This material is written for students who major in E-commerce. The topics selected mostly deal with basic areas of business and economics. They are presented in an order from a sole proprietorship to a multinational corporation. Each lesson is introduced and related to the previous lesson. Besides, students also have chance to deal with several topics related to information technology which has a very close relationship with e-commerce. | Sales promotion involves several activities. It is becoming increasingly important in the self-service environment where there is often no sales staff. Sales promotion activities are of two types: information and stimulation. Examples of information promotion are a pamphlet or booklet about the product, a demonstration, market research information telling about the nature of the customers, and dealer training and managerial advice from producers. Stimulation promotion can be accomplished by the distribution of samples, reduced price promotions, premiums, and coupons. A premium is something that the customer receives as a bonus when he purchases a product. For example, a customer purchasing a razor might receive a free package of razor blades. A coupon is a certificate which entitles the customer to purchase the product at a reduced price. Sales promotions also involve displays of the products. Displays can increase sales as well. A customer might make a decision to buy a particular product like a convenience item simply on the basis of a display that makes the item easy to see and reach.
