Systems and development of e-commerce on the Internet - types, models, basics and advantages. Problems and prospects for the development of e-commerce

20.09.2019

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In addition, numerous online auctions and online stores have begun to gain enormous popularity, which make it possible to constantly receive a guaranteed profit directly through the Internet.

So, what is e-commerce?? To put it in simple language without complex terminology, e-commerce is the implementation of trade and settlement operations using electronic data and other interactive capabilities. It is important to say that running e-commerce has all the same features as running a business in real life. In addition, e-commerce includes not only transactions that are carried out online, but also various marketing research, organizing document flow through a network, establishing and maintaining communications with partners, and much more.
Online commerce has great prospects and numerous advantages.:

– increased competitiveness among a variety of commercial structures. Moreover, a unique opportunity arises to enter various international markets, while requiring completely insignificant investments, which cannot be said about engaging in commerce in real, ordinary life;

– new channels for selling goods, products and services appear, which are quite problematic to find in real life. After all, e-commerce goes beyond the usual national boundaries - it spreads through the Internet all over the world;

– sellers, buyers and suppliers are combined into a single system;

– customers are presented with a huge selection of products, services and goods among existing leading suppliers in the world;

– customers have the opportunity to choose among the offers available on the network. At the same time, it is possible to quickly compare goods and services, as well as the prices offered for them, in the shortest possible time;

– all operations are carried out as quickly as possible at a time convenient for the consumer. That is, at any time you can go to the seller’s website and order the product or service you like;

– for companies that trade online, it is possible to quickly respond to incoming requests. In addition, through the implementation of e-commerce, firms and enterprises have the opportunity to reduce their costs for costs and services, which, in turn, entails lower prices for the clients themselves;

– organizing online commerce is available to every beginning businessman, and not just to large enterprises with substantial investments.

Online commerce is popular all over the world today. However, like any other business, e-commerce requires appropriate preparation and knowledge in this area. As you know, in order to achieve good results in any business, you need to work hard and put in a lot of effort.

How developed is e-commerce in Russia?

Until now, the economic sector of e-commerce in Russia is going through certain stages of its formation and development. Moreover, sales volumes via the Internet in Russia are growing exponentially, and the number of users is increasing every day. According to analysts, the e-commerce market will steadily increase its profitability by at least ten percent per year. However, such a business is quite unstable in a crisis, and crises in Russia are a frequent occurrence...

In addition, by increasing the number of online transactions, Russia has a real chance to become perhaps one of the leading countries in the world in the field of Internet commerce, as evidenced by the constant opening of new companies on the Internet, as well as an increase in the number of potential consumers and customers.

Commerce in Russia has the following types:

– B2B, that is, business to business, when the sale of products or services is carried out by commercial entities.

– B2C, that is, business for clients, when products or services are sold to the end client (consumer).

Payment for goods ordered online, in Russia it is produced in several ways:

– upon final delivery of goods to customers through couriers – in cash;

– by paying with bank cards directly online;

- and, of course, using electronic payment systems - “WebMoney”, “QIWI”, “Yandex Money”.

If we talk about available delivery methods ordered goods, there are also several of them:

– delivery by courier is very popular;

– often order delivery via mail;

– the export of ordered goods independently is less popular;

– receiving goods through parcel terminals, which are gaining popularity in Russia.

As you can see, commerce in Russia is well developed and continues to operate in this direction. Now netizens go online not only to chat on social networks, but also to order the product they like at any time. New stores are constantly opening that are able to offer customers goods for every taste.

Moreover, almost all modern banks offer their clients various types of services online, through their official resources. A person who wants to open his own online business does not need to invest millions in it and go into debt - this will require minimal capital and a desire to work.
The prospects for the development of commerce in Russia are very obvious. Therefore, this sector is not only gaining momentum every year, but is also constantly modernizing.

Vasya, production begins with commerce. First you trade and establish sales, then you open production to reduce costs. Starting a production facility is difficult from the very beginning.

Yes, the e-commerce crisis has hit us hard! The strongest will survive, as has always been the case - on this sinful earth!

Now in Crimea there are opportunities to engage in e-commerce, I have been waiting for this for a long time, this is good! If only the crisis would end!

It’s logical to write Vasya, but maybe you can start with yourself? Somehow I have a vague doubt that from dawn to dusk you are not digging a foundation pit for the newly built BAM-2...

