Unit 1 An Overview of Cross-Border E-Commerce

1.1 Basic Knowledge about E-Commerce and Cross-Border E-Commerce

1.1.1 Basic Concepts

Electronic commerce （e-commerce）refers the buying and selling by companies and individuals of goods and services over the Internet.E-commerce operates in different types of market segments and can be conducted over computers，tablets，smartphones，and other smart devices.Nearly every imaginable product and service is available through e-commerce transactions，including books，music，plane tickets，and financial services such as stock investing and online banking.Almost everything can be purchased through e-commerce today； for this reason，e-commerce is often highly competitive.It can be a substitute for store，though some businesses choose to maintain both.E-commerce operates in several market segments including business-to-business，business-to-consumer，consumer-to-consumer，and consumer-to-business.

Cross-border e-commerce is international e-commerce.It is literally ＂selling across a border using e-commerce＂ as opposed to domestic e-commerce transactions.As a retailer，cross-border e-commerce is defined as selling goods from a website of a national store in another country to another party.

Cross-border e-commerce can be used by any seller looking to：

·expand their business；

·explore new markets and buying trends；

·export what they offer and reach a bigger audience.