E-commerce has always represented an extremely lucrative sector.
While the commerce industry can trace its roots back to ancient times, the advent of the Internet has now ushered in an entirely new era – where transactions are made within split seconds, and companies or consumers are capable of purchasing a product with the click of a button from halfway around the world.
There are a number of reasons why getting a graduate job within this burgeoning sector is an interesting prospect for graduates.
Let’s take a look at some of the most important B2C, C2C and B2B ecommerce principles, to understand why getting a job at an online commerce business is a great choice for graduates.
What is B2B E-commerce?
B2B E-commerce represents the exchange of goods or services between two different providers.
For instance, the manufacturer of a widget could supply a bulk order to a retail market. This seller would then pass on the product to the end user (the customer).
This is the core principle of B2B relationships.
As opposed to purchasing one or two products at a given time (as is the case in B2C E-commerce), buyers will normally opt for hundreds or even thousands; helping to lower their overall “bottom line”, and provide them with a healthier ROI (return on investment).
B2B E-commerce examples
- Alibaba
- Screwfix
- Amazon Supply
- Bosch
- Acme
- AIIA
What is B2C E-commerce?
Business-to-consumer E-commerce, on the other hand, is where an online transaction takes place between a business and a customer, for their own personal use, i.e. clothing, appliances or furniture.
Many of the most renowned E-commerce companies are B2C business models – and it is likely to be the form of E-commerce you are most familiar with.
B2C E-commerce examples
- ASOS
- Amazon
- Wayfair
- Boohoo
- MADE
- Nasty Gal
What is C2C E-commerce?
Additionally, you have E-commerce marketplaces; a business model which facilitates commerce between individuals and effectively cuts out the middle man.
Consumer-to-consumer E-commerce provides a way for people to connect to do business with one another, often setting up their own shops on the platform.
Consumer-to-consumer E-commerce marketplaces are a fairly new area of E-commerce.
You might be familiar with some of the larger E-commerce marketplaces, given that a number of them have received large amounts of funding in the last few years.
E-commerce marketplace examples
- Etsy
- eBay
- Shopify
- Airbnb
- Skillshare
- Depop
Graduate jobs in E-commerce
Some of the most common graduate jobs in E-commerce are logistics, operations, supply chain and business analytics.
These roles are focused on ensuring coordination, organisation and best practice when it comes to processes in E-commerce.
In-house, there are also a number of more behind-the-scenes graduate jobs.
These include merchandising, buying and sales, as well as a number of different marketing graduate jobs such as digital marketing, copywriting, and PPC.
As commerce, like every other sector, becomes increasingly digitalised, we are also seeing an increase in the number of IT & Tech graduate jobs; including Web Designers & Developers, Software Developers, and QA Testers.
And as with any large business, there will also be a number of people-centric jobs; like Project Managers and Team Coordinators, as well as Recruitment & HR graduate jobs.
The benefits of working in E-commerce for graduates
Whatever your role in an E-commerce business, there are a number of benefits of working in the industry as a graduate.
They include:
- Fast progression & professional development
- Potential opportunities to travel – E-commerce businesses are often multinational
- Exposure to a rapidly growing and adapting industry
- The chance to work with some of the biggest companies in the world
Working in E-commerce is becoming an increasingly popular choice for candidates looking for graduate jobs in retail.
Whether you’re more interested in being on the front line as a Logistics Coordinator, or behind-the-scenes as a Graduate Analyst, there are a range of different graduate jobs in E-commerce to suit you.
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