In order for Russia to get back on its feet, it is not necessary to engage in commerce, but rather to engage in production! And from scratch, we know almost nothing except how to sell natural resources. oh yes, we also know how to assemble everything by purchasing everything abroad, thereby boosting the economy of a foreign country!

Anatoly, you are of course right about online stores, but this growth only stopped two years ago and a decline began. I would really like to see the development of e-commerce in our country, but only the crisis is developing well...

If we are talking about e-commerce specifically in Russia, then it is necessary to note the growth trend of online stores. It would seem that the niche is oversaturated, but this does not prevent active people from starting their own business on the Internet.

Every day humanity begins to use information technology more and more actively. To do this, it uses the Internet. Today, almost all organizations open their websites in this system. Ordinary citizens are not left out either. They start their own pages on various social networks.

The Internet is an open system with a vast audience that allows completely new interactions between users. And it is not surprising that it began to be widely used for conducting electronic business. This is a completely new level of not only market and economic, but also socio-cultural relationships between organizations and people.

History of creation

It represents the integration of legal entities and individuals who work in the field of e-commerce. All of them are united in a network of entrepreneurship. Today, such a system is being developed at the level of the entire global Internet.

What is e-commerce? Unlike e-business, this concept has a narrower meaning. It involves the use of the Internet as an information channel for the purpose of organizing business processes. In this case, there is no traditional “money-commodity” scheme. It is replaced by “information-information”.

E-commerce is nothing more than online shopping. Moreover, this type of activity appeared back in the days when humanity was not familiar with the Internet. This happened in 1979, when the American Michael Aldrich decided to combine a computer and cable television into a single whole. To do this, he used landline telephone lines. This technology allowed users to order a product that was shown on the screen. It was only in 1990 that the first browser was invented by Tim Behrens. After this, e-business and e-commerce began their rapid development. Thus, in 1992, Charles Stack opened the world's first online store selling book products. In 1994, Amazon.com began its work, and in 1995, E-bay.

The development of e-commerce in Russia can be characterized by the following stages:

1. 1991-1993 During this period, the Internet is a means of communication only between scientists, technical centers, computer specialists and government organizations.
2. 1994-1997 At this time, the population of the country is beginning to become actively interested in the possibilities of the World Wide Web.
3. From 1998 to the present, e-business and e-commerce have been actively developing with the help of the Internet.

New opportunities

Enterprises that conduct their business along the traditional path are responsible for every stage of their activities. At the same time, they spend huge amounts of money on the development of the product and its production, further delivery and sale of finished products. Material and technical support for the entire implementation process also requires large financial resources.

But then e-commerce appeared. She began a gradual transformation of the work of enterprises into a network of virtual organizations. Moreover, each of the members of this community has the opportunity to concentrate their activities in the most appropriate areas. This made it possible to deliver the most complete production solution to consumers.

After e-commerce appeared, business received new opportunities. With this modern tool it is possible to:

Organization of video conferences;
- conducting online training;
- development of new marketing models;
- creation of business information environment systems;
- obtaining a variety of information;
- implementation of financial interaction;
- development of new relationships between companies based on electronic technologies;
- opening of new cheap channels;
- strengthening cooperation;
- support for alternative ideas;
- development of a new economy of production and purchase of goods.

The main tasks of trading on the Internet

The use of e-commerce involves:
- establishing preliminary contacts with potential suppliers, clients and customers via the Internet;
- exchange of documents created electronically, which are necessary for carrying out purchase and sale transactions;
- sale of goods or services;
- pre-sale advertising of products and post-sale support for the buyer in the form of detailed instructions on the purchased product;
- electronic payment for purchased goods using electronic money, transfers, credit cards and checks;
- delivery of products to the client.

Business-to-business scheme

There are different types of e-commerce. Moreover, their classification presupposes a target group of consumers. One type of e-commerce is business-to-business, or B2B. Such interaction is carried out according to a fairly simple principle. It consists of one enterprise trading with another.

Despite the fact that today there are other types of e-commerce, B2B is the most actively developing area with the best prospects. Thanks to Internet platforms, the entire trading process becomes more efficient and transparent. At the same time, a representative of the customer enterprise has the opportunity to carry out interactive control of the entire process of performing work, providing services or supplying goods. To do this, he uses the databases of the selling organization.

