Creative B2C Web Application Development India Get Multi Dimensional Activities In Your Website With Our B2C

Portals Application. B2C Business to Client! refers to business transactions that take place between seller and the actual buyer, the example would be a consumer purchasing goods from the retailer. Every retailer has to maintain or process such transactions to keep track of goods in stock and also the amount of sales. B2C (Business to Client refers to business transactions that take place between seller and the actual buyer, the example would be a consumer purchasing goods from the retailer. Every retailer has to maintain or process such transactions to keep track of goods in stock and also the amount of sales. !anual recording of such transactions has its own disadvantages, the process is very lengthy and results in wastage of time. "etail business has grown by leaps and bounds and so is the task of transaction processing. #he management of retail business has become very difficult due to large volume of retail transactions. B2C automation has created a storm in the retail industry, it has changed the way retail trade was managed. #he B2C applications developed by us not only help retail businesses to manage their business processes effectively, but also helps them to increase their sales through on$line store and other advanced features. %oing business online no longer re&uires a huge investment, its due to developments in template$ based online stores which are based on custom developed softwares or readymade packaged applications. 'ny business man who wants to sell products and services over the internet, or who wants customers to be able to look and evaluate their purchases on the internet, should consider an online custom developed B2C store or portal. (nline )eb !arketing, )eb *romotion in +earch Engine and ,nternet 'dvertising is prime factors of B2C.

Extranet ,ntranet Content management tool

B2C 'pplications softwares analysis B2C -eatures

Creative )eb +olutions provides best )eb *ortal development solution and *ortal !aintenance +ervice for B2B, B2C portal development, E$Business, ,ntranet, Extranet . E$Commerce. Creative )eb +olutions also provides (ffshore (utsourcing of *ortal designing and (ffshore *ortal !aintenance
B2C Web applications "eatures# Products#

/nlimited *roduct features. *roduct display in user section. *roduct prices from database. Cross +elling. *roduct "ating . "eviews. Best +ellers. 0ew *roduct %isplay. *roduct insert, update, delete in 'dministrator section by the 'dministrator. !ultiple image display under product image . which will change on mouse over.

Customer $ervice Center#

(rder stored in database. Customer history of all orders. Customer can retsore all orders. "epeat customer recognition. %iscount . loyalty programs. 1oin !ailing 2ist. *re$sales registration. -orced login before shopping. 2ogged order tracking messages. Customer based discounts.

Mailin% $upport#

!ail to customer . 'dministrator after new customer registration. !ail for changed *assword. !ail for forgot *assword. !ail to 'dministrator after customer places order. !ail to customer after 'dministrator approves3 declines his order. !ail to tell a friend. !ail to merchant on new product review.

Mailin% $upport#

-ully flexible design. /nlimited products. /nlimited Categories3+ub$categories depth. 'dvanced search facility. #humbnails and larger images. 'utomated extended descriptions. +ecurity 'spects. #otally hide administration. (ther internal security checks to prevent +42 in5ection. !ini cart always visible. (rder multipleproducts with one click. "eport generation center. +ales reports. +earch &uery reports. #otal sales. #otal +ales by product. 0o of first page count. 0o of abondoned sales, ,* address.

*revent hackers from order based on e$mail or ,* address. %ual password login to 'dministration. *revent certain countries from ordering.

Disintermediation

,n economics, disintermediation is the removal of intermediaries in a supply chain6 7cutting out the middleman7. ,nstead of going through traditional distribution channels, which had some type of intermediate (such as a distributor, wholesaler, broker, or agent , companies may now deal with every customer directly, for example via the ,nternet. (ne important factor is a drop in the cost of servicing customers directly. %isintermediation initiated by consumers is often the result of high market transparency, in that buyers are aware of supply prices direct from the manufacturer. Buyers bypass the middlemen (wholesalers and retailers in order to buy directly from the manufacturer and thereby pay less. Buyers can alternatively elect to purchase from wholesalers. (ften, a business$to$consumer electronic commerce (B2C company functions as the bridge between buyer and manufacturer. #o illustrate, a typical B2C supply chain is composed of four or five entities (in order 6

