Module Summary

e-Commerce represents a significant shift in how people buy and sell things. A buyer can jump on the web, search for desired items, maybe get some consumer reviews of those items, and make a purchase while sitting in their pajamas in a comfy chair at the desk in their home office. The transaction may occur at any time of day, anywhere in the world. The possibilities are enormous.

Once you are comfortable with the process, buying items on the web is pretty easy. Selling can be much more complicated. This module has provided an overview of selling your products on the Internet. We talked about issues to consider whether you choose to make sales on your own website or on a third party's. In either case, you are likely to need to utilize a shopping cart technology to facilitate the transaction. To support this type of transaction, you'll need to arrange to accept credit card transactions to satisfy consumer needs. Whatever direction you select, you must assure the consumer that their transaction is secure. Without doing so, you jeopardize future sales.

Although the majority of the module was devoted to issues related to selling, that may not be right for you. Mercer Vu Farms isn't interested in selling their milk on the web, although Rod did say that they hope to use the Internet to sell compost soon. Almost every farmer could make some input purchases on the web. Starting on the purchasing side of the transaction will allow you to see what you like or don't like about how other people sell on the web. If and when you open your e-store for business, you can use the best features from others and introduce some to make your store your own.