Phat Networks

The name Internet marketing is fully descriptive of the business because it refers to marketing of products or services via the comparatively novel medium of Internet. However, the term Internet marketing is a multi-colored patch work beach umbrella, which combines in it direct selling, ecommerce, affiliate marketing, sale of advertising space, electronic publishing, search engine marketing, and many related phenomena. Each of these can be an income generating business pattern in isolation or it may work as parts of a larger Internet business transaction.

Direct selling is face-to-face selling of a company’s products without going through retail outlets. The seller of the product will be a representative of the manufacturer and will sell the product for a commission. While direct selling is a very conventional business transaction, it has found its place in Internet marketing also. Manufacturing companies now provide web sites that the representatives can use for a monthly fee. Using this, representatives can take their goods directly to customers as in the case of face-to-face sales.

Ecommerce means the selling of products or services by carrying out transactions over electronic systems. Supply chain management, which consists of taking products to end-users, is a part of ecommerce. Electronic data transfer and electronic fund transfer and other allied business related operations through electronic systems are also part of ecommerce.