bba401 slm unit 05

Unit 5 E-Commerce InfrastructureStructure

5.1 IntroductionObjectives

5.2 Need for an Intelligent Website5.3 Technology Infrastructure Required5.4 Basic Web Languages for Web Designing5.5 Corporate Strategic Infrastructure Required5.6 Miscellaneous Website Design Tips5.7 Summary5.8 Glossary5.9 Terminal Questions

5.10 AnswersReferences

5.1 Introduction

In the previous unit, you read about the requirements of e-commerce and thesignificance and components of I-Way. The fact remains that for any e-commerceto be successfull, the website should be very user-friendly and attractive.Therefore, web design is very important for company status and e-marketingbecause a website works as a representative of its respective company. Anattractive website motivates the consumer to explore it further. One should keepthe following points in mind when assessing a website:

A website should be easily accessible to a consumer and its structureshould not be difficult. It should be customer-oriented.

It should be up to date on companys policies, schemes and offersabout new products.

The content of a website should be made attractive with the use oftext, pictures, animation, sound, video, etc.

It should be designed in a manner that it can be downloaded quicklybecause a consumer will not wait if a website is slow.

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Sikkim Manipal University Page No. 78

The website should provide detailed and complete informationregarding its products and services; else, the consumer will notunderstand the products value.

Ideally, a good website explains how and what its organization offersby pointing out how it differs from its competitors, and how it canmake a difference to the customers life.

Since a vast amount of information is displayed on a website, thewebsite should be coherent. The customer should be able to easilynavigate the website.

A good website should have subsections. A linking structure is mandatory. It describes the way in which the

alternative sections of the site are linked. This linking structure enablesusers to easily move back and forth between the sites subsections.

Navigation tools should be present. These refer to the site tools thatfacilitate the users movement throughout the site.

To attract and retain users, some sites provide a number of features.Some such features are as follows:

(i) The user returns and enters the requisite information through the loginregistration. The site recognizes the returning user and configures itselfas per the users preset preferences.

(ii) In order to identify the visitors, most sites try to track and collect data onthe returning users behaviour by saving, identifying and trackinginformation on the users local disk storage in temporary files calledcookies.

(iii) Many sites provide free e-mail accounts to send and receive e-mails fromthe site using a unique e-mail ID.

(iv) Users can select screen layouts and content sources based on theirinterests.

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Web

site

Context The sites layout and design

Commerce The sites capability to enable

commercial transactions

Connection Degree to which one site is

linked

Content Text, picture, sound and video

that the site contains

Community How the site enables user-to-

user communication

Figure 5.1 Basics of a Commercial Website

ObjectivesAfter studying this unit, you should be able to:

Summarize what constitutes a good website design Formulate a procedure for creating an intelligent website Calculate the manpower required for e-commerce Identify and list the basic Web languages that can be used for Web

designing Recommend the corporate strategic infrastructure required for e-

commerce

5.2 Need for an Intelligent Website

One cannot build an intelligent website that optimally has all sources ofinformation for an online company, overnight. Actually, it is a long process thatrequires significant investment in technology, and an accumulation of knowledge

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that can come only with experimentation and trial and error. Website intelligenceleverages four types of information.

(i) Demographics: This explains such basic elements of the customers as: Who they are What their income is Their marital status

(ii) Expressed Preferences: This explains what topics customers haveexpressed an interest in; for example, types of music, choice of books,and the stocks they track. The preferences are generally stored throughform-based questionnaires provided when the customer registers for asite or a service.

(iii) Past Transactions: These are records of past transactions that theconsumers have had with a company. They are recorded when a customeractually makes a purchase.

(iv) Observed Behaviour: This type of information is derived by observing themanner in which the customer navigates when using the website. It alsotracks the sites he visited previous to and after visiting the said site.Consider the following steps that e-commerce companies typically followin leveraging their information.

Step 1: Basic Web traffic analysisBefore starting any Web activity, one first needs to analyse the Web traffic. Thistype of data provides a record of the entry and exit points into a website, pagesthat were visited, links that were followed, the duration for which a person vieweda particular page, the precise day and time of visit, the browser type, visitors IPaddress and other information.

