E-commerce is simply online trading.
Someone adds a product to a cart on a website, pays online, and receives it at home. This is how online stores work, as well as marketplace platforms—and also B2B systems where companies order products or components from one another.
Companies adopt e-commerce to sell faster, more easily, at lower cost, and often without intermediaries.
E-commerce is far more critical than it may seem
Ten to fifteen years ago, e-commerce was an add-on. Today, it is often the main sales channel.
This is clearly visible in large companies such as Decathlon, with its Click & Collect model, or Empik, which has heavily focused on e-commerce in recent years.
Customers want to buy whenever it suits them. Companies that want to keep up must have systems that handle everything—from product presentation to cross-border VAT settlement.
How does e-commerce work in practice?
It starts with a platform—this can be a ready-made solution like Shopify, PrestaShop, or WooCommerce, or a custom-built system. Then come payment providers (e.g. Przelewy24, PayU, Stripe), courier integrations, warehouse operations, ERP and CRM systems, customer service, accounting, and marketing. Everything must work together seamlessly.
If a company uses Odoo ERP, the online store can be fully integrated: orders flow directly into the system, invoices are generated automatically, inventory levels are updated in real time, and customer data is immediately available for further processing.
Example of e-commerce in a company
Imagine a company selling furniture online. A customer orders a table, the system captures the order, checks stock availability in the ERP system, and generates a warehouse picking task. The courier label is created automatically, the customer receives an email with the tracking number, and accounting records the sale instantly.
All of this happens in the background. Employees do not need to manually copy anything from Excel spreadsheets.
When does it make sense to enter e-commerce?
When a company:
- wants to reach customers beyond its local market,
- sells products that can be easily presented online,
- has repeatable orders (e.g. in B2B),
- wants to shorten the sales cycle,
- is looking for savings and automation.
E-commerce is not limited to B2C. In the B2B model, more and more wholesalers and manufacturers are moving to electronic ordering with dedicated customer portals.
What can you achieve with e-commerce?
E-commerce allows a company to operate 24/7, handle thousands of orders per day without increasing headcount, and test new products faster and at lower cost.
With ERP integration, it is possible to automate a significant portion of operational processes. Marketing teams can measure everything—from cart additions to drop-off points and customer acquisition costs. Customer service has full visibility into every order without calling the warehouse.
Is e-commerce just an online store?
No. It can also mean marketplaces (Allegro, Amazon), social commerce (e.g. sales via Facebook), subscription models (such as cosmetic boxes), or even industrial product configurators where customers select parameters themselves. The classic “cart + checkout” is just one option.
FAQ
What does e-commerce mean?
It stands for electronic commerce—buying and selling over the internet.
Can any company run e-commerce?
Not every company, but most can—especially those offering products or services that can be described, photographed, and delivered or fulfilled without physical interaction.
How do you start selling online?
You need a product, a website or platform, payment methods, and a delivery model. Then it is crucial to integrate everything with an ERP or warehouse system.
What are the advantages of e-commerce?
24/7 availability, lower operational costs, scalability, better customer data, and process automation.
Is e-commerce only B2C?
No. B2B e-commerce is growing rapidly. Companies order online just like consumers, but they expect more advanced logistics and properly issued VAT invoices.
Ready for the first steps?
Thinking about selling online but not sure where to start? E-commerce is a complete machine that can work for you. Contact us to discuss what makes the most sense in your case.
