CIW E-Commerce Specialist - Course Description

E-Commerce Specialist teaches you how to conduct business online and manage the technical issues associated with constructing an e-commerce Web site. You will learn about the similarities and differences between traditional and electronic commerce, and you will explore e-commerce technologies at various levels of sophistication.

Topics

Electronic Commerce Foundations

Introduction to Web Commerce
Impetus for Web Commerce
Electronic Commerce Defined
Applying E-Commerce Concepts to Focus Companies
Types of Electronic Commerce
Microcommerce and Macrocommerce
Benefits of Electronic Commerce
Drawbacks of Electronic Commerce
E-Commerce Solutions
Web Storefront Hardware and Software
Ingredients of a Web Storefront
The Virtual Enterprise
Site Implementation
E-Commerce Guidelines

Law and the Internet

Introduction to Internet Legal Issues
Electronic Publishing
Intellectual Property Issues
Areas of Liability
Copyright, Trademark and Patent Issues
Privacy and Confidentiality
Jurisdiction and Electronic Publishing
Internet Taxation
International Tax and the Internet
Customs and E-Commerce
Tariffs and E-Commerce
Protecting a Brand
Ethical Business Practices

Web Marketing Goals

Marketing Overview
Web Marketing Benefits
Examples of Successful Web Marketing
Marketing Goals
Web Marketing Strategies
Growth Drivers and Barriers in E-Commerce
Selecting and Positioning Your Product
Identifying Your Target Market

Online Product Promotion

Online Promotion Overview
E-Commerce Promotion Considerations
E-Commerce Site Categories
Banner Ads
Advertising Representatives
Banner Ad Positioning
Banner Ad Exchange Networks
Referrer Programs
Blogs and Blogads
Pop-Up and Related Ads
Search Engine Placement
<Meta> Tags and Search Engines
E-Mail and Marketing
Ad Performance Evaluation
Offline Product Promotion
Ad Campaign Implementation

Site Usability

Overview of Usability Issues
Usability Testing
Designing the Site Hierarchy
Page Layout Design Guidelines
Browser Compatibility Issues

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and E-Services

Managing the Customer
Customer Relationship Management
Customer Service Concepts
Customer Service Tools and Methodology
E-Service Action Plan
Integrating CRM and Customer Service

Business-to-Business Frameworks

B2B E-Business Overview
E-Commerce Fundamentals
Business Concepts
Internet Marketplaces
Tools and Technologies
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Open Buying on the Internet (OBI)
Open Trading Protocol (OTP)
Web Services

E-Commerce Site Creation Packages — Outsourcing

Outsourcing Site Creation Packages
Entry-Level Outsourcing: Online Instant Storefronts
Online Outsourcing Solutions
Outsourcing: Mid-Level Offline Instant Storefronts
Mid-Level Offline Storefront Products
Outsourcing: High-Level Offline Instant Storefronts
High-Level Offline Storefront Products
Auctions: The Other E-Commerce Option

Site Development Software Implementation

Commerce Site Development Overview
Database Servers
Commerce Site Development

E-Commerce Site Development Using Commerce Server

Building Commerce Solutions
Commerce Site Management
Solution Site Customization

Creating an Online Catalog

Catalog Design
Commerce Server 2007 Catalog Definitions
Building a Base Catalog
Virtual Catalogs
Using Commerce Server to Support B2B Commerce

Inventory Control and Order Processing

Inventory Management
Inventory Systems
Designing Order Systems
Order System Implementation

Payment Gateways

Payment Processing in E-Commerce
Choosing Payment-Processing Methods
Credit Card Processing
Managing Transactions
Implementing PayPal
Online Check Processing
Preventing Fraud

E-Service Implementation and Support

Implementing Customer Support
E-Mail and User Forums
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Implementation
Knowledge Base

E-Learning Solutions

E-Learning Introduction
E-Learning Models
Distance-Learning Essentials
E-Learning Content
Student Navigation and Progress Reporting
Reusable Learning Objects

Site Management and Performance Testing

Introduction to Site Management and Performance Testing
Site Management Tasks
Managing Web Site Performance
Logging and Trend Analysis
Performance-Monitoring Tools
Course Conclusion

Target Audience

The CIW E-Commerce Specialist course is for individuals who already understand the foundations of Web technologies and want to become proficient in e-commerce practices and site design:

Web designers
Internet consultants
IT professionals
Marketing professionals
Web and graphic artists
Business professionals
Entrepreneurs who want to develop their own Web presence

Students with little or no background in Web design should consider starting with the CIW Site Development Associate course to learn the basics of Web site authoring and development, and continuing with the CIW Web Design Specialist course to learn more advanced Web technologies as a foundation for learning about e-commerce design.

Job Responsibilities

Design and implement commerce-driven Web sites; identify customer needs; monitor customer usage patterns; determine order processes and service after sales; and consider how e-business solutions can increase sales.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are mandated before taking this course. However, most students find it helpful to complete the CIW Web Foundations series of courses (Internet Business Associate, Site Development Associate and Network Technology Associate) and the CIW Web Design Specialist course; or be able to demonstrate equivalent knowledge of fundamental Internet and site design skills.