Global reach/access

The internet is truly without boundaries. On one side it gives the seller access to the global market; on the other it gives the buyer the freedom to choose products from almost any part of the world. It would be no exaggeration to say that, without the internet, globalisation would have been far more restricted in both scope and speed.

Box A — Some e-Business Applications

• e-Procurement: internet-based sales transactions between firms, including reverse auctions (online trade between a single business purchaser and many sellers) and digital marketplaces (online trading between multiple buyers and sellers).
• e-Bidding / e-Auction: most shopping sites let you 'Quote your price' and bid for goods and services (such as airline tickets). It also includes e-tendering, where tender quotations are submitted online.
• e-Communication / e-Promotion: ranges from e-mail to online catalogues displaying images of goods, advertising through banners and pop-ups, opinion polls and customer surveys; meetings and conferences can be held by video conferencing. …