Introduction
The Internet has changed most people’s lives as it pertains to their personal as well as to business situations. Nowadays consumers can buy and sell anything online without going to a store. The term is called e-tailing or Internet retailing. The focus of this paper is about business-to-consumer transactions, namely B2C and what is important to the consumers. Many components feed into e-tailing, which are essential for the success of a business. From advertising to branding to the structure of one’s website are necessary pieces that attract consumers aside from desirable products or services, of course. Products like CDs, books, or computers have low margins, which businesses can tolerate because they have global reach through the Internet to gain scale. The overarching communications environment plays a significant role. I will describe and examine the various aspects of communication messages in three behaviors inherent in e-tailing. Convenience My first description of behavior within e-tailing centers on convenience. Consumers appreciate that they do not have to leave their home to shop for articles of clothing, home appliances, computers, and almost anything that one can think of. Although some merchandise is more popular than others for reasons such as high brand recognition, popular vendors, or low price, consumers are the deciding factor of whether or not an e-tailer will be successful. Communication with consumers can occur in many ways over a number of communication tools or mediums, such as e-mail, cell phones, PDAs, instant messages, pagers, or faxes. Web Store Environment An important factor in the web store environment is for businesses to create a positive and pleasing atmosphere for their customers. This environment will create a behavior that entices the consumers to visit the vendors’ websites and influences their
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