basic-guide-to-exporting_Latest_eg_main_086196

Chapter 11Going OnlineE-Exporting Tools for Small BusinessesIn this chapter . . .• E-commerce defined• Your company’s readiness• Steps to going onlineGlobal web use is booming, and millions of new buyers are logging on each year. Electroniccommerce, especially business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce, reflects this growth.The Internet’s global reach is a costeffectivemeans for marketing productsand services overseas. Companies thatestablish a corporate website publicizingtheir products and services are able tocreate an electronic mechanism for safeand secure electronic transactions; theycan also track orders, provide customerservice interface, and list their products’technical specifications. Small and mediumsizedcompanies can broaden their marketpresence internationally by adoptinge-commerce or electronic businesspractices that are user friendly for non-English-speaking users.Business-to-Consumer E-CommerceSales Worldwide (USD Trillions, 2012–17)Year Sales Increase (%)2012 1.058 23.32013 1.251 18.32014 1.505 20.22015 * 1.771 17.72016 * 2.053 15.92017 * 2.357 14.9* ProjectedWhat Is Electronic Commerce?It is buying and selling online through the Internet. The transaction is completed through anelectronic network featuring computer systems—the vendor’s, a web host’s, and the buyer’s—allof which are linked to the Internet.U.S. Commercial Service • A Basic Guide to Exporting121