ISO 10008:2013 provides guidance for planning, designing, developing, implementing, maintaining and improving an effective and efficient business-to-consumer electronic commerce transaction (B2C ECT) system within an organization.

It is applicable to any organization engaged in, or planning to be engaged in, a business-to-consumer electronic commerce transaction, regardless of size, type and activity.

ISO 10008:2013 aims to enable organizations to set up a fair, effective, efficient, transparent and secure B2C ECT system, in order to enhance consumers' confidence in B2C ECTs and increase the satisfaction of consumers. It is aimed at B2C ECTs concerning consumers as a sub-set of customers.

What is B2C ECT?

From the time the first computer networks appeared until the launch of electronic mail in 1971, the web in 1991, browsers in 1993 and the popular online services in 1995, the internet has changed the way millions of people handle their personal and professional lives. For the economy, the internet has changed traditional relationships between buyers and sellers, providing new models for purchasing, sales and the provision of services to customers.

Although companies had adopted electronic commerce as far back as the early 1970s, using systems based on EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) technology, it was the internet, more specifically the web that strongly boosted its development, making it one of the main aspects of the digital revolution now affecting contemporary societies.

Electronic commerce can be defined as comprising transactions of goods and services between computers via computer networks, in respect of which payment and/or delivery of the products in question is not necessarily carried out by electronic means.

According to this definition, two distinct activities may be identified in electronic commerce: one direct, the other indirect. In direct electronic commerce the payment and delivery of the products and services ordered is done online, while in indirect electronic commerce products and services are ordered by electronic means but, due to their nature, continue to be subject to physical delivery, using traditional distribution channels for this purpose.

Contrary to the direct activity, indirect electronic commerce does not allow the exploitation of the full potential of global electronic markets. To better enjoy its advantages, the existence of efficient international distribution channels is necessary, in a sufficient number to assure delivery of those products.

According to the electronic commerce classification based on the type of players involved in the transactions, four main kinds of electronic commerce are recognized:

(a) Business-to-Business (B2B);
(b) Business-to-Consumer (B2C);

(c) Business-to-Administration (B2A)
(d) Consumer-to-Administration (C2A).

a) Business-to-Business (B2B)

Business-to-business (B2B) commerce encompasses all electronic transactions carried out between companies and currently accounts for about 90% of electronic commerce in Portugal. B2B commerce basically develops in three major areas: the e-Marketplace, e-Procurement and e-Distribution.

E-Marketplaces are electronic platforms in which companies, as either buyers or sellers, meet with the same goal of establishing mutual commercial relations. Such digital marketplaces can be vertical, when involving companies from a specific industry, or horizontal, which allows the participation of various industries or branches of activity.

E-Procurement refers to electronic platforms specifically set up to ensure that organisations are provisioned, so that they can optimise the supply chain in terms of time and costs, by automatising interaction with their suppliers? Purchasing centres.

E-Distribution comprises electronic platforms conceived to join companies to their distributors, subsidiaries and agents, enabling a variety of tasks ranging from simple consultation of an electronic catalogue to the issuance of invoices and the reception of merchandise.
Although B2B commerce has been practiced for several decades, specifically by means of EDI technology, the B2B model has only begun to stimulate new forms of business co-operation by recourse to the most recent available technologies, enhancing companies? competitiveness and helping them to successfully meet the new challenges of globalisation.

b) Business-to-Consumer (B2C)

The Business-to-Consumer (B2C) domain corresponds to the retail area of electronic commerce and is characterised by the establishment of commercial electronic relations between companies and end consumers. This kind of commerce has seen its development increase with the advent of the web, in which numerous internet-based shops and shopping centres already offer today all sorts of consumer goods.

c) Business-to-Administration (B2A)

The Business-to-Administration (B2A) category covers all online transactions between companies and public administration. This domain encompasses a large number and range of services, namely in the fiscal, social security, employment, registries and notary areas, etc. Although still in its early stages of development, B2A is bound to grow rapidly, particularly due to public administration?s promotion of electronic commerce and the latest developments in e-government.

d) Consumer-to-Administration (C2A)

Lastly, the Consumer-to-Administration (C2A) model covers all electronic transactions carried out between individuals and public administration. The various application areas include: social security (information release and payments); health (making appointments, information on illnesses and payment of health services); education (information release and distance training); taxes (delivery of statements and payments); etc. The two models involving public administration (B2A and C2A) are strongly associated to the idea of modernisation, streamlining, transparency and quality of public service, aspects increasingly stressed by most government bodies.

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