E-commerceVocabulary Terms

By: Laura Kinchen

Buying and selling of Buying and selling of goods, services, or goods, services, or information via World information via World Wide Web, email, or other Wide Web, email, or other pathways on the Internet.pathways on the Internet.

E-commerce

Exchange of goods and Exchange of goods and services between services between businesses.businesses.

B2BBusiness to Business

The exchange of goods and The exchange of goods and services with the end services with the end consumer being the target consumer being the target marketmarket

B2C Business to consumer

When a transaction is When a transaction is debited against a merchant debited against a merchant account in cases of refunds account in cases of refunds and fraud; usually attracts and fraud; usually attracts a fee that is debited a fee that is debited against the merchant.against the merchant.

Chargeback

A third party company that A third party company that issues digital certificates that issues digital certificates that confirms a company or confirms a company or individuals' identification. A individuals' identification. A digital certificate is a crucial part digital certificate is a crucial part of secure e-commerce.of secure e-commerce.

Certificate Authority

Where two companies identify a Where two companies identify a partnership between them through partnership between them through one company displaying its logos, one company displaying its logos, color schemes etc on another color schemes etc on another companies application.companies application.

Co-branding

Small text files stored on your Small text files stored on your computer when visiting a site that computer when visiting a site that record preference for that particular record preference for that particular site's usage; common in shopping site's usage; common in shopping cart applications in order to cart applications in order to remember visitors as they move remember visitors as they move throughout product pagesthroughout product pages

Cookies

The entire process of a pre-sales, sales The entire process of a pre-sales, sales and service relationship with a customer. and service relationship with a customer. Many software applications are now Many software applications are now available that permit you to record this available that permit you to record this relationship from the time the clients asks relationship from the time the clients asks their first question. Good software is much their first question. Good software is much more efficient than fragmented records as more efficient than fragmented records as it can save time in tracking it can save time in tracking communications and transactions with a communications and transactions with a particular person.particular person.

CRMCustomer Relationship Management

Process of transforming Process of transforming data into a type that data into a type that prevents casual observers prevents casual observers from deciphering.from deciphering.

Encryption

These are mainly "virtual" These are mainly "virtual" storefronts which act as a storefronts which act as a catalogue of products and usually catalogue of products and usually include a "shopping cart" system include a "shopping cart" system to enable consumers to purchase to enable consumers to purchase online with the use of credit online with the use of credit cards.cards.

E-tailingaka Electronic retailing

Software/hardware used to Software/hardware used to prevent unauthorized access from prevent unauthorized access from a computer system or network of a computer system or network of computer systems. computer systems.

Firewall

Computer that allows Computer that allows communications between communications between networks. Used in ecommerce networks. Used in ecommerce to act as an interface between to act as an interface between a merchant and a bank; i.e., a a merchant and a bank; i.e., a Payment Gateway. Payment Gateway.

Gateway

Online resource that collects Online resource that collects data from a variety of sources data from a variety of sources and acts as a middleman and acts as a middleman between those distributing the between those distributing the information and people who information and people who want the information.want the information.

Informediary

A form of payment that A form of payment that deducts funds directly from deducts funds directly from your own standard checking your own standard checking account. Services are usually account. Services are usually managed by third party managed by third party companies that interface with a companies that interface with a number of different banks; number of different banks; provides a more fraud resistant provides a more fraud resistant option in terms of e-commerce option in terms of e-commerce transactions.transactions.

E-check

A special account where money from A special account where money from credit card sales is first routed and credit card sales is first routed and held before transfer to your own held before transfer to your own business account. The process is business account. The process is usually fully automated in e-usually fully automated in e-commerce transactions. Money may commerce transactions. Money may be transferred into your standard be transferred into your standard business account in real-time or business account in real-time or during various points within a 24 during various points within a 24 hour period.hour period.

Merchant Account

Unique merchant Unique merchant identification number that is identification number that is used in conjunction with all used in conjunction with all transactions.transactions.

MIDSMerchant Identification Number

Process whereby computers Process whereby computers can trade information can trade information between each other directly between each other directly without the assistance of a without the assistance of a third party network.third party network.

P2P Peer to Peer

A Website's official statement of the A Website's official statement of the type of information collected on a type of information collected on a site, how the information will be site, how the information will be used, how the person can access this used, how the person can access this data, and the steps for having the data, and the steps for having the data removed. The statement will data removed. The statement will usually include information regarding usually include information regarding systems that are in place to protect systems that are in place to protect the information of website visitors.the information of website visitors.

Privacy Policy

Special servers that utilize Special servers that utilize encryption to prevent encryption to prevent unauthorized users from unauthorized users from intercepting and reading a intercepting and reading a message that passes through its message that passes through its system.system.

Secure Servers

Software that is distributed at Software that is distributed at no cost that can be used for no cost that can be used for free for a specific period of free for a specific period of time or under certain time or under certain circumstances to allow circumstances to allow evaluation.evaluation.

Shareware

Software that keeps track of Software that keeps track of items a visitor chooses to items a visitor chooses to buy from your site until they buy from your site until they proceed to the "checkout.”proceed to the "checkout.”

Shopping Cart

Refers to an application that Refers to an application that with very few adjustments is with very few adjustments is ready for use, such as a ready for use, such as a remotely hosted shopping remotely hosted shopping cart service.cart service.

TurnKey

An application that displays how An application that displays how the resulting page will look as it the resulting page will look as it is being developed by the user is being developed by the user in which the screen displays in which the screen displays what the end result will look like what the end result will look like while the document is being while the document is being created or modified.created or modified.

WYSIWYGWhat You See Is What You Get

The amount of time a web site is The amount of time a web site is available; industry benchmark available; industry benchmark at this point in time for at this point in time for availability is 99.99%.availability is 99.99%.

Uptime

Refers to a specific group of Refers to a specific group of people who work from home or people who work from home or in very small companies.in very small companies.

SOHOSmall Office/Home Office

Each visit to a web site by Each visit to a web site by one person; usually "ended" one person; usually "ended" when all pages have been when all pages have been closed or after a specific time closed or after a specific time of inactivity.of inactivity.

User Session

Independent organizations Independent organizations that verify if an online that verify if an online company‘s Privacy company‘s Privacy Statement is verifiable and Statement is verifiable and accurate.accurate.

Privacy Seal Programs