Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
of pricing and availability changes. The data required to support large catalogs is almost
always stored in a database on a computer that is separate from, but accessible to, the
e-commerce server machine.
Product Configuration
Customers need help when an item they are purchasing has many components and options.
Product configuration software
tools were originally developed in the 1980s to assist B2B
salespeople to match their company's products to customer needs. Buyers use the new Web-
based product configuration software to build the product they need online with little or no
help from salespeople. For example, Dell customers use product configuration software to
build the computer that meets their needs. Such software is also used in the service arena
to help people decide what sort of consumer loan or insurance is best for them.
Shopping Cart
Today many e-commerce sites use an
electronic shopping cart
to track the items selected for
purchase, allowing shoppers to view what is in their cart, add new items to it, or remove items
from it, as shown in Figure 8.8. To order an item, shoppers simply click an item. All the
details about it—including its price, product number, and other identifying information—
are stored automatically. If shoppers later decide to remove one or more items from the cart,
they can view the cart's contents and remove any unwanted items. When shoppers are ready
to pay for the items, they click a button (usually labeled “proceed to checkout”) and begin a
purchase transaction. Clicking the Checkout button opens another window that usually asks
shoppers to fill out billing, shipping, and payment method information and to confirm
the order.
Figure 8.8
Electronic Shopping Cart
An electronic shopping cart (or bag)
allows online shoppers to view their
selections and add or remove items.
