Online Shop / E-Commerce
Electronic commerce over the internet, typically via an online shop that sells products or services digitally.
E-commerce is no longer a trend but a core sales channel for companies of all sizes. Whether B2C shop, B2B marketplace or D2C: digital retail keeps growing and lets businesses reach customers globally. Choosing the right platform and strategy is decisive for success.
What is Online Shop / E-Commerce?
E-commerce (Electronic Commerce) covers all electronic business over the internet: buying and selling goods and services, digital payment, logistics and customer service. An online shop is the technical platform through which e-commerce is conducted. Types include B2C (e.g. Zalando), B2B (e.g. Alibaba), C2C (e.g. classifieds) and D2C (e.g. Nike.com). Technologically you have ready-made platforms (Shopify, WooCommerce), enterprise solutions (Shopware, Magento) and headless commerce.
How does Online Shop / E-Commerce work?
An online shop has several core parts: product catalogue with images, descriptions and prices; cart and checkout with payment (PayPal, Stripe, Klarna); order and inventory management; shipping and tracking; customer service and returns. Modern shops use headless commerce: frontend (React, Next.js) is decoupled from backend (Shopify, Commercetools) for maximum flexibility and performance.
Practical Examples
Fashion retailer on Shopify: A D2C brand runs its shop on Shopify, integrates Instagram Shopping and uses Klarna for instalments.
B2B wholesaler on Shopware: Customer-specific prices, volume discounts and order approval for business customers with ERP integration.
Niche shop with WooCommerce: A craft business sells specialist tools via a WordPress-based shop with local SEO.
Headless commerce: A sports retailer uses Commercetools as backend and a fast Next.js PWA as storefront.
Marketplace: An industry portal connects suppliers and buyers and earns from commissions.
Typical Use Cases
B2C retail: Selling to end customers via your own shop
B2B: Digitising order processes for business customers with custom terms
D2C brands: Direct sales for higher margins and closer customer contact
Multi-channel: Linking shop, marketplaces (Amazon, eBay) and physical stores
Subscription commerce: Recurring delivery models (e.g. food, cosmetics)
Advantages and Disadvantages
Advantages
- Global reach: Customers worldwide without physical presence
- 24/7 availability: Shop is open and taking orders around the clock
- Scalability: From first sale to millions of orders without proportional staff
- Data-driven: Rich analytics on behaviour, conversion and revenue
- Personalisation: Recommendations and offers based on user data
Disadvantages
- Strong competition: Online market is crowded, especially vs Amazon and big platforms
- Technical complexity: Running a shop needs know-how in hosting, security, SEO and payments
- Logistics cost: Shipping, returns and warehousing can weigh on margins
- Customer expectations: Same-day delivery, free returns and 24/7 support are increasingly expected
Frequently Asked Questions about Online Shop / E-Commerce
Which e-commerce platform is right?
What does an online shop cost?
How important is mobile for e-commerce?
Related Terms
Want to use Online Shop / E-Commerce in your project?
We are happy to advise you on Online Shop / E-Commerce and find the optimal solution for your requirements. Benefit from our experience across over 200 projects.