ALSO CALLED: e-Commerce, e Commerce, Buying and Selling Online, Internet Commerce, eTransactions, Electronic Commerce, i-Commerce, eSales, Online Sales, Internet Sales, iCommerce, eTrade, Internet Selling, and Web Commerce
DEFINITION: E-commerce (electronic commerce or EC) is the buying and selling of goods and services on the Internet, especially the World Wide Web. In practice, this term and a newer term, e-business, are often used interchangably. For online retail selling, the term e-tailing is sometimes used. E-commerce can be divided into: E-tailing or "virtual storefronts" on Web sites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered  … 
Definition continues below.

ECOMMERCE DEFINITION (continued): …  into a "virtual mall" The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the business-to-business exchange of data E-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospects and established customers (for example, with newsletters) Business-to-business buying and selling The security of business transactions E-tailing or The Virtual Storefront and the Virtual Mall As a place for direct retail shopping, with its 24-hour availability, a global reach, the ability to interact and provide custom information and ordering, and multimedia prospects, … 
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