Step 2: Customer interaction analysisThis step is used to collect more information about the customers interactionswith the website. The registered users are people who have had to register forsite usage, generally by filling out a survey form. As you know, in any site (evena free site) the user has to fill a registration form in which there are varioustypes of questions related to profession, education, age, gender, leisure activities,merchandise purchasing, etc. Through this registration process, the site is ableto get information related to both the demographics and preference. This typeof data is used to help inform personalization engines to serve the contentsaccording to the visitors interests.

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Step 3: Real-time personalizationPersonalization is the ultimate realization of the one-to-one marketing dream.Customers are recognized when they come in; they can tailor the way theyinteract with the merchant; and receive promotions and marketing pogrammesthat perfectly fit their personal requirements and preferences.

The following are four ways of personalization:(a) Greetings: This is a more general way of personalization. The customer

is greeted by name and welcomed back whenever he or she visits thesite.

(b) Customization: It allows a customer to tailor the service he or she receivesfrom an e-commerce site. For example, any Hotmail user can customizehis use of the popular search engine by creating a My Hotmail environmentwhich is more adapted to his needs.

(c) Narrowcasting: This relates to the delivery of time-sensitive information,personalized to each customer. These types of personalized messagescan be sent through e-mails, phone calls or pagers which enable thecustomer to receive information without having to connect to the site.

(d) Recommendation: Recommendation technology has evolved dramaticallyin the past few years. Earlier, it was based only on the preferences that acustomer would have explicitly expressed during registration. Now, it canbe done in real time and predicted automatically by the personalizationengine using different types of information such as observed real-timebehaviour, purchase histories and expressed preferences.

Step 4: Getting to fine-grained segmentationFine-grained segmentation is used to enhance the sites marketing power byusing an e-commerce intelligence system performing customer segmentation.You can start with products that are at hands reach through coarse segmentation,and then continue to fine-grained segmentation. This step also uses artificialintelligence to conduct knowledge discovery. That is, it can look for patterns inlarge data sets and identify common elements.Step 5: Going through the streams of clicksThe click-stream data contains details on customer behaviour that are richerthan what can be achieved in traditional channels. Click-stream information isthe recording of every page request from every visitor by the website owners.This information is stored into massive log files.

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Step 6: Enrich content with external dataOnce a customer performs a number of purchases, the website is able to furtherenhance the customers profile. Demographic data from third party providersmay be added to the profile to provide a richer view of the customer base.Analysing the enriched data might show, for instance, that a customer whobuys history books falls into a demographic segment which is also inclined tobuy classical music.

Step 7: Reaching optimal intelligenceA company can reach optimal intelligence once it is able to combine historicaltransaction records, observed behaviour via click-stream data and preferencesexpressed in online surveys.

5.2.1 Website: Goals, Objectives and Manpower RequiredBefore creating a web page, it is important to decide the goals, objectives, andoverall purpose of the e-commerce website. Without these, the website maynot have the focus it needs to be successful. To help determine the goals andobjectives, you have to ask and answer questions such as the following:

Will the website collect information about current and potential customers? Will the website allow the customers to make online orders for products

and services? Will the website advertise products and services? Will the website provide links to the related web pages? Will the website provide general information or industry-related

information? Will the website recruit employees? Will the website act as a virtual salesperson that will perform online

transactions? How many web pages are planned for design? Should the site be structured such that it helps in gathering data for the

purpose of marketing? Is there a requirement for development of special tools to help users

when they visit the site?Based on the answers to the aforementioned questions, you will either

require a one-stop shop or separate contractors that will look into each part of

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the site. The simplicity or complexity of the act of designing a website largelydepends on your imagination and/or budget constraints.

5.2.2 Design vs DevelopmentOften, the terms Web designing and Web development are usedinterchangeably. This, however, is not an accurate usage. Designing a websiteand developing one are two very different activities. Designing a website hastwo components, the front end and the back end. While these have beenused interchangeably, usually design means the front-end whereas developmentmeans the back-end.