A feature of the business-to-business model is that in this case, conducting e-commerce is impossible without fully automated interaction between organizations to carry out business activities. And this has a very profitable prospect. Conducting business in the B2B sector, the company simultaneously solves the problem of its internal management.

Trading platforms for the business-to-business scheme

In e-commerce, there are special places where transactions are concluded and related financial transactions are carried out. These are trading platforms, which in this case are virtual. They can be created:

Buyers;
- sellers;
- by a third party.

Today, there are three types of trading platforms for the B2B model. This is an exchange, auction and catalogue. Let's take a closer look at them.

Creating a catalog facilitates the use of the search capabilities that modern information systems have. In this case, the buyer has the right to compare and choose a product by price, delivery date, warranty, etc. Catalogs are used in those industries where transactions for the sale of inexpensive goods are the most frequent, as well as where demand is predictable and prices change very rarely.

As for the auction, this trading platform model is characterized by non-fixed prices. The final price of the goods is determined during the bidding process. Auctions are used when the goods or services being sold are unique in their kind. This could be rare items or capital equipment, inventory, etc.

The third type of virtual trading platform - the exchange - is distinguished by the fact that the prices it offers are regulated by supply and demand, and therefore are subject to strong changes. This model is ideally suited for the implementation of common items that have several easily standardized characteristics. The exchange is most attractive for those markets where prices and demand are unstable. In some cases, this model allows you to trade anonymously, which is sometimes important for maintaining competitiveness and constant prices.

Experts predict good prospects for e-commerce using this model. First of all, such sales are beneficial to buyers. After all, trade takes place on a corporate commercial portal without the participation of intermediaries. In addition, such a trading platform is characterized by the work of one seller with a large number of buyers.

Recently, new types of sales models have emerged in the B2B sector. These are catalog systems that bring together several sellers. Electronic platforms are also starting to operate, combining the features of an exchange and an auction. Such e-commerce reduces the time and financial costs of selecting and searching for the best products, as well as completing the transaction between buyer and seller.

Business-to-consumer scheme

E-commerce, built on the B2C principle, finds its application in the case when the clients of an enterprise are not legal entities, but individuals. This is usually the retail sale of goods. This method of completing a commercial transaction is beneficial for the client. It makes it possible to significantly speed up and simplify the purchase of the thing you need. A person no longer needs to visit stores. All he needs to do is study the characteristics of the product on the seller’s website, select the desired model and order the product, which will be delivered to the stated address.

E-commerce on the Internet according to the business-to-consumer scheme is also beneficial for the supplier. He has the opportunity to quickly monitor demand, while spending minimal resources on staffing.

Traditional online stores operate according to the B2C scheme. Their activities are aimed at one or another target group of consumers. Since 2010, the so-called social commerce appeared and began to develop. It covers the field of selling services and goods on social networks.

One of the largest enterprises operating on the B2C model is the American company Amazon.com. It sells books and has more than a million customers in all countries of the world. Using the “business-consumer” scheme, the company equalized access to goods between clients of different countries. And it doesn’t matter where the customer lives, in a large city or in a remote region.

Trading platforms for the business-to-consumer scheme

In the B2C sector, goods are sold through:

Electronic stores and shopping arcades;
- Web showcases;
- specialized Internet systems;
- auctions.

Let's take a closer look at these trading platforms. E-commerce by small and medium-sized businesses is usually conducted through online stores. These virtual platforms are nothing more than company websites. A more complex structure is the Internet series. They host several virtual stores simultaneously.

E-commerce in Russia is often conducted through small Web storefronts. These shopping arcades are usually owned by small businesses. The main elements of such sites are catalogs or price lists, which describe the product or service itself, as well as a system for collecting orders received from customers.

Internet trading systems (TIS) are used by large holdings, companies and corporations. Such virtual platforms allow enterprises to increase the efficiency of supply and sales services, as well as build the most efficient supply chains to supply the production process with raw materials, materials, equipment, etc.

Many organizations use special Web sites when conducting e-commerce. Any seller can list their goods on them at the original price. Such Web sites are electronic auctions. Buyers interested in purchasing a product can specify a higher price for it. As a result, the seller enters into a deal with the organization that is willing to pay more.

