Competing internationally – internet and e-commerce

E-commerce is any business transaction that takes place using the internet.

Using the internet and e-commerce is becoming essential for businesses that want to expand, such as small businesses. This is because the internet and e-commerce provide easy ways for businesses to gain access to a much wider range of potential customers.

For example, a small clothes shop in Manchester could decide to set up a website and start selling clothes through e-commerce. The owner might also decide to create websites in different languages, to allow overseas customers to understand the information and purchase the shop’s clothes.

Advantages of e-commerce for a growing business include:

• open 24/7
• cheap to operate compared to physical stores
• gives access to a huge range of potential customers
• easy to sell to overseas customers
• provides access to cost-effective promotional methods, such as social media and email advertisements