Front-end designWhen a customer visits a site, what he sees is the front end. These are thepages that display the graphics, images, and text on your site. Those thatdesign a website focus on this end. They select appropriate images and fontsand even decide text and image arrangement. Appreciation of aesthetics is aWeb designers strength. He need not be tech savvy. Nonetheless, apart fromunderstanding what will be visually appealing on screen, designers need toknow the technical limitations while designing for the Web. An experiencedWeb designer should also be able to collaborate with a Web developer.Back-end developmentWeb developers help you build your website. They work on the back end, theside not visible to the surfer, to make a site work. Although not seen by visitors,this site is required to enhance the visitors experience.

Back-end functions are all about making provisions so that visitors canview different pages and even enter data, execute sales transactions, and allowimages to alter or move. It is important for the Web developer to be adept atvarious/languages such as Javascript.

Thus, it is important to ensure that the resumes of potential employeesreflect the following skills:

HTML (is used to create text and the layout framework of the page) Web imaging (it creates and compresses images) Javascript (it writes programs which run as part of web pages) ASP (customizes web pages for users) Java/C++ (writes programs that are embedded in a web page)

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This is a typical E-commerce website. Look at the various applications and servicesoffered at this webpage. Designing an E-commerce website is becoming difficultdue to various services offered as the same website, which involves going throughintricate designing methods.

5.2.3 Advantages of a WebsiteWhat is novel about the Internet is that it not only is a mine of information, but isalso available at the click of a button. The Internet is undoubtedly a huge sourceof knowledge. All that a person requires is a website and a resource-generous

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Web hosting company. Most people feel that designing a website is an expensiveproject. This, however, is not true. All that you need to do is to find the right Webhost. The benefits of a website will certainly override the costs.

Whether for personal use, or to aid a business venture, the advantagesof a website are tremendous. Many who have their own websites use them tofurther a hobby or an interest since a personal website too can be an excellentavenue for the exchange of knowledge with others. On the other hand, firmsuse websites such that their goods and services are marketed and promoted.For them, the attractive advantage is that they are able to cut costs involvingpostage, couriers and advertising, etc. For them, cutting back on such expensesas postage, couriers and advertising, etc., becomes the attractive advantage.

The following are the key benefits of having a website.Increased awareness of products and servicesThe Internet allows a business to expand its markets tremendously. Businessesno longer need to limit their focus only to the local scene. Through the use of theInternet, businesses can effortlessly explore international and regional markets.This introduces dynamic changes in participating businesses. This is because,their nature and marketing activities alter and many find encouragement to enternew markets by diversifying their products and services. Trading hours too findextension since numerous items can be viewed on a website round the clock.

FreedomThe Internet provides great freedom to its users. Therefore, not only do thosethat are otherwise introverts, frequent the Net, but even the smallest ofbusinesses are tempted to join. In fact, such is its growth rate that users arealarmingly increasing at a rate of approximately 50,000 per day. Since informationcan be freely posted on the website, and hence the Net, businesses profit in ahuge way. Not only has the Net become a huge customer marketplace, butbusinesses have found a medium that enables them to compete with the largestof organizations, on an even field.Cost advantageWeb businesses are keenly aware of their profit potential simply by being onthe Internet. The advantages are very obvious. They can advertise their productsand services and yet avoid the costs and delays caused by such activities asprinting, publishing and distribution. Since the Internet offers a globalmarketplace, greater value is added to the costs outlaid for promotion andmarketing. Thus, compared to the offline market, the benefits are many more.Websites incorporate e-commerce facilities that transform 2D screen visuals

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into user-reactive models. For instance, consumers can place online orders forproducts and services. This greatly reduces their administration costs. Some ofthe ways to reduce costs arefollow-ups through e-mails thereby reducingcosts incurred by making phone calls, electronically generated and distributednewsletters that reduce printing and distribution costs, and most importantly,extended trading hours.

It is now felt that if any business does not exist on the Internet, then it isnot only losing out on the benefits of a dynamic industry, but is also increasingits chances of being forgotten.

Activity 1Imagine and make a list of how many activities/tasks can be carried out onan E-commerce website.

Self-Assessment Questions

1. State whether the statements are true or false.(a) A good website should have subsections.(b) The user returns and enters the requisite information through the

login registration.2. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words.

