ehandel

Ehandel refers to the buying and selling of goods and services through electronic systems, especially the Internet. It encompasses online storefronts, marketplaces, and the processing of payments, and covers business-to-consumer, business-to-business, and consumer-to-consumer transactions as well as digital products and services.

Businesses may operate direct-to-consumer websites or use third-party marketplaces that host multiple sellers. Online marketplaces can reach broad audiences and provide payment, shipping, and customer service infrastructure. Shopping experiences increasingly occur on mobile apps and via social media, a development known as mobile and social commerce.

Key components of ehandel include electronic payment methods (cards, digital wallets, bank transfers) and fraud prevention. Fulfillment, logistics, returns handling, and after-sales support are essential to a positive customer experience, and cross-border sales add complexity in terms of pricing, duties, and compliance.

Regulation in many markets emphasizes consumer protection, data privacy, and competition rules. In the European Union and similar jurisdictions, GDPR governs data handling, while VAT and consumer-rights directives affect cross-border ehandel. Companies must ensure secure checkout, transparent pricing, clear terms, and straightforward refund policies.

Trends shaping ehandel include continued growth of mobile commerce, omnichannel strategies, subscription and marketplace models, and the use of data analytics and artificial intelligence to tailor recommendations. Challenges include maintaining competitive pricing, managing returns, mitigating fraud, and adapting to evolving regulatory requirements.