Types of e-Business and Electronic Commerce (EC)｜Organizing BtoB, BtoC, CtoC, and O2O for the IT Passport Exam

Classification of Electronic Commerce by Transaction Parties

Electronic commerce is classified into several types based on the combination of transaction parties. Let's review the representative ones in the table below.

Important EC-Related Terms

O2O (Online to Offline)

O2O refers to measures that attract customers online and guide them to offline physical stores. A specific example is distributing coupons to encourage visits to stores. By linking online and offline, purchasing opportunities are expanded.

OMO (Online Merges with Offline)

OMO is a concept that merges online and offline. For example, enabling in-app payments at physical stores or allowing customers to check store inventory on an e-commerce site. It realizes a seamless shopping experience for customers with no boundaries.

Omnichannel

Omnichannel is a strategy that integrates multiple sales channels such as physical stores, e-commerce, social media, and catalogs to provide customers with a seamless experience. Centralized management of inventory and customer information is essential to achieve this.

Long Tail

The long tail refers to the phenomenon where the cumulative sales of niche products surpass the sales of a few hit products. This phenomenon is more likely to occur in e-commerce due to the absence of shelf space constraints. A typical example is Amazon's extensive product assortment strategy.

Electronic Money and QR Code Payments

Electronic money and QR code payments include contactless types like Suica and PASMO, as well as QR code types like PayPay and d払い. Since the cashless payment ratio reached approximately 40% as of 2024, this is an important topic for the exam.

Challenges of Electronic Commerce

Electronic commerce faces several challenges. On the security front, SSL/TLS and digital signatures are used to prevent impersonation and tampering. To reduce delivery time, instant shipping and in-store pickup are effective, and simplifying return processes is key to enhancing the competitiveness of e-commerce.

Key Points for the IT Passport Exam

The IT Passport exam includes questions on combinations of transaction types like BtoB, BtoC, and CtoC, as well as questions on the differences between O2O, OMO, and omnichannel. You also need to understand the definition of the long tail.

Typical Patterns in Past Exam Questions

• "What type of transaction is Mercari?" type → CtoC
• "Which strategy integrates physical stores and e-commerce?" type → Omnichannel

Related Terms

• Business models (List of Major Business Models)
• EC in the context of DX (What is DX)
• Marketing (Marketing Mix (4P/4C))

Study Tips

As a study tip, first memorize the initials like BtoB. B stands for Business, C for Consumer, G for Government, and E for Employee. Next, understanding O2O, OMO, and omnichannel in stages of "attraction → fusion → integration" makes them easier to organize. Also, remember the long tail simply as "cumulative niche sales."

Summary

By mastering the combinations of transaction types and EC-related terms, you can reliably score points on related questions. For a comprehensive review of the Strategy domain, refer to the Strategy Summary, and to practice with exam-style questions, use the Mock Exam.