The very nature of the WWW makes it possible to access virtually any website anywhere and, not surprisingly, from almost the very beginning the Internet has been touted as and viewed by many as an essentially global medium. By extension, a web presence has been interpreted by most observers as the same thing as having a global presence. Within the context of electronic commerce (eCommerce), most businesses have been led to believe that the scope of their operation and their market domains will be international, if not global.








This book examines the domain of eCommerce from an international perspective. Inasmuch as eCommerce is a method of interacting and exchanging a wide range of products and services, it is inherently a marketing activity that can best be framed within the marketing body of thought. Additionally, as the literature in international business has evolved, a number of internationalization frameworks with relevance for exploring international eCommerce has been proposed and tested.








Throughout the book theories are tested against the most up-to-date examples from different types of business around the world, based on cases developed by the author in Asia, the US and Europe. The emerging patterns of eCommerce are explained to the student, together with their impact on contemporary business models.