e-Commerce: Buying and Selling on the Internet

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e-Commerce Buying and Selling on the Internet
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The Internet and Selling

• How has the internet changed the way that items
  are bought and sold?
• How can farm business owners take advantage of
  the internet for buying or selling?

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What Well Cover

• Selling on the Internet
• Buying on the Internet

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Selling on the Internet

• Unless they have done it before, few know how to
  use the internet as a sales tool.
• There are different ways to use your website for
  sales.
• You may also use a third-party site to make sales

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Question

• What steps are necessary to make a sale in any
  format?

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Selling on Your Website

• Conceptually no different from any other sales
  outlet
• Display products
• Answer questions
• Provide price information
• Allow customer to make the purchase
• Accept payment
• Provide product receipt

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Selling on Your Website

• To display your products, you should have a
  catalog that provides photo written
  description with price
• Thumbnail photos (Database or static interface)
• Electronic Publication (Can print view offline)

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Selling on Your Website

• Facilitating the Transaction
• Two basic options
• Traditional sales options (phone, fax, email)
• Online shopping carts

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Selling on Your Website

• Traditional Sales Options
• Phone
• Fax
• Email
• Snail Mail

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Selling on Your Website

• Online Shopping Carts
• View order details
• Change order
• Provide running total
• Process sales tax if applicable

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An Example Shopping Cart from Amazon.com
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Selling on Your Website

• Online Shopping Carts
• You could buy or develop your own shopping cart
  technology
• Most use a third partys services
• See A Primer on Shopping Cart Technology in
  text.

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Selling on Your Website

• Considerations for Making the Sale
• Dont ask the buyer to do too much!
• Security is vital!
• Shopping cart technology also facilitates order
  processing

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Selling on Other Websites

• On-line malls similar to consignment shops,
  most provide
• Tools to build maintain your shop
• Credit card processing (with security)
• Advertising for the mall
• The ability to easily interface with on-line
  auction services
• Flexible fee structure, depending upon your needs

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Buying on The Internet

• Perform research before determining which
  products are right for you
• Be sure that the purchase is secure!
• You may be able to track your order
• You should receive an electronic receipt
• As you make purchases, note what you like and
  what you dont like.

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Section Wrap-Up

• Selling on the internet can be beneficial
• There are several different ways to make sales on
  the internet
• When buying, make note of good and bad items.
  Incorporate the good into your own selling
  interface.