+upplier !anufacturer )holesaler "etailer Buyer

,t has been argued that the ,nternet modifies the supply chain due to market transparency6

+upplier !anufacturer Buyer

History
#he term was originally applied to the banking industry in about 89:;6 disintermediation referred to consumers investing directly in securities (government and private bonds, and stocks rather than leaving their money in savings accounts, then later to borrowers going to the capital markets rather than to banks.((E%, <oogle 0ews 'rchive #he original cause was a /+ government regulation ("egulation 4 which limited the interest rate paid on interest bearing accounts that were insured by the -ederal %eposit ,nsurance Corporation.

,t was later applied more generally to 7cutting out the middleman7 in commerce, though the financial meaning remained predominant. (nly in the late 899=s did it become widely populari>ed.

[edit] Impact of Internet-related disintermediation upon various industries

[edit] Strong impact

Computer hardware and software Travel agencies Bookstores and music stores Stock Purchasing see E-trade

[edit] Still in progress (due to legal or structural obstacles)

Alcoholic beverages Real estate

' real estate market is social. Buyers and sellers communicate to discover information and negotiate to exchange goods or services. ,nternet transparency is letting home buyers view "esidential and Commercial !2+, -+B( listings on their own. ,t has reduced home buyers search costs, and given them access to multiple new product options to choose from when going into a real estate transaction. 'lso sellers have found new tools and services to attract home buyers and sell their houses, they can now leverage ,nternet market tools that are intended to increase the efficacy of transactional re&uirements.?citation needed@ #his transparency has made it difficult for "eal Estate 'gents, 'ppraisers, 2enders, etc. to collect the fees $ tipping the balance of power towards the consumers. By opening access to information outside of the Brokers32awyers control, buyers and sellers now gain economic benefits that would be otherwise be received by market intermediaries or inappropriately distributed among the smart and connected deal makers of the financial world.?citation needed@

Prime brokerage for hedge funds ealth Care - due to developments in e ealth and specificall! Consumer "nformatics #ideo rental and distribution

ealth

[edit] Failed and became niche ancillary services

$urniture %roceries Pet supplies &especiall! dog food'(citation needed)

[edit] Discussion
' prime example of disintermediation is %ell, ,nc., which sells many of its systems direct to the consumer A thus bypassing traditional retail chains. ,n the non$,nternet world, disintermediation has been an important strategy for many big box retailers like )almart, which attempt to reduce prices by reducing the number of intermediaries between the supplier and the buyer. %isintermediation is also closely associated with the idea of 5ust in time manufacturing, as the removal of the need for inventory removes one function of an intermediary. #he existence of laws which discourage disintermediation has been cited as a reason for the poor economic performance of 1apan and <ermany in the 899=s.?citation needed@ Bowever, ,nternet$related disintermediation occurred less fre&uently than many expected during the dot com boom. "etailers and wholesalers provide essential functions such as the extension of credit, aggregation of products from different suppliers, and processing of returns. ,n addition, shipping goods to and from the manufacturer can in many cases be far less efficient than shipping them to a store where the consumer can pick them up (if the consumerCs trip to the store is ignored . ,n response to the threat of disintermediation, some retailers have attempted to integrate a virtual presence and a physical presence in a strategy known as bricks and clicks.