Consumer-to-consumer scheme

The rise of e-commerce has given rise to C2C transactions. They are committed between consumers who are not entrepreneurs. In this e-commerce scheme, sellers post their offers on special online platforms, which are a cross between a regular push market and newspaper advertisements. For example, in the USA such a provider is ebay.com. It is a third party that allows consumers to complete any transaction in real time. Moreover, they take place directly on the Internet and have the format of an electronic auction. The C2C model has gained great popularity today. At the same time, buyers are pleased with the prices of goods, which are lower than in stores.

Other schemes

What else could e-commerce be? In addition to the most common schemes described above, there are several others. They are not very popular, but they find their application in a number of specific cases. Thus, the use of e-commerce has become possible through the interaction of both legal entities and individuals with government agencies. This applies to filling out forms and collecting taxes, working with customs structures, etc. Such forms of interaction became possible only with the development of Internet technologies.

A significant advantage of such an e-commerce scheme is that it makes the work of government employees easier and payers are freed from some of the paperwork.

Basic rules for entrepreneurs

Anyone who wants to have their own business based on information technology should know commerce. There are certain simple rules that should be a kind of multiplication table for any seller. Anyone who wants to become a winner in competition must:

Create a convenient website optimized for search engines;
- turn your visitors into buyers;
- carry out marketing activities that will popularize the site on the Internet;
- analyze sales statistics.

Prospects for the development of e-commerce

Today in Russia there are certain factors that have a significant impact on the development of EC. Among them:

The large extent of the country's territory requires reducing the influence of current restrictions on the sale of goods, which are associated with the remoteness of market entities;
- the importance of increasing the merger of Russian business with global information and economic processes;
- the problem of reducing trade costs, which would allow our products to become competitive in the world market;
- the need for more careful control over the sale of goods by enterprises and fiscal authorities themselves;
- the importance of the dynamic development of the technological base of organizations with the introduction of the most modern computer science tools.

The development of EC in Russia is facilitated by the traditionally high level of higher education. In addition, the country's financial authorities have already developed the latest banking technologies, the use of which allows customers to carry out transactions. The security of e-commerce in Russia is ensured by available technical solutions. They involve the use of tools that provide cryptographic protection of information provided by participants in virtual trading.

But there are also some problems with e-commerce in our country. Thus, the process of development of virtual trade is significantly slowed down due to:

Low market relations that are new to us;
- imperfections of the legislative framework;
- high degree of monopolization of the economy;
- insufficient development of commodity market infrastructure;
- imperfections in the system of credit and financial relations.

The first mentions of the emergence of electronic commerce (EC) technologies date back to the early 60s. last century. The use of computer technology to automate economic processes was facilitated by two main factors:

Rapid economic growth, which significantly manifested itself in the US economy - less than other economically developed countries suffered in the Second World War. A large middle class has formed in the United States, and large-scale production is growing to meet its demand for goods and services. The United States began to move from the industrial to the post-industrial stage of economic development, when the main product in the economy becomes not a product, but a service, and the product itself is no longer considered separately from the organization of its sale and service.

The appearance of the first, rather bulky and very expensive computers, capable of processing significantly increased volumes of information about orders, sales, production, materials and financial flows. Although electronic business has undergone the vast majority of fundamental changes in the last twenty years, the beginning of electronic commerce dates back to 1960.

In 1960, American Airlines and IBM began creating a system for automating the procedure for reserving seats on flights - SABRE (Semi-Automatic Business Research Environment - semi-automatic equipment for commercial research). This was the first experience in creating an e-commerce system. The SABER system has made air travel more accessible to ordinary citizens, helping them navigate fares and flights, the number of which is constantly growing. By automating the process of calculating tariffs when reserving seats, the cost of services was reduced. This system could perform comprehensive yield management, allowing airlines to maximize profits by manipulating prices based on available seats. In 1964, the system could reserve seats for 26 thousand passengers per day. American Airlines terminals connected to SABER via telephone lines were located in more than fifty cities.

The next stage was the management of industrial inventories of enterprises using electronic technologies. Actively developing mass production set entrepreneurs the task of planning demand and, accordingly, inventories in order, on the one hand, to ensure sufficient reserves for uninterrupted trade, and on the other, not to freeze working capital in the form of excessive inventories.

The use of electronic technologies to solve these problems made it possible to significantly reduce costs. And at the end of the 60s, computer technology began to be used for comprehensive planning of enterprise activities - procurement, production, sales, personnel management - everything was considered as a single system in order to minimize costs at each stage.

