing business on the Internet now opens the door to markets worldwide.

Benefits of e-commerce:

access to markets, customers, suppliers, contacts

sharing of information
greater efficiency
reduced costs
time-saving

The digital economy

While estimates vary widely:

Retailing on the Internet accounted for less than 3% of total North American retail sales in 1998. Growth rates, however, have been very encouraging. It is estimated that in the year 2000 business-to-consumer Internet transactions worldwide will amount to approximately $20-$50 billion, while business-to-business transactions will be in the $50-$150 billion range." (Industry Canada)
Internet traffic is doubling every 100 days. E-commerce is doubling annually. Worldwide e-business could exceed $1 trillion by 2002.(a survey)
Canada is the most 'wired' nation, with the highest per capita rate of Internet-connected people. Forty-five percent of Canadians are online for a total of 13.5 million users. Americans rank first for the total number of users with 92 million people online, or 34 percent of the population. (NUA Internet Surveys, 1999)
61% of Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) were connected to the Internet in 1999. (Internet Institute)
Canada has the lowest Internet access cost in the world. (OECD, 1997)

For more Internet market reports and information on the Consumer Online industry:

NUA Internet Surveys
International Communications Inc.
Jupiter Communications
ComQUEST Research (Canadian data)

News and analysis

China's Mr. Internet: Jack Ma wants to build China's first genuinely global e-commerce firm - The Economist (Aug 26, 2000)
Thinking Strategically about Selling Online - Ascenda
Home Internet use 'growing' - BBC News (Aug 7, 2000)
Dairy industry turns to e-commerce - CNN (Jul 28, 2000)
Online shopping gets more convenient - BBC News (Jul 27, 2000)

Internet news.com
Internet e-commerce news

ZDNet
E-commerce news, tips, strategies and best practices

All E-Commerce
E-Commerce Times: getting started, strategies, news and reports

E-commerce Comes of Age
focuses on buying and selling over the Internet, along with ongoing issues that will impact the future of electronic commerce.

E-Commerce: The Net Effect on Agribusiness
The Agricultural Forum (U.S.) has a series of papers on the effects of e-commerce in the agri-food industry.

Shopping around the Web
E-commerce survey by The Economist

Talkin' about e-generation
Student opinions report by The Economist

Getting started

E-Commerce in Canada
The Canadian Task Force on Electronic Commerce is working to make Canada a world leader in the adoption and use of electronic commerce. This site can answer many of your ecom related questions.

Net Gain
Net Gain is designed by Industry Canada to help you understand the opportunities that exist on-line for your business and determine where you should start to develop an effective Internet operation.

Business Development Bank of Canada
The BDC offers financial and consulting services to Canadian businesses. Its techno.net loan offers term loans from $25,000 to $500,000 to establish e-com capacity. (1-888-463-6232)

Canadian Bankers Association
Banks provide service and support to small- and medium-sized businesses: preparing your business for the e-commerce age, electronic banking fast facts, a guide to protecting customers in online transactions, and more.

Ascenda Web Site Hosting and E-Commerce
Ascenda helps you create and administer a well-designed and functional site. They've partnered with the Royal Bank of Canada to help you "e-commerce enable" your Web site.

Build your own Web store with ecBuilder
ecBuilder is a complete solution for small business for getting your business selling on the web.

Information contained in this page consists of information drawn from articles appearing in various publications. Any views expressed in the material contained on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of http://www.indiancommodity.com

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