[edit] Reintermediation
"eintermediation can be defined as the reintroduction of an intermediary between end users (consumers and a producer. #his term applies especially to instances in which disintermediation has occurred first. 't the start of the ,nternet revolution, electronic commerce was seen as a tool of disintermediation for cutting operating costs. #he concept was that by allowing consumers to purchase products directly from producers via the ,nternet, the product delivery chain would be drastically shortened, thereby 7disintermediating7 the standard supply model middlemen. Bowever, what largely happened was that new intermediaries appeared in the digital landscape (e.g. witness the success of 'ma>on and Ebay .?8@D "eintermediation occurred due to many new problems associated with the e$commerce disintermediation concept, largely centered on the issues associated with the direct$to$consumers model. #he high cost of shipping many small orders, massive customer service issues, and confronting the wrath of disintermediated retailers and supply channel partners all presented real obstacles. Buge resources are re&uired to accommodate presales and postsales issues of individual consumers. Before disintermediation, supply chain middlemen acted as salespeople for the producers. )ithout them, the producer itself would have to handle procuring those customers. +elling online has its own associated costs6 developing &uality websites, maintaining product information, and marketing expenses all add up. -inally, limiting a productCs availability to ,nternet channels forces the producer to compete with the rest of the ,nternet for customersC attention, a space that is becoming increasingly crowded over time.

[edit] Examples of companies

#he most notable example of disintermediation is %ell, which has succeeded in creating a brand, well recogni>ed by customers, profitable and with continuous growth. 2ikewise, maybe the most notable example of reintermediation is the 2evi +trauss company, which unsuccessfully launched a multimillion dollar web site and later shut down most of its online operations?citation needed@.

[edit] References
*+ ^ ("ntermediaries and C!bermediaries, A Continuing Role for -ediating Pla!ers in the Electronic -arketplace http,../cmc+indiana+edu.vol*.issue0.sarkar+html) Sarkar1 Butler and Steinfield1 *223 %raham1 -ark+ 45arped %eographies of 6evelopment, The "nternet and Theories of Economic 6evelopment+4 Geography Compass1 &7' 7889+ awken1 Paul+ 46isintermediation, an economics bu::word that neatl! e;plains a lot of the good that is going on+4 CoEvolution Quarterly1 Spring *29*1 pp+ <-*=

Global mar&etin%

#he (xford /niversity *ress defines %lobal mar&etin% as Emarketing on a worldwide scale reconciling or taking commercial advantage of global operational differences, similarities and opportunities in order to meet global ob5ectives.F (xford /niversity *ressG <lossary of !arketing #erms. Bere are three reasons for the shift from domestic to global marketing as given by the authors of the textbook, Global Marketing Management3rd Edition by !asaaki Hotabe and Hristiaan Belsen, 2==I.

Worldwide competition
(ne of the product categories in which global competition has been easy to track in /.+.is automotive sales. #he increasing intensity of competition in global markets is a challenge facing companies at all stages of involvement in international markets. 's markets open up, and become more integrated, the pace of change accelerates, technology shrinks distances between markets and reduces the scale advantages of large firms, new sources of competition emerge, and competitive pressures mount at all levels of the organi>ation. 'lso, the threat of competition from companies in countries such as ,ndia, China, !alaysia, and Bra>il is on the rise, as their own domestic markets are opening up to foreign competition, stimulating greater awareness of international market opportunities and of the need to be internationally competitive. Companies which previously focused on protected domestic markets are entering into markets in other countries, creating new sources of competition, often targeted to price$sensitive market segments. 0ot only is competition intensifying for all firms regardless of their degree of global market involvement, but the basis for competition is changing. Competition continues to be market$based and ultimately relies on delivering superior value to consumers. Bowever, success in global markets depends on knowledge accumulation and deployment.?8@ tiwana.

Evolution to global marketing

<lobal marketing is not a revolutionary shift, it is an evolutionary process. )hile the following does not apply to all companies, it does apply to most companies that begin as domestic$only companies.