Large industrial enterprises could afford the costs of such systems. As a result of the rapid growth of large-scale and mass production of consumer goods and trade after the Second World War, it became obvious that the use of mathematical models for demand planning and inventory management leads to significant savings in funds immobilized (“frozen”) in the form of inventories and work in progress. It was found that choosing the optimal volume of an order batch is one of the most important conditions for increasing the efficiency of the trade and purchasing activities of an enterprise, since an insufficient batch volume leads to an increase in transaction costs for repeat orders, and an excess volume leads to freezing of funds.

1961 Leonard Kleinrock of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology developed the theory of packet switching for data transmission. Kleinrock formulated the key principles of organizing global information networks and substantiated the advantage of his new theory over the data transmission method used at that time - circuit switching.

1962 J. C. R. Licklider (USA) published the work “Galactic Network”. In it, he predicted the possibility of a global computer connection between people in the future, which would provide instant access to programs and databases from anywhere in the world. His foresight reflects the modern design of the Internet.

Electronic business took the next step in its development with the advent of electronic bank cards. For the first time, credit cards made of plastic with a magnetic stripe applied to them (magnetic cards) appeared, which made it possible to automate financial and settlement operations. At the end of the 60s, the number of owners of plastic cards grew sharply due to their mailing, and after this the number of retail outlets working with cards rapidly increased, and banks were forced to join the main payment systems.

27 June 1967 The world's first ATM, designed by De La Rue, was installed by Barclays Bank in north London's Enfield. There are currently more than 1.5 million ATMs in the world.

In 1976, the concept of an electronic signature appeared, without which modern electronic commerce is simply unthinkable. In 1977, more than two hundred banks in America and Europe were united by an interbank financial communications network. And in the early 80s, the first electronic payment systems appeared. Then they were carried out using special software exclusively in closed computer networks.

In 1971, the email service was first launched. Unfortunately, few users use the old email protocol, and to do this they spend their resources visiting email sites, although one competent setup of the email program is enough and it will deliver you all the latest mail on its own. The email system is still actively used in e-commerce. Any online store or online auction has its own electronic mailbox for the exchange of information between managers and clients.

The history of e-commerce development keeps pace with the development of the Internet. In the late 80s, e-commerce was actively introduced into the tourism industry, when several million travel agencies and numerous airlines, as well as hotels and car rental companies, were connected via a computer network. This made it possible to sell complex tourism products in one place, remote from the location of the service provider and increase the overall demand for tourism services.

The next significant stage in the development of the Internet, and accordingly the development of e-commerce, can be considered 1983, when modern network protocols TCP/IP appeared, thanks to which it became possible to connect computers into a single network in a certain region. This allowed commercial organizations to exchange information between the office and warehouses, which made it possible to significantly save on renting premises in the city center, where offices are most often located.

Nevertheless, the impetus for building the Internet and the development of Internet commerce can be considered in 1984, when the principles and standards for creating the distribution of domain names that we still use were officially approved.

The value of domain names for the Internet and for online commerce can hardly be overestimated. It's hard to imagine that we would access our favorite website by typing in various IP addresses after the http:// lines. Many domain names are self-explanatory. For example, the online store of your favorite electronics store can often be found by entering its name in Latin with zone.com or.ru. This greatly simplifies the search for the desired e-commerce object on the Internet for the end user. And simplification of search leads to increased traffic, which in turn has a beneficial effect on the Internet commerce object itself.

The eighty-eighth year can be considered a significant breakthrough for Internet commerce, when the IRC instant messaging protocol was developed and implemented. Such famous programs as ICQ, QIP, etc. are built on the basis of this protocol. Almost any Internet commerce facility has several working ICQ numbers for hot user support, which can be used to resolve all issues that arise online. This is many times faster than email and much more convenient, both for the e-commerce object itself and for the end consumer.

In 1989, the fundamental standard of the modern Internet space was developed - the World Wide Web (WWW) standard - a global hypertext system. The HTTP protocol created on its basis has become the main transport protocol of the Internet. In the same year, the predecessor of the dealing center opened - electronic business appeared on the securities exchange.

