Electronic business, or e-business, can be defined as any business process that relies on an automated information system. In this day and age, lots of business activities and transactions are done with the use of the World Wide Web. By using e-business, companies are able to work more closely with their suppliers, partners, and customers.
One of the largest companies using e-commerce (a subset of e-business) is www.amazon.com. This Seattle based company was one of the first major companies to sell goods over the internet. Amazon began as an online bookstore, but when there was a profit being made soon diversified into other areas including DVD's, CD's, video games, furniture, and more. Customers are also able to use the website to sell their own merchandise, much like the way www.ebay.com works, but without the use of an auction. Throughout its success, Amazon now has websites in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, China, Japan, and France.
There are, however, some legal issues that Amazon and all online retailers may face when dealing with e-business. Within the development of the business, the creator must establish a registered domain and trademark, followed by some copyright protection. The company must then display all of the terms and conditions within their site. There should also be rules and regulations defined for the advertisement of the site by placing banners on other well known sites. Having an attorney handy is always helpful when starting an e-business as well.
When dealing with the customer, Amazon must have the customers privacy and security at the top of their "most important things" list. While shopping on the ...