You have been on lockdown since March 2020. What were some of the activities that you started or kept going? Some of you explored your hobbies and uploaded them on Instagram. Some of you continued to use social media to showcase your passion while some even started a business of your interest. Well! If you indulged yourself in anything of the above, well, you have been doing an online business. If you have handled transactions over the internet with online activity, that’s what eCommerce is all about. Confused? Don’t worry! In the article below, we will help you understand how is different from eCommerce.
Online Business
In simple words, ‘the term is nothing but any business activity done via the internet’. These activities are often handled via the internet, or by online selling, advertising, events, etc. The various types of online business include electronic commerce, Mobile Commerce, Social Commerce, etc.
Online Business vs eCommerce
Firstly, let’s get this straight, Online Business is not a synonym to eCommerce, rather eCommerce is a subset of Online business. While it is any activity done online, eCommerce is the buying and selling via the internet. Hence, for any business or commerce to happen online, an online website or a platform is essential.
Few of the ways to understand the above difference better is through examples. Let’s have a look at a few below:
A CMS platform – A Content Management System used by any individual or organization to manage the workflow of content can be an online business.
Stock Photos – Many bloggers or organization use free stock images to create a visual appeal, well it is an online business
Human Resource Tools – Various tools that help recruiters and administrators to keep a check on the company’s workflow and employee performance. This is an online business.
Hence, we can state that most of the online business activities are used for specialization whether in-house or outsourced. A standard business is termed as an online business only when the medium is changed. For example, if you are a consultancy that recruits freshers into various companies, you are a standard business. When you use an online website to perform the same activity, you are an online business.
What is eCommerce Then?
Well! Now that you know what is an online business, let’s jump into the details of eCommerce. eCommerce involves transactions in most cases. eCommerce can be explained in the form of order placement, order fulfillment, or making payments for an order placed. One can include all three in eCommerce or rather just a part of the process. For instance; customers can place an order online and pick it up from a physical order and make the payment either online or offline.
Forms of eCommerce
eCommerce can also be done in various forms. When it involves delivering the product to a customer directly, it is Business to Customer. Whereas if it has done between two businesses, it is Business to Business. All of the above involves transactions via various modes. Many businesses indulge in eCommerce via virtual marketplaces. Few of the names known to us are Amazon, Flipkart, eBay, etc. Selling via online marketplaces too is considered as eCommerce.
Dash101 – Your One-Stop Solution
Now that the basic difference between eCommerce and E-business or Online Business is understood, one thing to keep in mind is that an excellent website is vital and necessary. And for this, a trustworthy full-stack online store creator is important. Hence, Dash101, your one-stop solution to create your own brand in less than a minute and in four simple steps. With various payment options available, it is your go-to store creator. It helps not just create an online store, rather a brand for yourself to perform either an online business or eCommerce. Dash101 has it all.