E-commerceVocabulary Terms

E-commerce

Buying and selling of Buying and selling of goods, services, or goods, services, or information via World information via World Wide Web, email, or Wide Web, email, or other pathways on the other pathways on the Internet.Internet.

B2BBusiness to Business

Exchange of goods and Exchange of goods and services between services between businesses.businesses.

B2C Business to consumer

The exchange of goods The exchange of goods and services with the and services with the end consumer being the end consumer being the target markettarget market

Chargeback

When a transaction is When a transaction is debited against a debited against a merchant account in merchant account in cases of refunds and cases of refunds and fraud; usually attracts a fraud; usually attracts a fee that is debited fee that is debited against the merchant.against the merchant.

Certificate Authority

A third party company A third party company that issues digital that issues digital certificates that certificates that confirms a company or confirms a company or individuals' individuals' identification. A digital identification. A digital certificate is a crucial certificate is a crucial part of secure e-part of secure e-commerce.commerce.

Co-branding

Where two companies Where two companies identify a partnership identify a partnership between them through between them through one company displaying one company displaying its logos, color schemes its logos, color schemes etc on another etc on another companies application.companies application.

Cookies

Small text files stored on Small text files stored on your computer when your computer when visiting a site that record visiting a site that record preference for that preference for that particular site's usage; particular site's usage; common in shopping cart common in shopping cart applications in order to applications in order to remember visitors as they remember visitors as they move throughout product move throughout product pagespages

CRMCustomer Relationship Management

The entire process of a pre-The entire process of a pre-sales, sales and service sales, sales and service relationship with a customer. relationship with a customer. Many software applications are Many software applications are now available that permit you to now available that permit you to record this relationship from the record this relationship from the time the clients asks their first time the clients asks their first question. Good software is much question. Good software is much more efficient than fragmented more efficient than fragmented records as it can save time in records as it can save time in tracking communications and tracking communications and transactions with a particular transactions with a particular person.person.

Encryption

Process of transforming Process of transforming data into a type that data into a type that prevents casual prevents casual observers from observers from deciphering.deciphering.

E-tailingaka Electronic retailing

These are mainly "virtual" These are mainly "virtual" storefronts which act as a storefronts which act as a catalogue of products and catalogue of products and usually include a "shopping usually include a "shopping cart" system to enable cart" system to enable consumers to purchase consumers to purchase online with the use of online with the use of credit cards.credit cards.

Firewall

Software/hardware used to Software/hardware used to prevent unauthorized prevent unauthorized access from a computer access from a computer system or network of system or network of computer systems. computer systems.

Gateway

Computer that allows Computer that allows communications between communications between networks. Used in ecommerce networks. Used in ecommerce to act as an interface between to act as an interface between a merchant and a bank; i.e., a a merchant and a bank; i.e., a Payment Gateway. Payment Gateway.

Informediary

Online resource that Online resource that collects data from a collects data from a variety of sources and variety of sources and acts as a middleman acts as a middleman between those between those distributing the distributing the information and people information and people who want the who want the information.information.

E-check

A form of payment that A form of payment that deducts funds directly from deducts funds directly from your own standard checking your own standard checking account. Services are usually account. Services are usually managed by third party managed by third party companies that interface with companies that interface with a number of different banks; a number of different banks; provides a more fraud provides a more fraud resistant option in terms of e-resistant option in terms of e-commerce transactions.commerce transactions.

Merchant Account

A special account where money A special account where money from credit card sales is first from credit card sales is first routed and held before transfer routed and held before transfer to your own business account. to your own business account. The process is usually fully The process is usually fully automated in e-commerce automated in e-commerce transactions. Money may be transactions. Money may be transferred into your standard transferred into your standard business account in real-time or business account in real-time or during various points within a 24 during various points within a 24 hour period.hour period.

MIDSMerchant Identification Number

Unique merchant Unique merchant identification number identification number that is used in that is used in conjunction with all conjunction with all transactions.transactions.

P2P Peer to Peer

Process whereby Process whereby computers can trade computers can trade information between information between each other directly each other directly without the assistance without the assistance of a third party network.of a third party network.

Privacy Policy

A Website's official statement of A Website's official statement of the type of information collected the type of information collected on a site, how the information on a site, how the information will be used, how the person can will be used, how the person can access this data, and the steps access this data, and the steps for having the data removed. for having the data removed. The statement will usually The statement will usually include information regarding include information regarding systems that are in place to systems that are in place to protect the information of protect the information of website visitors.website visitors.

Secure Servers

Special servers that Special servers that utilize encryption to utilize encryption to prevent unauthorized prevent unauthorized users from intercepting users from intercepting and reading a message and reading a message that passes through its that passes through its system.system.

Shareware

Software that is Software that is distributed at no cost distributed at no cost that can be used for free that can be used for free for a specific period of for a specific period of time or under certain time or under certain circumstances to allow circumstances to allow evaluation.evaluation.

Shopping Cart

Software that keeps Software that keeps track of items a visitor track of items a visitor chooses to buy from chooses to buy from your site until they your site until they proceed to the proceed to the "checkout.”"checkout.”

TurnKey

Refers to an application Refers to an application that with very few that with very few adjustments is ready for adjustments is ready for use, such as a remotely use, such as a remotely hosted shopping cart hosted shopping cart service.service.

WYSIWYGWhat You See Is What You Get

An application that displays An application that displays how the resulting page will how the resulting page will look as it is being developed look as it is being developed by the user in which the by the user in which the screen displays what the screen displays what the end result will look like while end result will look like while the document is being the document is being created or modified.created or modified.

Uptime

The amount of time a The amount of time a web site is available; web site is available; industry benchmark at industry benchmark at this point in time for this point in time for availability is 99.99%.availability is 99.99%.

SOHOSmall Office/Home Office

Refers to a specific Refers to a specific group of people who group of people who work from home or in work from home or in very small companies.very small companies.

User Session

Each visit to a web site Each visit to a web site by one person; usually by one person; usually "ended" when all pages "ended" when all pages have been closed or have been closed or after a specific time of after a specific time of inactivity.inactivity.

Privacy Seal Programs

Independent Independent organizations that organizations that verify if an online verify if an online company‘s Privacy company‘s Privacy Statement is verifiable Statement is verifiable and accurate.and accurate.