New technologies for e-commerce

CONTENT

• Advantages of using E-commerce 
• Find the web site
• Security 
• Analisys of the Hungarian agrarian website 
• Trends

E-commerce

E-commerce is leading to new ways of doing business and new products and services. It is increasing the efficiency of business operations and improving the global reach and competitiveness of businesses. The agriculture sector is expected to undergo significant transformation as a result of new business models being adopted through ecommerce. Examples of the adoption of new technologies in agriculture are provided with a view to demonstrating the benefits that can be achieved. The impacts of ecommerce are expected to vary on a regional basis depending on the industry structure of regions.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS TO AGRICULTURE

• it is reliant on accurate and timely information, e.g. weather reports, stock information and prices;
• there are large distances between producers and customers.

The agriculture sector can gain from the use of e-commerce in many ways:

• more efficient process for procurement of inputs through ordering and payment online;
• better information on availability and price of inputs resulting in better prices; 
• removal of intermediaries thereby reducing transport requirements and resulting in less 
• adverse consequences for product quality; 
• cost reduction through online marketing and selling products; and
• increased access to markets.

 WHY IS IMPORTANT THE USABILITY OF AN E-COMMERCE WEBSITE?

• Primary interface to customers 
• Users expect instant gratification 
• Users experience usability before they are committed to buying 
• Expectations arise from best site across industries 
• Competitors are “just a mouse click away” 
• Value of usability for the time-constrained information seeker 
• Usability as the critical success factor for Web projects
•  E-Commerce Web site = electronic storefront  
• Web site user interface = electronic clerk 
• Online shoppers can afford to be less tolerant with an inept electronic clerk 
• E-Commerce Web site = electronic catalog for direct sales 
• Catalogs are convenient for mail-ordering and large inventory 
• Too much focus on display and publicity 
• Web site user interface = “read-ability/usefulness” of catalog 
• How many paper catalogs get thrown away?

FIND THE WEBSITE

How can you ensure that your customers can find you on the web?

• search engine optimization,  
• Keywords, 
• Metatags 
• Robots.txt 
• Alt tags 
• Inbound links 
• Submit to Google, Yahoo etc. 
• Traditional marketing 
• Directory web pages 

THE 5 MOST POPULAR SITES IN THE US

• Yahoo! 
• Google 
• Myspace 
• MSN 
• EBay

 KEEP THE VISITORS

"Designing a website and not updating its content is no different than never changing the oil in your car…they both will fail”

•  Daily, weekly updates 
• Monthly newsletters 
• Discussion Board 
• Start a blog 
• Add new products
•  Rework your advertising budget to include your website
• Update your business cards, letterhead, etc. 
• Web specific coupons 
• Advertise your “new” website 
• Send direct mail with special website promotions 
• Sponsor an event or team (Chamber of Commerce) 
• Hand out placards 
• Send text messages to existing customers 
• Participate in tradeshows, conferences, and events 
• Create a press releases for area newspapers

 TYPICAL FAULT  

1. Target inappropriate audience (marketing and UCD) 
2. Unclear marketing message (marketing) 
3. Slow page load (usability) 
4. Un-engaging look and feel (usability) 
5. Clumsy site navigation (usability) 
6. Ineffective presentation (usability) 
7. Inadequate selection (usability) 
8. No access to real time help (usability) 
9. Uncompetitive price
10. Ineffective tools to assist selection (usability)

 E-Commerce Web Sites Must Be User-Centered

• Design should focus on 
• User experience – familiar needs and mental models 
• User expectations 
• User ease and comfort 
• User-centered design templates can help 
• Simplicity 
• User control 
• Consistent navigation 
• Search 
• Shopping carts 
• Personalization

 Access Control and Security

• E-commerce processes must establish mutual trust and secure access  
• Between the parties in an e-commerce transaction 
• By authenticating users, authorizing access, and enforcing security features 

 Securing Electronic Payments

• encrypt data between customer-merchant 
• SSL – secure socket layer 
• digital wallet (only bank sees payment data) 
• SET – secure electronic payment extends wallet approach, de facto standard

 TREND e-Commerce Success Factors

• Selection and Value 
• Attractive product selections, competitive prices, satisfaction guarantees, and customer support after the sale 
• Performance and Service 
• Fast, easy navigation, shopping, and purchasing, and prompt shipping and delivery 
• Look and Feel 
• Attractive web storefront, website shipping areas, multimedia product catalog pages, and shopping features, new technologies
• Personal Attention 
• Personal web pages, personalized product recommendations, Web advertising and e-mail notices, and interactive support for all customers 
• Community Relationships  
• Virtual communities of customers, suppliers, company representatives, and others via newsgroups, chat rooms, and links to related sites 
• Security and Reliability 
• Security of customer information and website transactions, trustworthy product information, and reliable order fulfillment

HUNGARIAN SURVEY

eCOMMERCE TECHNICS

CONCLUSIONS

• Many unexploited possibility 
• Number of the pages are increasing 
• Developing pages