13 Characteristics of E-Business (Explained) - tyonote - EU-Vietnam Business Network (EVBN)

Characteristics of E-Business

E-business being internet-based provides various valuable ways to do business online. E-business is the way of performing activities online through the internet, intranet, extranet, and web.

E-commerce is the subset of e-business that has been an essential part that makes the e-business concept complete. The main characteristics/features of e-business can be mentioned below:

Ubiquity

One of the main characteristics of e-business is ubiquity. Since e-business is based on the internet it can be accessed from anywhere at any time. E-business can not be stopped by physical space people having an internet connection can easily reach the company’s websites and online stores from any corner of the world.

24×7 Service Availability

In e-business/commerce the service is available 24 hours and 7 days a week and it never stops. It is not like traditional commerce where the stores or shops are only open for a limited time.

Customers can enjoy e-business services at any time such as viewing goods & services, interacting with sellers, placing orders, making payments, and so on which are not possible in physical shops.

Easy To Set Up

E-business is easy to set up – to start an e-business there is no need for physical space you just need a laptop or smartphone and an internet connection. Being at the home, office, or any place you can easily start an electronic business and is also cheaper than a traditional business.

Global Reach

The reach of technology is boundary-less, and it reaches across national boundaries around the globe. A firm launching its e-commerce website can easily be accessible to the rest of the world’s customers. With e-business solutions, a company’s customers are equal to the total population of the world.

Richness

E-business has richness over traditional commerce. The e-business communication channels are very rich. The content of messages provided by e-business such as text, video, photo, messaging, sounds, links, etc. available for customers to know more about the goods and services they want to buy.

No Geographical Boundaries

The traditional business is located at some specific location and its reach is also limited. But e-business has no geographical boundaries it can easily reach around the globe from the one even a very small corner of the globe.

No Personal Touch

There is no personal touch in e-business and e-commerce. Buyers and sellers can interact using telecommunications networks, discuss business deals, and complete the deals.

Buyer and Seller Don’t Meet

In e-business buyers and sellers just make contacts through electronic means they physically do not meet each other as happens in physical business. They interact over the internet, make buying and selling orders, and the products are delivered through different delivery channels.

Information Density

E-business and e-commerce reduce information cost and raises the quality of information. Customers and other stakeholders can easily get product information through websites, blogs, journals, and reviews, and they can easily compare which is better.

This does not happen in traditional commerce – if happens the case is exceptional most of the time – sellers frequently change the information about the products they are selling based on customers’ natures, types, and status but in e-commerce, the product’s information remains the same.

Personalization

E-business and e-commerce promote personalization. They provide marketing messages to each customer differently based on his or her past activities, name, interests, and purchase records. Every customer gets a personalized message from the e-business websites that best match their past purchase activities.

Inventory Management

E-business increases companies’ productivity through inventory management. The required information about sales reports, customer details, purchase details, and other transaction reports are readily available when needed.

Non-Cash Payment

In e-business/commerce the payments are made using debit cards, credit cards, digital wallets, and through different online payment mechanisms.

Delivery Takes Time

In the e-business/commerce realm the delivery of ordered products takes time. It can be a couple of minutes, hours, or days. It is not like traditional commerce where instant delivery is possible when payment is made. Here, customers have to wait for the delivery of their products up to the prescribed time.