[edit] Domestic marketing

' marketing restricted to the political boundaries of a country, is called 7%omestic !arketing7. ' company marketing only within its national boundaries only has to consider domestic competition. Even if that competition includes companies from foreign markets, it still only has to focus on the competition that exists in its home market. *roducts and services are developed for customers in the home market without thought of how the product or service could be used in other markets. 'll marketing decisions are made at head&uarters. #he biggest obstacle these marketers face is being blindsided by emerging global marketers. Because domestic marketers do not generally focus on the changes in the global marketplace, they may not be aware of a potential competitor who is a market leader on three continents until they simultaneously open 2= stores in the 0ortheastern /.+. #hese marketers can be considered ethnocentric as they are most concerned with how they are perceived in their home country. exporting goods to other countries. loosener "hett

[edit] nternational marketing

,f the exporting departments are becoming successful but the costs of doing business from head&uarters plus time differences, language barriers, and cultural ignorance are hindering the companyGs competitiveness in the foreign market, then offices could be built in the foreign countries. +ometimes companies buy firms in the foreign countries to take advantage of relationships, storefronts, factories, and personnel already in place. #hese offices still report to head&uarters in the home market but most of the marketing mix decisions are made in the individual countries since that staff is the most knowledgeable about the target markets. 2ocal product development is based on the needs of local customers. #hese marketers are considered polycentric because they acknowledge that each market3country has different needs.

Global marketing speciali ation

<lobal marketing is a field of study in !B'.?2@ )hen it comes to global marketing strategies, the ,nternet plays a highly significant role as the most powerful business weapon in todayCs globali>ed business world.

[edit] Elements of t!e global marketing mi"

#he E-our *GsF of marketing6 product, price, placement, and promotion are all affected as a company moves through the five evolutionary phases to become a global company. /ltimately, at the global marketing level, a company trying to speak with one voice is faced with many

challenges when creating a worldwide marketing plan. /nless a company holds the same position against its competition in all markets (market leader, low cost, etc. it is impossible to launch identical marketing plans worldwide. 0isant Chakram(!arketing !anagement

[edit] !roduct
' global company is one that can create a single product and only have to tweak elements for different markets. -or example, Coca$Cola uses two formulas (one with sugar, one with corn syrup for all markets. #he product packaging in every country incorporates the contour bottle design and the dynamic ribbon in some way, shape, or form. Bowever, the bottle or can also includes the countryGs native language and is the same si>e as other beverage bottles or cans in that same country.

[edit] !rice
*rice will always vary from market to market. *rice is affected by many variables6 cost of product development (produced locally or imported , cost of ingredients, cost of delivery (transportation, tariffs, etc. , and much more. 'dditionally, the productGs position in relation to the competition influences the ultimate profit margin. )hether this product is considered the high$end, expensive choice, the economical, low$cost choice, or something in$between helps determine the price point.

[edit] !lacement
Bow the product is distributed is also a country$by$country decision influenced by how the competition is being offered to the target market. /sing Coca$Cola as an example again, not all cultures use vending machines. ,n the /nited +tates, beverages are sold by the pallet via warehouse stores. ,n ,ndia, this is not an option. *lacement decisions must also consider the productGs position in the market place. -or example, a high$end product would not want to be distributed via a Edollar storeF in the /nited +tates. Conversely, a product promoted as the low$ cost option in -rance would find limited success in a pricey bouti&ue.

[edit] !romotion
'fter product research, development and creation, promotion (specifically advertising is generally the largest line item in a global companyGs marketing budget. 't this stage of a companyGs development, integrated marketing is the goal. #he global corporation seeks to reduce costs, minimi>e redundancies in personnel and work, maximi>e speed of implementation, and to speak with one voice. ,f the goal of a global company is to send the same message worldwide, then delivering that message in a relevant, engaging, and cost$effective way is the challenge. Effective global advertising techni&ues do exist. #he key is testing advertising ideas using a marketing research system proven to provide results that can be compared across countries. #he ability to identify which elements or moments of an ad are contributing to that success is how economies of scale are maximi>ed. !arket research measures such as -low of 'ttention, -low of

Emotion and branding moments provide insights into what is working in an ad in any country because the measures are based on visual, not verbal, elements of the ad.