(a) Website intelligence leverages________types of information.(b) The first step in leveraging information by e-commerce companies

is_______.

5.3 Technology Infrastructure Required

A great deal of planning and preparation goes into the development of asuccessful website. Acquiring the vital tools of the Internet is a significant partof that preparation.

HTML EditorAn HTML editor is a software program used to edit and create HTML documents.This is a tedious process which is why most Internet marketers prefer using anHTML editor. There are some that prefer writing their own HTML code.Nonetheless, HTML editor is an advantageous tool to use, as there are editors

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that tend to add unnecessary codes which may not support the latest technology.As a potential Web developer, whether you write your own HTML or use aneditor, learning HTML is very essential. Its knowledge not only providesindependence, but it also enables one to add special effects a feature that notmany HTML editors support.

Text EditorA text editor is a software program used to edit text which does not involve anyspecial formatting. Those who write their own HTML code, need an adequatetext editor. Although using a text editor can be a time-consuming activity, its useensures that the code is clean, free from errors and that the file size is not verylarge. Moreover, a text editor is also useful in writing articles and in editingscripts. Those who have a Windows operating system use the Note Pad astheir preferred text editor.

FTPFile Transfer Protocol, or FTP, is a system that is used to upload files to a Webserver and download files from a Web server. It provides you a way to control fileson the server. This makes it an important tool. An FTP program enables operatorsupload scripts, set file permissions, create folders and transfer files to and from aserver. To use FTP, a software program that supports it has to be downloadedand installed in the computer; the most popularly used being WS FTP Pro.Graphics EditorA graphics editor is a software program used to edit as well as to design graphics.

Most Internet entrepreneurs find graphic designing intimidating. However,since hiring a professional graphics designer can be expensive, mostentrepreneurs learn some basic design techniques. The program that Internetmarketers use the most is Paint Shop Pro. It is a powerful program and alonecan design graphics professionally.Zip/Unzip SoftwareA Zip file is an archive of one or more files compressed into one file for easydistribution. These are used to compress and transport file archives over theInternet. Since downloading one Zip file is more convenient than downloadingseveral different files ZIP file is the popular method for distributing fileselectronically. Moreover, the files in the Zip archive are compressed. Therefore,download time gets minimized.

You can effortlessly extract or unzip a Zip file using a Zip/Unzip softwareprogram. WinZip is the most popular Zip program because it makes the use offile archives easy and uncomplicated. WINZIP has certain easy features that

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allow files to be conveniently viewed, extracted, added, deleted and tested.These features include point-and-click and drop-and-drag.E-mailMost Internet service providers also feature and provide e-mail accounts to theirclients. Nonetheless, these accounts are inadequate to conduct business overthe Internet. This is more true for those businesses that receive large numbers ofe-mails every day. The disadvantage of an e-mail is that it contains the ISPsname and is also very limited when it comes to features and options. Outlook andEudora are the most popular e-mail clients. Outlook and Eudora enable you todownload e-mails from a server. In addition, it offers such features as sorting andfiltering. You can easily organize e-mail messages. The most important feature isthat your e-mail address remains your own domain and not anothers. Therefore,a webmaster toolbox always has a significant role in your success.

Activity 2Which E-mail do you use? What are its advantages over the other E-mailservices? What changes do you suggest in the E-mail that you use tomake it better.


3. State whether the following statements are true or false.(a) An HTML editor is a software program used to edit and create HTML

documents.(b) FTP is a system that is used to upload and download files to and

from a Web server.4. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words.

(a) ______ is a software program used to edit text.(b) ______ is a software program used to create HTML documents.

5.4 Basic Web Languages for Web Designing

HTMLHTML is a method which converts ordinary text into hypertext. Technicallyspeaking, HTML is not a programming language, but a set of special codes that

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controls a texts layout and appearance. The instructions are within a data. Thisdata informs the browser, which is a display program, how to render the datathat is contained in the document.

The Hello World program which is a common computer program employed forcomparing programming languages, scripting languages, and markup languagesis made of 8 lines of the HTML code. However, the line breaks and the tag, or the document type declaration, are optional:

Hello HTML

Hello World!!

