- E-tailer
An e-tailer is a retailer that primarily uses the
Internet as a medium for customers to shop for the goods or services provided.Etymology
The word e-tailer is a "
portmanteau " word derived from 'electronic ' and 'retail er', in a similar way to 'e-mail '. The word has been in use since at least 1995 [cite web
url = http://www.askoxford.com/worldofwords/newwords/newwordsdict/
title = New Words: How do they get into the Oxford English Dictionary?
author = Oxford English Dictionary
publisher = Oxford University Press
date =18 January ,2006
accessdate = 2008-01-22] .Types of e-tailers
Two distinct categories of e-tailers are
pure play s and bricks and clicks. A pure play e-tailer uses the Internet as its primary means of retailing. Examples of pure play e-tailers areDell andAmazon.com . A brick and click e-tailer uses the Internet to push its good or service but also has the traditional physical storefront available to customers. Combining this new type of retail and the old of ageneral store is a new type of store which is part of thegreen economics movement, promotingethical consumerism .Advantages to e-tailing
E-tailers who take part in pure play–type business have the opportunity to turn higher profit margins, due in part to the fact that many of the overhead expenses associated with a physical retail space, such as labour, retail space, and inventory, can be significantly alleviated. Pure play allows for a retailer to be able to reach customers world wide, whilst still only maintaining one location for each and every customer to visit, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Disadvantages to e-tailing
Many studies have shown that e-tailers are failing to meet the needs of online customers and that they generally only have one chance to make a good impression if they want their customers to return. It is said that the three most important things that e-tailers today must work on to ensure profitability are "search, support and promotion." Fact|date=October 2007
E-tail legislation
E-tailers must also abide by many rules, regulations, and legislation set up by organizations such as the
Federal Trade Commission and theElectronic Retailing Association . These organizations in the United States, as well as similar ones around the world, ensure that e-tailers remain ethical in their practices and do not misrepresent products online, among many other things.Customer support
For customers, e-tailers can be a fast and convenient way to shop, but problems can sometimes occur. Examples of possible problems include lost shipments, errors in shipments, overbilled customers, faulty products, and credit card fraud. There are many organizations designed to protect the customer and his/her rights, and examples are the
Better Business Bureau andTRUSTe .ee also
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Online shop References
* [http://www.retailing.org/new_site/default.asp Electronic Retailing Association (2006)] - Retrieved June 25, 2006
* [http://www.savvyshopper.org/savvyshopper/index_home.htm SavvyShopper.org (2000) Know Your Rights] - Retrieved June 25, 2006External links
* [http://www.savvyshopper.org/ SavvyShopper] (produced by the
Electronic Retailing Association )
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