E-Commerce Book (eBook)

Cover 1
Contents 6
Preface 14
Chapter 1. Setting the Vision 16
Market Predictions 16
Defining Vision 18
Traditional Business Vision vs. E-Vision 20
Business Model Basics 25
Chapter 2. Know Your Customers 36
Know Where to Start 37
Who Is on the Web? 38
Speaking the Global Language 45
Access Issues 50
Targeting the Best Shoppers 51
Chapter 3. Marketing and Branding 56
Know What You're Up Against 57
Plan for Acquisition Costs 59
Search Engines and Directories 60
Advertising Banners 66
Online Classified Advertisements 69
Message Boards 69
E-Mail Newsletters 70
Links on Other Web Sites 72
Newsgroups 73
Discussion Lists 73
Traditional Media 74
Press Releases 75
Just Give It Away! 76
Branding for Success 77
Marketing and Advertising Agencies 78
Chapter 4. First Impressions May Be Everlasting 82
Focus on Essentials 84
Easy Is Everything: Use Wide, Consistent Site Design 85
Present Interior and Exterior Links Well 87
Reliability Counts 87
Tackle Your Overall Look 88
Use Graphics and Layouts Well 91
Keep Text Readable 92
Make Fonts Enhance a Site, Not Detract from It 93
Make Your Pages Easy to Skim and Revisit 93
Make Your Visitors Feel Confident 94
Use Your Resources: Professional Design Agencies 95
Revisit Your Vision Statement and Goals 97
Chapter 5. Keep Your Customers 98
Service with a Smile 99
Quality, Service, Cleanliness 103
The Customer Is Always Right 106
Thank You, Please Come Again 107
An Ounce of Prevention 110
Be Neighborly: Chat and Discuss with Your Customers 111
Would You Like Fries with That? 112
Keep Your Hands above the Table 113
Personalize for Better Service 116
Customers Now Control the Relationship 117
Chapter 6. Fulfillment Channels That Work 118
Why Does Fulfillment Seem So Difficult Today? 119
Know Your Customers' Expectations 121
Know Your Shipping Options 122
Tackle Other E-Fulfillment Issues 129
Engage New Technology 130
Find E-Fulfillment Solutions 131
E-Fulfillment Supply-Chain Management 133
Plan for Spikes 136
Chapter 7. Choose Your Payment Systems 140
Payment System Categories 141
Credit Cards: Web Leaders in Payment Systems 149
Enable Electronic Payments 151
Ensure Online Transaction Security 155
Additional Security: The Secure Sockets Layer 157
Help Customers Trust You 158
Chapter 8. Know Your Infrastructure 162
Overview of Components 162
Content Management 173
Network Architecture 179
Chapter 9. Selecting the Right Commerce Package 184
Determining Your Needs 185
Evaluate Vendor Solutions 189
Ease of Modifications and Extensions 200
Scalability 201
Partners 201
Customer Base 202
A Final Reminder before You Buy 203
Chapter 10. Secure Your Investment: Security Threats and Solutions 204
Network Threats 206
Security Policies and Procedures 209
Separating Your Net from the Net: Firewalls and Proxy Servers 214
Encryption 218
Authentication and Access Control 221
Viruses 222
Chapter 11. Get Ready for Wireless! 226
From E-Commerce to M-Commerce 227
The Devices... Now, Then, and in the Future 228
Wireless Portals 232
Who Are the Players? Carriers vs. Internet Service Providers 234
What Will Happen? 235
Wireless Internet Convergence: Merging Technologies 239
Advancing M-Commerce Applications 241
Case Study: Year 2005 243
Make Your Plans 243
Note to Readers 243
Chapter 12. Commit to Never-Ending Improvement 246
The Dell Story 246
The eBay Story 247
The Amazon Story 248
The JCPenney Story 248
The Bid.com Story 249
Think! Think! Think! What's Next 249
Index 256