[edit] #dvantages and $isadvantages

"dvantages

The advantages of global market we can introduce our product b! using advertising Economies of scale in production and distribution >ower marketing costs Power and scope Consistenc! in brand image Abilit! to leverage good ideas ?uickl! and efficientl! @niformit! of marketing practices elps to establish relationships outside of the 4political arena4 elps to encourage ancillar! industries to be set up to cater for the needs of the global pla!er Benefits of e-arketing over traditional marketing

[edit] Reach
#he nature of the internet means businesses now have a truly global reach. )hile traditional media costs limit this kind of reach to huge multinationals, e!arketing opens up new avenues for smaller businesses, on a much smaller budget, to access potential consumers from all over the world.

[edit] Scope
,nternet marketing allows the marketer to reach consumers in a wide range of ways and enables them to offer a wide range of products and services. e!arketing includes, among other things, information management, public relations, customer service and sales. )ith the range of new technologies becoming available all the time, this scope can only grow.

[edit] Interactivity
)hereas traditional marketing is largely about getting a brandGs message out there, e!arketing facilitates conversations between companies and consumers. )ith a two way communication channel, companies can feed off of the responses of their consumers, making them more dynamic and adaptive.

[edit] Immediacy
,nternet marketing is able to, in ways never before imagined, provide an immediate impact. ,magine youGre reading your favorite maga>ine. Jou see a double$page advert for some new product or service, maybe B!)Gs latest luxury sedan or 'ppleGs latest i*od offering. )ith this kind of traditional media, itGs not that easy for you, the consumer, to take the step from hearing about a product to actual ac&uisition. )ith e!arketing, itGs easy to make that step as simple as possible, meaning that within a few short clicks you could have booked a test drive or ordered the i*od. 'nd all of this can happen regardless of normal office hours. Effectively, ,nternet marketing makes business hours 2I hours per day, ; days per week for every week of the year. By closing the gap between providing information and eliciting a consumer reaction, the consumerGs buying cycle is speeded up and advertising spend can go much further in creating immediate leads.

[edit] Demographics and targeting

<enerally speaking, the demographics of the ,nternet are a marketerGs dream. ,nternet users, considered as a group, have greater buying power and could perhaps be considered as a population group skewed towards the middle$classes. Buying power is not all though. #he nature of the ,nternet is such that its users will tend to organi>e themselves into far more focused groupings. +avvy marketers who know where to look can &uite easily find access to the niche markets they wish to target. !arketing messages are most effective when they are presented directly to the audience most likely to be interested. #he ,nternet creates the perfect environment for niche marketing to targeted groups.

[edit] Adaptivity and closed loop marketing

Closed 2oop !arketing re&uires the constant measurement and analysis of the results of marketing initiatives. By continuously tracking the response and effectiveness of a campaign, the marketer can be far more dynamic in adapting to consumersG wants and needs. )ith e!arketing, responses can be analy>ed in real$time and campaigns can be tweaked continuously. Combined with the immediacy of the ,nternet as a medium, this means that thereGs minimal advertising spend wasted on less than effective campaigns. !aximum marketing efficiency from e!arketing creates new opportunities to sei>e strategic competitive advantages. #he combination of all these factors results in an improved "(, and ultimately, more customers, happier customers and an improved bottom line.

[edit] Disadvantages

6ifferences in consumer needs1 wants1 and usage patterns for products 6ifferences in consumer response to marketing mi; elements 6ifferences in brand and product development and the competitive environment 6ifferences in the legal environment1 some of which ma! conflict with those of the home market

6ifferences in the institutions available1 some of which ma! call for the creation of entirel! new ones &e+g+ infrastructure' 6ifferences in administrative procedures 6ifferences in product placement+ 6ifferences in the administrative procedures and product placement can occur

[edit] %ee also

Advertising Advertising research -arketing -arketing research wiktionar!,Picture Sorts