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A minimal example of a web page containing JavaScript (using HTML 4.01syntax) would be:

simple page

document.write(Hello World!);

Your browser either does not support JavaScript,or you have JavaScript turned off.

VBScriptDeveloped by Microsoft, VBScript is a subset of the Visual Basic for Applicationlanguage used in Microsoft Office suite. Just like the JavaScript, VBScript isalso a client-based language. Again, like Java, VBScript is also run on InternetExplorer and Mozilla Firefox. The most pertinent difference between them isthat while VB can be compiled, a VBScript cannot be compiled. VBScript is thedefault ASP scripting language.Perl ScriptPerl is a powerful text processing language. Prior to the development of ActiveServer Page (ASP), it was extensively used in Common Gateway Interface(CGI) scripting. Perl Script is a subset of Perl and retains most of its functionality.Microsoft does not ship Perl Script with ASP, but it can be downloaded from theInternet.

Active Server PageActive Server Page (ASP) allows users to be treated as unique entities. This, inspite of the fact that all the users may be running the same program on thesame machine, i.e.,your Web server. Needless to say, running a complexprogram for multiple users on one computer requires many resources.Fortunately, Microsoft makes sure that those resources are at the userssdisposal. ASP provides:

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A means by which individualized data can be saved for each other Access to the various file systems Access to the various databases A way by which Control Object Model (COM) can be launched and

controlledIn other words, ASP can be used to create multi-user application. This

implies that one can obtain application scalability by leveraging ASP.

XMLXML is not just another mark-up language, it is a Meta language. In programmingparlance, meta means description. In other words, it is used to providedescriptive information about a document. It is very different from HTML. Themain difference is that while HTML is a fixed language, XML is not. HTML hasa set, pre-decided structure that has to be followed to make pages workable.XML, on the other hand, is flexible enough to allow users to create their owntags. It can even be extended by creating other mark-up languages with it. XMLcan be used to write mark-up languages for many kinds of applications. Theycan be used for ATM machines, databases, etc. It is not only a powerful tool forcreating other languages but it also works much like its parent language, SGML.At the same time, the advantage that XML has over SGML is that SGML isextremely complicated while XML is relatively easy to learn and use.


5. Match the following:(a) HTML (i) The default ASP scripting language(b) VBScript (ii) A set of special codes that controls a texts

layout and appearance(c) ASP (iii) Used in Common Gateway Interface(d) Perl Script (iv) Allows users to be treated as unique entities

6. State whether the statements are true or false.(a) HTML is a method that converts ordinary text into hypertext.(b) HTML is a programming language.(c) JavaScript is not case sensitive.(d) JavaScript programs do not require any software.

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5.5 Corporate Strategic Infrastructure Required

Initially, when companies were beginning to establish themselves on the Web,their websites was in their infancy. They were more like static brochures, werenot updated frequently with new or additional information and did not possessthe ability to help the companys customer or vendor transact business. As Webtechnology transformed fairly rapidly, only a few businesses were able to catchup with these changes in terms of website development and management.Internal Development vs Outsourcing: There are a fair number of companiesthat tend to avoid the problems of e-commerce site development by outsourcingthe project. However, this is not advisable. An e-commerce website can besuccessful only if it integrates and supports those activities which the businessis engaging in. Nonetheless there are, companies that are large and technicallyself-sufficient enough to launch their own e-commerce projects without requiringexternal help. The key to the success of any project is that a balance is struckbetween the support from inside and outside for each project.Internal Team: To begin with, a company needs to decide the parts of its e-commerce project that require to be outsourced. This is achieved by creatingan internal team that assumes responsibility for the entire project. Such a teamshould include professionals who have sufficient knowledge about the Internetand the Web. They also need to be creative and interested in taking theircompany beyond its existing boundaries. Including a technical professional isnot sufficient. The person should be knowledgeable about the companysbusiness. In order to create a successful e-commerce project, it is very essentialthat the appointed people have sound business knowledge, creativity, and arewell respected by the companys line managers.

