Internet Business Models and E-Commerce

#1. Attributes of Successful E-Commerce Businesses

Many companies have attempted to take advantage of the Internet to grow their businesses. There are numerous reasons for failures such as being late to the market, poor (or no) business plan, or comparing their new business to other businesses and not taking a "fresh approach". Some businesses do not even have a revenue model.

To be successful, business owners must understand the steps others have taken to be successful. This assignment will focus on what was done "right".

For this assignment, you will need to select a company that you feel has been successful with their e-commerce approach. Some examples of successful companies you might choose from are: Kaltura, Pandora, Taboola, Apartment List, and ShoeDazzle. Select a company and do the following:

• Write a minimum 2-page summary of a company/business      that has been successful at e-commerce
• Identify the attributes that have made them successful.      Why were they successful? What did they do differently than other      companies?
• Give suggestions or ideas that you can think of to help      this company to take a step further with their approach. For instance,      what can they add to what they are already doing to increase market share      or grow their customer base?
• Include an APA formatted title page and reference page      for sources used. Remember to follow APA guidelines when paraphrasing or      quoting information. Don't forget to cite your sources and include in-text      citations as necessary.

#2.  Business E-Commerce Model 

Understanding the different business models is critical. Selecting the right business model to meet the business owner's needs is the first step in reaching the target audience. There are main features of each model, and it is important and illustrating an understanding through the use of examples is best.

Think of several different businesses and consider the business models that they use. Identify three businesses that each uses one of the three distinct business models.

• List the three companies and the business model      utilized by each company (remember, you want one company per model)
• What business model do you feel is the most effective      and why?
• If you were to open up a business, what type of      business would it be, what model will best suit your business, and why?
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