What Is e-Commerce?
e-Commerce is the abbreviated form for electronic commerce, the buying and selling of products and services over systems like the Internet, electronic systems, and other computer networks. e-Commerce also includes the entire process, from start to finish, of developing, marketing, selling, delivering, servicing, and receiving or giving payment for products and services. e-Commerce first began during the 1970s with electronic payments in the form of Electronic Funds Transfers (EFT) and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). During the 1980s, e-Commerce continued to expand as credit card purchases, automated teller machines (ATMs) and telephone banking systems gradually gained users and acceptance. During the 1990s, e-Commerce included enterprise resource planning systems (ERP), data mining, automated data collection systems, inventory management systems, and data warehousing. The internet has allowed e-Commerce to grow at an extraordinary, widespread rate allowing innovations in funds transfers, supply chain management, Internet marketing, online transaction processing, and expanded automated data collection systems. Most e-Commerce involves the use of the World Wide Web in addition to e-mail, mobile devices, and telephones. There are multiple forms of e-Commerce, including: business to business (B2B), business to consumers (B2C), business to government (B2G), business to machines (B2M), consumer to business (C2B), etc.
What An Online e-Commerce Degree Allows Graduates
e-Commerce degree programs are an innovative aspect of most business school programs. Most colleges and universities offer online e-Commerce degrees offer a virtually equal level of instruction as traditional, on campus courses with the added benefit of flexible scheduling. All e-Commerce degree programs offer students the knowledge and training necessary to promote businesses or sell products with success. The advent of the digital age allowed colleges to recognize and accommodate the educational needs of students with career or family responsibilities which prevent them from attending oncampus instruction. Most colleges and universities offer online degree programs with curricula, materials, instruction, and opportunities similar to the on-campus course experience. Courses for a degree in e-Commerce include: digital marketing, web design, telecommunications, financial accounting, database management, marketing management, business math, business communications, business fundamentals, workplace psychology, business law, ethics, computer applications, consumer behavior, economics of business, entrepreneurial financing, accounting, principles of advertising, and principles of sales.
Prospective Jobs For Individuals With An e-Commerce Degree
An e-Commerce degree provides graduates with the knowledge and experiences necessary for a successful career. Employment potential for graduates with an e-Commerce degree is tremendously vast and expected to grow larger in the foreseeable future. As most businesses require a web presence, graduates with an e-Commerce degree find lucrative careers building websites, managing sales, creating online marketing, and performing various other responsibilities geared toward selling products and promoting businesses. Many individuals with an e-Commerce degree work as independent, freelance consultants. Others work for various businesses and organizations as web copy writers, programmers, database managers, or webmasters. Jobs prospects in the industry of e-Commerce are expected to increase rapidly over the next decade, with jobs predicted to remain stable and fairly secure for qualified professionals. Earnings for graduates with an e-Commerce degree are expected to range from $43,000 annually to over $70,000 annually depending upon level of training, related work experience, and organization of employment.
