E-Commerce: A facilitating guide for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)

About this course

E-commerce is a tremendous facilitator and component of the new industrial revolution. This sector acts as a platform and link which allows manufacturers to integrate their customers into their business model in a direct and modern way. Global development of e-commerce has been progressing very rapidly with Business-to-Business (B2B) and Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce facilitating and catalyzing this growth. The training has 8 modules which seeks to systematically provide the participant with relevant and concise theoretical and practical information on the e-commerce sector a whole. Module 1 provides an introduction to e-commerce and its advantages compared to traditional commerce. Modules 2-7 provide theoretical and practical insights on the following aspects of e-commerce: Business models (B2B, B2C, C2C and B2G); Website design strategies; Logistics; Aftersales (returns and dispute settlement); Quality and Standards, Regulatory Considerations; Digital Payment Modalities; and Security recommendations. Module 8 provides a generic step-by-step guide on how to engage with e-commerce platforms. With this course, UNIDO encourages participants to connect with ecommerce platforms to enhance the performance of their business and commercial activities and reap the e-commerce benefits such as (but not limited): Access to new markets and technologies; Increased efficiency of operations; and Enhanced interaction between business and customers.

Target audience

• Policymakers
• NGOs
• SMEs
• E-commerce Associations
• Consumers

Learning objectives

• To provide a strong foundation on the basics of e-commerce;
• To encourage increased e-commerce adoption among SMEs and other interested stakeholders.