Until 1990, commercial use of the Internet was prohibited, as a result of which e-commerce could not develop to its full potential. However, in 1990, the first large private corporations were allowed to operate on the Internet, and management of the Internet itself, which until then had been under the full control of American government agencies, was transferred to private structures. But the apogee of Internet commerce can be considered in 1991, when the World Wide Web, developed by the whole world, became publicly available throughout the world. Already in 1992, the commercialization of the Internet received approval from the US Congress, and from that moment on, e-commerce entered a new phase of its development. In 1993, technologies for future electronic money were invented, and in 1994, the first electronic payment system appeared on the Internet.

In 1995, the Amazon online store website opened, which is today the largest online store in the world. At the same time, the first Internet bank began operating. It should be noted that the first online stores, in fact, conducted electronic business using the long-established technology of trading by telephone and mail, which at that time was widespread in the United States. In 2003, the global music store iTunes began operating.

E-commerce capabilities

Today, e-commerce provides the greatest opportunities for both suppliers and customers. Among these features:

c Self-registration of the buyer on the supplier’s website. This creates additional convenience in service for customers, and allows suppliers to carry out targeted advertising of their goods and services and market research during the sales process.

c Placing orders via the Internet using electronic catalogs and price lists. This feature provides significant time savings on searching for the required product or service and comparing prices from different suppliers.

c Electronic order processing, including checking the availability of goods in stock, calculating possible delivery times. This feature is an integral functional part of the enterprise’s logistics system.

c Receiving payment for purchases via the Internet. Payment can be made using bank cards through secure payment terminals, as well as using local or international Internet payment systems.

E-commerce has every opportunity for further development. Firstly, saving on the costs of online stores allows them to reduce prices, and buying in online stores today is sometimes much more profitable than in regular stores. This fact ensures both a constant influx of buyers and the emergence of new players in the market. E-business is becoming more competitive, which in turn has a positive effect on the quality of services provided and goods offered.

Modern e-commerce is based on the use of a personal computer, however, if today the use of mobile phones in this area is not as widespread as the use of computers, then, as analysts predict, in the near future e-business may be reoriented to the use of cell phones. This is due to the fact that, on the one hand, a cell phone is an absolutely mobile and easily manageable device, and on the other hand, modern cellular communication technologies can provide the technical basis for the full entry of phones into the electronic business. In addition, cellular devices already have a user identification system, and any owner has an account opened by a cellular operator, which can be used for payments.

Regardless of how the tech platform becomes the core of e-commerce in the future, it is clear that it will eventually dominate the business.

E-commerce is occupying an increasingly large share of the market, increasing both volumes and areas of application every year. It's time to talk about what it is and how it works.

It’s hard for me to remember the last time I came to a real, live store to buy equipment, clothes or souvenirs. And if you think and remember yourself, you will note a similar situation - more and more we prefer to make purchases via the Internet.

Why? Because it’s faster, more convenient, and doesn’t require us to spend a lot of time and effort wandering aimlessly around the shopping center. Going to a shopping center is rather an exception to the rule, and a new type of recreation.

The number of companies that decide to find customers via the Internet is growing. Because here there is access to completely different (whatever - all!) segments of the target audience. Even business partners are now found through social networks.

All this is e-commerce, the features of which we will understand in this article.

E-commerce, in simple words, is all about buying and selling goods and services over the Internet. This is an area of the economy in which companies can advertise goods through the global network, accept payments, enter into transactions, and make purchases.

This is a whole system of organizations and markets that use the Internet for their activities. The first such systems appeared in the 60s in the USA, then in England.

How to understand that a business can be classified as e-commerce? By the extent to which the global network is used to organize business processes. If the sale of goods, attracting buyers, and maintaining documentation is carried out via the Internet, this is definitely e-commerce.

There are several systems, or categories, in an e-commerce system. The main ones:

b2c– “business to consumer” is retail chains and retail outlets, online stores, all of whose activities are aimed at selling goods or services to the end consumer.
b2b– “business to business” - activities aimed at organizing inter-corporate relations, concluding transactions and trade between companies.
c2c– “consumer to consumer” - various auction systems, trading between individuals (this includes Avito bulletin boards and the like).
b2g– “business for the state” - tenders and government procurement, which are now also actively developing online.

Recently, the B2B sector has occupied the largest share in e-commerce, and its share is growing rapidly. Although initially e-commerce in our country developed as aimed at the end consumer.

As for e-procurement, they have just entered the market, but are already developing rapidly. The big players here are big companies; This sector is of particular interest to them. Although small businesses are also gradually becoming involved in electronic tenders.

