Unit 45: E-Commerce & Strategy
Unit code D/615/1683
Unit level 5
Credit value 15
Introduction
·
Electronic
Commerce, or E-Commerce, refers to any type of commercial/business transaction
where information, data, products and services are exchanged across the
internet. These transactions can cover a wide diversity of business types to
include: consumer-based retail sites (e.g. Amazon), sites that provide facilities
such as auctions (e.g. eBay) and business exchanges between different
organisations. E-Commerce allows consumers to electronically exchange goods and
services 24/7 with no barriers in terms of time or geography.
·
Within
this unit students will gain an understanding of how and why businesses and
organisations develop E-Commerce strategies: to remain competitive in the
global market. Students will also appreciate the elements and resources
required to set up an E-Commerce site and be engaged in the design and
implementation of their own strategies that would in reality form part of a
secure E-Commerce site.
·
Students
will examine the impact that E-Commerce has on society and the global market
for consumers, buyers and sellers in terms of the benefits and drawbacks of
online purchasing. Through investigation, students will also research the
technologies involved in setting up a secure E-Commerce site in preparation for
their own E- Commerce strategy.
·
There
is an expectation that students will devise a strategy based on an element of
E- Commerce such as designing a shopping cart, an ordering system, payment
system or an online marketing system, for example. This design should be fully
implemented and evaluated accordingly in terms of its success or failure.
·
Standards
and levels of support, marketing, CRM, promotion and supply chain management
will all be explored within the context of developing the implementation
strategy.
·
On
successful completion of this unit a student will have gained both a technical
and practical insight into E-Commerce strategy, design and development. As a
result they will develop skills such as communication literacy, critical
thinking, analysis, reasoning and interpretation, which are crucial for gaining
employment and developing academic competence.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria
Pass | Merit | Distinction |
LO1 Examine the strategies employed and the impact of | D1 Critically review the benefits and drawbacks of an organisation utilising E-Commerce. |
E-Commerce on business organisations |
P1 Discuss the importance | M1 Analyse organisation |
of addressing and meeting | case studies and examine |
customer expectations | how E-Commerce has been |
when employing an E- | used to improve an |
Commerce strategy. | element of business |
| operations. |
LO2 Analyse the hardware, software, web-based and | D2 Evaluate the role that database technology plays in the development and sustainability of E- Commerce. |
database technologies involved in setting up a secure E- |
Commerce site |
P2 Discuss the | M2 Justify the importance |
technologies involved in | of communications |
setting up a secure E- | technology in E-Commerce |
Commerce site. | design. |
LO3 Design an E-Commerce strategy based on a given end user requirement or specification | |
P3 Discuss the types of strategies that could be used to drive an E- Commerce solution. | M3 Analyse the factors and resources that should be considered when designing an E-Commerce strategy. | D3 Appraise the design and functionality of the E- Commerce solution. |
P4 Design an E-Commerce solution based on a specified requirement or strategy. | M4 Differentiate between the types of payment systems that are integral to E-Commerce success. | |
Pass | Merit | Distinction |
LO4 Implement an E-Commerce strategy based on a | |
given end user requirement or specification | |
P5 Implement an E- Commerce solution based on a specified requirement or strategy. | M5 Produce a detailed SWOT analysis to support the implemented E-Commerce design. | D4 Evaluate the success of the E- Commerce implementation and identify how it fulfils a |
| | specified requirement |
| | or strategy. |
Learning
Outcomes
By the end
of this unit students will be able to:
1. Examine the strategies employed and the
impact of E-Commerce on business organisations.
2. Analyse the hardware, software, web-based
and database technologies involved in setting up a secure E-Commerce site.
3. Design an E-Commerce strategy based on a
given end user requirement or specification.
4. Implement an E-Commerce strategy based
on a given end user requirement or specification
Essential
Content
LO1 Examine
the strategies employed and the impact of E-Commerce on business organisations
Customer
expectations:
·
Raised
expectations for a quick and efficient service e.g. timely responses to
customer communications, quick delivery of the product or service, accurate information,
reduced pricing for the product/service, greater choice.
Benefits:
·
Wider
market, niche target marketing, lower overheads and costs, greater flexibility
and access to goods/services 27/7.
Drawbacks:
·
Visibility,
security issues and threats, down-time, high set up and maintenance costs, need
to employ a technician or web-based administrator to manage the provision.
LO2 Analyse
the hardware, software, web-based and database technologies involved in setting
up a secure E-Commerce site
Web architecture:
·
Components
e.g. server-side scripting, client/server/script interaction, operation of
server-side web applications, accessing data on the web server, dynamic web
pages, consistent navigational menu on all pages, browser cookies, embedding
animation and video content in web pages, adding interactivity with plug-ins.
Hardware and
software:
·
Web
servers, browsers, server software, web authoring tools, database system,
shopping cart software, scripting software, browser and platform compatibility.
Networking technology e.g. TCP/IP addresses, ports and protocols; domain names,
multiple registration of domains (.com as well as .co.uk); setting up the
server directory structure, deploying access configuration/security.
Database technology:
·
Uses
and processes e.g. database-driven web pages, opening a connection to a
database, storing data captured from forms, performing dynamic queries on the
database, generating a web page response displaying the results of a query.
Communication
technology:
·
Uses
e.g. email support, forum; search engine optimisation; additional hardware and
software components required to support communications.
Data
transmission:
·
Features
e.g. download speeds, transfer rates, bandwidth required for given applications
including text, graphics, video, speech.
LO3 Design
an E-Commerce strategy based on a given end user requirement or specification
Considerations:
·
Hardware
and software, design and development, costs and resources, security,
maintenance, customer online support and logistics.
Internet
strategy:
·
Hosting
e.g. internal, sub-contracted; design of the website; maintaining 24/7 access.
Marketing
strategy:
·
Methods
e.g. targeting market segments and interest groups, developing electronic
‘web-communities’, CRM, promotion strategies to target specific market
segments, search engine optimisation, e-marketing software.
Supply chain
strategy:
·
Methods
e.g. satisfying customer demand, responsive supply chain, managed in house or
sub-contracted, developing ‘partnership’ relationships with suppliers.
Electronic
payment:
·
Methods
e.g. online transaction processing, Commercial Off the Shelf Software (COTS),
other payment systems e.g. PayPal, WorldPay.
LO4
Implement an E-Commerce strategy based on a given end user requirement or
specification
Implementation:
·
Demonstrate
that the E-Commerce strategy devised has been implemented using suitable tools
and applications. The strategy could be marketing, supply chain or payment
based, for example designing an online ordering system or an online payment
system.
Evaluation:
·
Evaluate
the success of the design and implementation of the E-Commerce strategy.
Technique:
·
SWOT
analysis to evaluate the overall strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats
of the implemented E-Commerce strategy.
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