Electronic commerce: Current and future practices

Abstract

This paper examines the current and future of the Electronic Commerce including the problems and opportunities faced by both consumers and businesses. During the last several years, the number of Internet users has increased drastically and it is expected to reach over 135 million by the end of 2000 in the United States alone. Consumers use the Internet for many different reasons ranging from only gathering information to purchasing products online. Although, purchasing online is still a small portion of Internet usage, most analysts expect it to increase dramatically once consumers feel safe about their purchases and protection of their privacy. Business to business e-commerce is still the largest portion of transactions performed online. Most companies try to promote their products, take purchase orders on line, provide customer service online, and communicate with customers, distributors, employees, suppliers, and strategic partners. In the near future, we are likely to see the Internet provide more entertainment for consumers, and ability to gather data with ease at high speeds. Many Internet users will also access the Internet through their cell phones and hand held computers through wireless technology. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.