To ensure the process of trading via the Internet, almost all areas of e-commerce use the following components:

platform on which a product or service is presented. This could be a corporate website for B2B, an online store, a landing page, an account on a social network, on Avito or Amazon, electronic trading platforms - it depends on the scope of the company’s activities and its tasks.
traffic to the target site, that is, attracting potential buyers with the help, etc.
purchasing or supply service, which allows the company to solve problems related to the purchase and storage of goods sold through the site.
systems that allow you to process orders, coming from the site - usually CRM.
delivery services, as well as everything related to the return of goods. In the case of e-commerce, this is more difficult, since in most cases there is no real, physical point where you can bring and return the goods or exchange them.

Why is the Internet so attractive for business? Because, first of all, herehave access to different audience segments. Now each of us uses search, is on at least one social network, and has installed at least one messenger. The Internet has become an inextricable part of our lives. Here we work, communicate - it’s logical that we also buy via the Internet. The Internet opens up new opportunities for companies to interact with consumers.

Second, but no less important, islow cost of data transmission and processing. No bulky folders that then need to be stored in the archive for several years. All this is simply replaced by electronic, fast and convenient document management.

Third - promoting goods via the Internet is ultimately more effective and cheaperfamiliar and already outdated advertising formats on radio, television or outdoor advertising.

All this contributes to the development of the e-commerce market. As of 2018, in the retail sectorthe share of e-commerce is only 9.1%.

In recent years, B2B has begun to enter the market, and compared to the already established B2C, it looks like a real giant. The number of transactions and sales amounts will grow rapidly.

For every business that goes online, the main task is automation. Everything is done in an adult way – it’s no longer a good idea to write down clients with a pen in a notepad. We need to integrate CRM systems and think about automating even the smallest business processes. Fortunately, there is no shortage of solutions for companies ranging from small to large.

Another feature of e-commerce is multi-channel trading. Today, it is not enough for a company to simply launch its website. You need to be present on social networks, instant messengers, bulletin boards and various catalogs in order to reach as many buyers as possible. You also need to use remarketing and retargeting to build relationships with those who for some reason did not complete the purchase or did not reach the transaction, but were already interested in your product.

The development of e-commerce today in our country is faced with the growth of mobile traffic. More and more purchases are made from mobile devices. This changes the approach to trade, to the organization and development of websites: mobile versions or applications are needed. But those who successfully cope with the task enter a new stage of development.

Nowadays, natural sales through social networks give a new breath to e-commerce. This is what social networks themselves contribute to by offering tools for selling goods and services, for example, new advertising formats; the ability to create a store based on a public page or community.

And finally, content marketing also makes its contribution to the development of e-commerce - as a tool with which you can build long-term relationships with customers and increase trust in the brand.

Companies that have gone online also face problems, the main of which are:

1. Inability of entrepreneurs to work with clients on the Internet.It turns out that the business is not yet ready to trade online. There is a completely different approach to communication, to processing orders, and to selling goods. You need to set up a sales department, track analytics, set up logistics... But many are not even able to accept an order from a client normally: call back on time, explain well, send the goods on time and do everything to ensure that the client is satisfied with the service. So you need to start with yourself.

2. There is no normal regulatory and legislative framework,Because of this, problems arise in the field of intellectual property protection, in the execution of contracts and other things. The new law 54-FZ “On the use of cash registers” obliges retailers to acquire online cash registers. In 2018, Europe switches to updated personal data protection rules established by the General Data Protection Regulation -GDPR. All this adds trouble to entrepreneurs and requires additional costs.

3. Rapidly growing competition in all areas. The e-commerce sector is developing; many companies have rushed to the Internet to find customers. Because of this, the cost per click increases, making it more difficult to stand out from other companies and attract the attention of the client.

4. Consumer distrust, because many people are not confident that there is a real company behind the site and that you will not be deceived. There are a huge number of fraudulent schemes, since the Internet creates a feeling of impunity (due to the lack of normal legal regulation, this is true).

5. It is difficult to attract new personnel and personnel. Managers and other personnel need to be trained separately to work with clients and to work with new software.

6. Problems with information security. It is necessary to use services with enhanced security to avoid data theft or leakage.

Despite all these problems, the market is developing and rapidly gaining momentum. And it will grow and develop at a rapid pace in the coming years. Every year new tools, new approaches and new solutions for e-commerce appear, so in the near future the picture should change for the better.

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