FREE online courses on Information Technology - Chapter 8 NETWORK &
COMMUNICATIONS IN I T - THE POTENTIAL OF ELECTRONIC COMMERCE
Starting around 1993, companies became enamored of the Internet. During the next
few years, thousands of companies set up “home pages” on the Web. A home page is
a starting place for someone seeking information. For example, you can create
your own personal home page that gives a reader information about you. Prodigy
and other services help you create and store your home page.
Similarly, companies create home pages with links to other information. This
particular set of pages is well designed. The user can quickly access technical
information about GE Plastics. A URL or universal resource locator is an address
or link to a home page. These link being with http://, which stands for
hypertext transfer protocol. Sometimes the // is followed by www, a period, and
then the address of the individual or company. For example, the home page for
the Stern School
is found at http://www.stern.nyu.edu.
What opportunities does the Internet offer for Electronic Commerce-for
facilitating trading relationships among companies and between individual.
Customers and companies? There are a number of ways companies are experimenting
with use of the Net including:
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As a universal electronic mail system. Various
proprietary systems all have “gateways” to the Internet. If you use America
Online and a friend is on the Internet, you can send mail to him or her.
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Posting information on the company and its
products.
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Using the Internet to allow customers to make
specific inquiries.
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To give customers information about their
relationship with the company on the Web. Well Fargo Bank in
San Francisco gives customers Internet access to
transactions histories in their checking and saving accounts as well as
information on current balances.
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Electronic data interchange. The Commerce Net
consortium described earlier in the chapter is an example of using the Internet
for EDI among companies.
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The purchase and sale of goods and services. This
kind of Internet application is starting as several companies offer ways to make
“secure” purchase without having to send a credit number over the Net.
