Electronic commerce on the Internet is a complex equation whose main unknowns are clear: a commodity to sell, get potential buyers aware of their existence, accept payment in case of sale, deliver the goods or services purchased and provide after sales service.
Most companies began to create web sites online presence as an effective means to publicize its product offerings and services and attract new customers, even globally. At this stage, most of the actual purchases took place off the Net, serving at best as a virtual storefront to bring together the buyer and seller. With the gradual emergence of new digital pay media, it is possible the existence of commercial transactions conducted over the Internet completely.
After payment, the merchant sends the goods purchased by retaining the services of a delivery company, in the case of physical assets (hardware), or directly via the web in the case of digital goods, such as information or programs (software) , in this case dramatically lowering distribution costs. After-sales service can also offer online.
In this commercial value chain, the weakest link has been and still is, the payment, the highest in both technical and psychological obstacles to be overcome to produce the final launch of e-commerce. While there is no confidence, while users are afraid of fraud, while unaware of the payment systems used and their reliability is difficult to observe a substantial increase in this new form of trade.
In the past five years has emerged a considerable number of technologies and electronic payment systems that provide assurances of safety and integrity required to make purchases online from a reliable, no surprises. The cornerstone of all is cryptography, which provides the necessary mechanisms to ensure confidentiality and integrity of transactions. Will see below what these protocols and how they provide the required security.
Source: www.iec.csic.es/criptonomicon/comercio/mediospago.html
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