The internal team takes full responsibility for the e-commerce project.This means that from deciding the objectives of the site to their finalimplementation and operation, the team is ultimately responsible for the initiative.This team also has the responsibility of deciding the sections of the project thatneed to be outsourced.Early Outsourcing: Many companies choose to outsource the initial designingand development of their e-commerce projects. This is usually done for anearly launch of the project. The outsourced team develops the site, and trainsprofessionals from the concerned company before handing them charge of thesite. This mechanism is known as early outsourcing.

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Late Outsourcing: This type of outsourcing works in the reverse pattern. Theinitial site design and development is done by the professionals of the concernedcompany. They even implement the system and operate it so that it becomes astable and integral part of the company. After the company gains the competitiveedge that the system was meant to provide, its maintenance is outsourced. Inthis way, professionals can channelize their energies to further develop newtechnologies. This mechanism is known as late outsourcing.Partial Outsourcing: In this type of outsourcing, only specific functions of aproject are outsourced. A company that specializes in designing, developing,implementing and operating a website is hired for this purpose. The electronicpayment system is a case in point. Most vendors willingly provide completecustomer payment processing. These vendors provide a site that takesoverwhen customers are ready to pay, and returns the customers to the original siteafter processing the payment transaction. Handling the e-mail and responsefunction of numerous small websites is another example of partial outsourcing.Many companies also like to send an automatic order confirmation via e-mailas soon as the order or credit card payment is accepted.


7. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.(a) The internal development team should comprise_____.(b) In ______only specific functions of a project are outsourced.

8. State whether the statements are true or false.(a) The internal development team decides the sections of the project

that need to be outsourced.(b) When the maintenance is outsourced after the company gains

competitive edge in the market, it is called late outsourcing.

5.6 Miscellaneous Website Design Tips

Keep it SimpleThe type of website one chooses to create depends on the market one wishesto target. Unless the market that you are trying to reach consists of teenager orsuch groups that appreciate a dressy website, it is recommended to keep the

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website simple. This rule is particularly applicable if yours is a professionalcompany.

NavigationAlso ensures that the navigation is simple. This can be done by making availablea menu, textual or graphical, on each page. If the site is large, care should betaken that visitors always know the section they are visiting. The site shouldalso be such that simple easy ways are available that help locate links whichwill redirect visitors to the main page or any other section.Font SizeIt is advisable not to fix the font size as there are surfers who face problemsreading text that is in a small font size. They like to set their own font size. If thefont size is fixed, it discourages many such people from visiting the site.Load TimeNot all surfers have a DSL cable modem connection. There are many whobrowse with 14.4K modems. The need for speed is the key factor on the Internet.Whether users are on high-speed connection or dial-up modem, speed is ofgreat value. Recent studies have shown that if your page does not load in thefirst 8 seconds, the user is likely to move away from the page. People areswitching to high speed internet connections, more so in the case of mobileusers who are on the move. The web page should load rapidly. The size shouldbe about 50kb including images, content and other media elements.

Screen ResolutionThere are three major screen resolutions: 640 480, 800 600 and 1024 768. Since mobile devices have different width, you have to provide for pagesworking well on smart phones and iPad as well. You should use device emulatorsto test the site on as many devices as possible. Also, since today, most usershave a screen resolution higher than 1024 760 pixels. The smart phone screenalso has to be taken into consideration, and the use of emulator will be mosthelpful. It is erroneous to assume that all monitors are set for the same resolution.

The difference in dimension and proportion can cause unexpected issueswhen zooming in mobile browsers. The close up view of the product is essentialon an e-commerce site, for e.g. Apple doubled the pixel density of its display iniPhone 4, essentially to circumvent the zoom-in issues.

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In Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7Right click on your desktopClick on propertiesClick on the settings tabYou can change your monitors resolution by sliding the bar for Screen Area.On a MACApple Menu > Control Panels > Monitors > Choose SettingFramesWhy is it that frames do not work? This is because they increase the load time.Loading two pages simultaneously is a problem for people with a slow connection.Moreover, frames also take up space, more so if there are more than two frames.If the screens resolution is 640x480, it can have a bad effect. Of course, youcan add a scroll but again screen resolution will pose a problem. Creating theperfect layout can be difficult especially if it has to be created using frames thatwork at all resolutions.

