Chapter 4: Introduction to E-Commerce 🛒
This cheat sheet covers the fundamentals of E-Commerce for Chapter 4 of the GSEB Std 12 Computer Studies syllabus.
🎯 Key Concepts
- E-Commerce: Commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.
- Traditional Commerce: Physical face-to-face transactions.
🛠️ E-Commerce & G-Commerce Models
| Model | Full Name | Real-World Example |
|---|---|---|
| B2C | Business to Consumer | Amazon, Flipkart (Selling to individuals) |
| B2B | Business to Business | Tradeindia.com, Alibaba (Selling to other businesses) |
| C2C | Consumer to Consumer | OLX, Quikr, eBay (Consumer selling to consumer) |
| C2B | Consumer to Business | Freelancer.com, Upwork (Individuals offering services) |
| G2C | Govt. to Citizen | Income Tax, Passport Seva (Government services to citizens) |
| G2B | Govt. to Business | GST portal, Business licenses (Government services to businesses) |
| G2G | Govt. to Government | Information exchange between departments/nations. |
⚙️ Advantages and Challenges
1. Advantages
- 24/7 Shop: No closing hours.
- Global Reach: No geographical boundaries.
- Lower Cost: No physical store/staff required.
- Inventory Management: Easy to track stock electronically.
2. Challenges
- No Physical Touch: Hard to judge quality of fabric or products.
- Security: Risk of hacking and data theft.
- Delivery Delay: Products take time to reach the customer.
- Privacy: Personal data collection and potential misuse.
🔒 E-Commerce Security & Payment
1. Security Measures
- SSL (Secure Sockets Layer): Encrypts data between browser and server. Look for
https://and the Padlock icon. - Encryption:
- Symmetric: Same key for locking and unlocking.
- Asymmetric: Different keys (Public/Private) for locking and unlocking.
- Digital Signature: Verifies the identity of the sender and ensures data integrity.
2. Payment Methods
- Credit/Debit Card: Most common for online payments.
- Net Banking: Transfer directly from a bank account.
- E-Wallets: Stored digital cash (Paytm, Google Pay).
- COD (Cash on Delivery): Payment at the time of delivery.
💡 Board Focus: High-Weightage Points 👔
- MCQ Alert: B2B represents the largest volume of E-Commerce business.
- MCQ Alert: OLX and Quikr are classic examples of the C2C model.
- MCQ Alert: EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) is used for business document transfer.
- MCQ Alert: G2C examples include Passport Seva and E-Seva centers.
- MCQ Alert: Symmetric Encryption is faster but less secure than Asymmetric.
Board Exam Secret
GSEB frequently asks about the Padlock icon. Remember, it represents a secure SSL connection.