What is Ecommerce Marketing?

Ecommerce marketing is a type of marketing practice that relies upon an electronic system to buy or sell products and services. The largest platform for e-commerce marketing is the Internet, though other electronic platforms can also be used. While ecommerce marketing is relatively common today, this type of marketing wasn't always so popular.

In fact, the term ecommerce marketing used to apply to an entirely different kind of marketing. During the 1970s, commerce that took place electronically was usually in the form of electronic data or electronic funds transfers (EFTs). These methods had very little to do with the buying and selling of goods or services. When the 1980s rolled around, the term ecommerce marketing morphed into another entity altogether.

The 1980s brought with it credit cards, electronic banking systems, and automated teller machines (ATMs). Thus, ecommerce marketing during the 1980s meant using any one of these devices in order to purchase products and services. Still, the selling of products and services via these methods was largely impossible during this time.

It was not until 1990 that ecommerce marketing was directly linked to the Internet. With the Internet, a whole new kind of marketing was suddenly available to marketers all over the globe. The Internet allowed marketers of all kinds to pitch products and services to a global audience; this was something that would change the face of marketing forever. Electronic commerce marketing as we know it today began with the help of individual websites, though it has largely expanded over the past couple of years.

Email applications, instant messaging programs, and online banking are all forms of ecommerce marketing. Further, many goods and services are purchased online without any type of physical transportation involvement. Thus, online retailers are often referred to as "e-tailers." Most items that are purchased on the Internet must still be transported through traditional transportation methods. Therefore, some type of human interaction is still necessary in order to buy and sell goods.

Consumers can now purchase anything on the Internet ranging from real estate to clothing items. In fact, it is extremely rare for any large business not to have an online presence. Since many of the world's consumers are largely dependent upon the Internet, neglecting to set up a company website can be financially damaging. Even though ecommerce marketing began solely as a way to transfer funds and track data, contemporary electronic marketing is continuously expanding.