AnimationAnimation should be kept at a minimum unless the site is meant either forchildren or for teenagers. It takes away from the main focus of the site whichideally should be its content.

LinksLinks should be created that direct the visitor out of the site. This allows flexibilityto the visitor who can then browse new links while staying on your site.Banner ExchangeBanners should never be on the front page because the visitor might getdissuaded before he has even explored the site. Banners should be located inthe inner pages of the site. Even then these should be limited to the bottom ofthe page.Top of PageWhen pages are long, links to the top of the page should be provided at thebottom. Giving text links at the bottom is another alternative. This way, thevisitor will not have to scroll to the top for the menu.

Table TricksPlaying around with tables can yield good results. You can place tables inside ofeach other, and can differentiate by using different colours for each.

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Website ImageAlso ensure that your website projects the image you want it to. This image canbe projected with a simple manipulation of colours, layout and design. Fontstoo can be experimented with. A judicious use of all such elements can go along way to create the desired look.


9. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word.(a) The type of website one chooses to create depends on the______.(b) Navigation can be made simple by making available a _______ on

each page.10. State whether the statements are true or false.

(a) It is not advisable to fix the font size.(b) Banners should be on the front page of the website.

5.7 Summary

Let us recapitulate some of the important concepts discussed in this unit: A good website explains how and what its organization offers by pointing

out how it differs from its competitors and how it can make a difference tothe customers life.

Building an intelligent website for a company is a tedious task as it requiressignificant investment in technology and vast knowledge of the variousassociated processes.

Web designers should be knowledgeable about the demographics,expressed preferences of customers, the nature of past transactions andthe observed behaviour of customers.

Based on the requirements of the company, its website can be designedby a single Web designer or by separate contractors to look into differentsegments of the site.

There are two components in designing a websitethe front-end designand back-end development. Front-end design refers to the pages thatdisplay the graphics, images and text on the website; while back-endfunctions refer to the provisions that enable a visitor to browse throughthe different pages.

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A successful website provides increased product awareness, morefreedom to the users and cost advantage to the company.

Some of the Internet tools required for developing a website are HTMLEditor, JavaScript, Text Editor, FTP, Graphics Editor, and so on.

5.8 Glossary

Web developers: Professionals who build websites Web designers: Professionals who can help design your website HTML editor: A software program that can be used to edit and create

HTML documents. Text editor: A software program used to edit text which does not involve

any special formatting FTP: A system that is used to upload files to a web server and download

files from a web server Graphic editor: A software program used to edit as well as to design

graphics Website: A place connected to the Internet, where a company or an

organization, or an individual person, puts information E-Mail or Email: A method of exchanging digital messages from an author

to one or more recipients

5.9 Terminal Questions

1. Describe the various steps in the construction of a website.2. Write about the goals, objectives and manpower required for constructing

a web page.3. Prepare the list of the advantages of a website.4. Write about the important Internet tools that are required for preparing a

website.5. Summarize the features of some of the basic Web languages required

for Web designing.6. What are some of the corporate strategic infrastructures required during

website development?

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5.10 Answers

Answers to Self-Assessment Questions

1. (a) True; (b) True2. (a) Four; (b) analysis of Web traffic3. (a) True; (b) True4. (a) Text editor; (b) HTML editor5. (a) (ii); (b) (i); (c) (iv); (d) (iii)6. (a) True; (b) False; (c) False; (d) True7. (a) professionals; (b) partial outsourcing8. (a) True; (b) True9. (a) market one wishes to target; (b) textual or graphical menu

10. (a) True; (b) False

Answers to Terminal Questions

1. Refer to Section 5.22. Refer to Section 5.2.13. Refer to Section 5.2.34. Refer to Section 5.35. Refer to Section 5.46. Refer to Section 5.5

References

1. Turban, Efraim, Jae Kuy Lee and Michael Chung. Electronic Commerce:A Managerial Perspective. Prentice-Hall, 1999.

2. Whitley, David. E-Commerce: Strategy, Technologies and Applications.Tata McGraw-Hill, 1998.

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