eBusiness vs. eCommerce

What is eCommerce?
eCommerce revolves around setting up your business in a way that enables you to trade on the Internet. This means allowing your clients to access your website, view a virtual catalogue and when they are interested in what you have to offer from products and services they can simply add it to a virtual shopping cart allowing them to pay for it online via the means of electronic transactions to include credit cards and direct debit.

What is eBusiness?
eBusiness relates to any commercial activity that is conducted in an electronic format. This includes commercial transactions conducted via the Internet, telephone and fax, electronic banking and payment systems, electronic purchasing and restocking, etc.

eBusiness is not limited to certain type of business or technology related products and services. One of the uses of eBusiness is networking allowing sales and marketing activities to take place. Other eBusiness activities include purchasing and logistics, production, educations, design and engineering. The most effective use of eBusiness is when a business combines several of these activities allowing information to flow from sales, to purchasing and production.

eBusiness can certainly be used in:

Communication, e.g. e-mail,
Promotion, e.g. web pages, keeping clients informed about products, services and developments, facilitation of market research via asking clients to participate in online surveys, or providing customer service,
Linking, e.g. Internal Linking between departments known as Intranet and External Linking with suppliers known as Extranet, and
Creating new business models, e.g. sharing resources with new partners.

eBusiness vs. eCommerce?
eCommerce is actually a subset of eBusiness. It means using the Internet to order and pay for products and services, while eBusiness covers a broader range of activities that could take place via eMail or the web. The latter describes the information systems and applications used to support and drive business processes using web technologies.

eBusiness allows for more efficient and effective linking between departments, development of a closer relationship with suppliers and partners and better meet the needs and expectations of clients, leading to improvements in the overall business performance.

While having a web presence is the most common form of eBusiness, it is much more than that. There is a vast number of Internet technologies all designed to help businesses work smarter rather than harder. To name a few mobile and wireless technologies, CRM, CMS, etc.

Benefits of eBusiness
The benefits of eBusiness are vast. To name a few:

eMarketing – improve external product promotion and internal communications
eCommerce – increase sales
eMeeting – reduce communication and travel cost utilising online meeting tools
CRM – maximise lead conversion, track and monitor interactions with clients
Collaborative Tools & Virtual Workspace – Improve supplier relations and productivity
Integrated Back Office Systems – streamline business processes

Lets Get Rid of Those Small Business Fears

eBusiness is not limited to large sized corporations. Any business looking to lower their costs, operate faster and more profitably and improve its productivity and efficiency could implement eBusiness only if it makes business sense of course. Small businesses fear eBusiness due to foreseen risks and obstacles, mainly; cost, security, technical expertise and return on investment (ROI). However, such objections are not really substantial.

Cost – technology is not always expensive. There are many ways to implement eBusiness with modest costs or virtually no cost using Open Source solutions. Some businesses were successful by putting web access and e-mail to good use. The question is what solution is right for you?
Security – security online is an issue so is your physical operations. Implanting the right practical and effective security solutions reduces online threats if it does not eliminate them.
Technical Expertise – smart decisions about technology do not require a guru. Just the same way you employ professional expertise in legal matters and accounting you can find smart and profitable use of technical expertise available. eBusiness is not a technical decision it is a business decision.
Return on Investment (ROI) – here is the key issue. What is your gain from an eBusiness initiative? Starting with a clear-headed view of eBusiness as a question of business strategy will make sure that you are on the right track.

The real risk
The real risk to small business is NOT getting involved. Not putting eBusiness solutions into place will force you to face the real threat that is competition and declining business. Not having eBusiness in place will squeeze you out of the supply chain, whether a buyer or a supplier, by those who do business online.

Some large industry firms require their suppliers to be connected to their network! Internet business is booming and as a local business you don’t want an internet business to take market share off or displace you in your local area. Most importantly you may not be able to keep up with your competitors without the innovation that comes with eBusiness affecting your costs, sales and eventually, revenue and profit.

Discuss your requirements with us obligation free, call us on:

1300 448 184

overseas +61 3 9013 0616

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St. Andrew's Grammar School in Perth WA enlisted the services of Mr George Zeidan from Zeidan Consulting to completely upgrade and re-build our school web page. The final product and subsequent back up has been nothing short of outstanding. During the construction process, George worked closely with my staff and with me to...

Craig D'cruz, EX-Principal, St. Andrew’s Grammar

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We found that Zeidan Consulting provided outstanding service and was an excellent company to work with. Our questions were answered quickly and nothing was too much trouble. The website creation process was consultative and we are very happy with the end results.

Anthony Seric
Technical Manager, FujiFilm Australia
DS Chemport (Australia) Pty Ltd

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Normally, the task to create a website is scary for everyone, who isn’t an IT expert. However, creating the website for St. Andrew’s Grammar in Perth with George Zeidan has been a very inspirational journey for me. Not only was he able to explain complicated IT matters in a very simple and clear way...

Sabine Hofferberth, School Development Officer, St. Andrew’s Grammar
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George has worked with us on our website for a number of years now. The work that he has done for us has been first class and we would not hesitate to use him again; as and when required. You won't find a more genuine, knowledgeable and easy-to-work-with partner.

Alun Bartsch, Producer, MagoFilms

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Zeidan Consulting have done a wonderful job bringing our Website up to date with a new look and feel. Nothing is too much trouble for George and he helps us and trains us in just the right amounts. We feel like we are now in control of our Website content, but Zeidan Consulting is always on...

Alan Artherson, Business Owner, 1300 Intech

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