[edit] References
*+ ^ RESPAB6"B% TA T E C A>>EB%ES A$ %>ABA> -ARCETS, C AB%E1 CA-P>ED"TE1 CA-PET"T"AB AB6 CABSC"EBCE C+ Samuel CraigF Susan P+ 6ouglas+ www+vuw+ac+n:.Gcaplabtb.m087w8H.CRA"%I6A@%>AS+6AC 7+ ^ http,..www+mba-unice+eu.inde;+phpJ optionKcomIcontentLviewKarticleLidK=HL"temidK07

[edit] &urt!er reading

Cotabe1 -asaki and elsen1 Cristiaan1 Global Marketing Management 3rd Edition1 Mohn 5ile! L Sons1 "nc N Publishers1 Cop!right 788=1 "SBB 8-=H*-708<7-< Cotler L Celler1 Marketing Management - 12th Edition1 78831 "SBB 9*-780-7H22-0 Theodore >evitt1 The %lobali:ation of -arkets1 *290', 27-*87 arvard !usiness "evie# <* &-a!NMune

Eoung1 Charles E+1 $dvertising "esearch andbook1 "deas in $light1 Seattle1 5A1 April 78831 "SBB 8-2H<33H=-8-*

[edit] E"ternal links

(*) %lobal -arketing Betwork is the onl! global accreditation bod! for marketing professionals+ 5e are committed to the development of a strong marketing profession and to the raising of standards within it worldwide+ 5ith %-B individuals can appl! for Professional1 or 6istinguished levels of -embership+ Each application has to be approved b! at least three members of the %-B -embership Committee before the! can be formall! elected and then welcomed as a -ember+ The same professional standards are applied1 consistentl!1 fairl! and transparentl!1 worldwide so that1 increasingl!1 membership of %-B becomes a highl! desirable and eminentl! portable recognition of the professional standing and Ofitness to practiceO of marketing professionals1 wherever !ou live and work in the world+

Pro's and Con's for consumers when shopping online

Con's
Unable to examine products personally Not everyone is connected to the Internet You can get addicted !here is the possibility o" credit card number the"t $n average only %&'th o" stock is available on the net

Pro's
No checkout queues Reduce prices You can shop anywhere in the world Easy access 2 hours a day #ide selection to cater "or all consumers

Pro's and Con's for Businesses

Con's
)ardware and so"tware are essential and these are big *istribution must be very e""icient #ebsite site would have to be constantly updates, #hich leads to extra labour costs and training and retraining costs

Pro's
(hould increase their market share Enables them to access international markets +"ter they have paid o"" their capital costs it should increase their productivity Enable them to achieve greater economies o" scale

$hould You 'se a Mort%a%e Bro&er(

!ortgage brokers have gotten a bad rap in the last year. /nfortunately, many unscrupulous brokers steered borrowers into expensive loans with large kickbacks and helped fuel the current crisis by failing to properly disclose all information. -ortunately, most of them are now out of business. #he brokers who remain are usually reputable people who are interested in helping borrowers find appropriate and affordable loans.

Wh) $hould You 'se a Mort%a%e Bro&er( ' mortgage broker has much more experience and knowledge than you could ever hope to. ' good broker will6

Bave a better understanding of your needs Bave a better understanding of your mortgage options Bave a better understanding of the current market Explain all loan elements, options, and fees Bave access to a wider selection of loan products.

!ortgage brokers have access to loans from wholesalers, which means they may be able to get a better rate than you would receive from a traditional bank. Cons o* a Mort%a%e Bro&er #here are reasons to use a local bank instead of a mortgage broker, however. #he primary reason to avoid brokers is the Jield +pread *remium. #his is a bonus paid to the broker by your lender after the loan closes. #he fee may be paid in addition to any other fees you pay the broker directly. #he J+* has led some brokers to recommend loans with higher rates or worse terms than the borrower actually &ualifies for. )ith the collapse of the housing market, most of these brokers have been forced out of business, but the J+* is still a concern. (n the other hand, if the broker got you a lower rate than your bank offered, the J+* may not be a concern. +o, to "ind a Mort%a%e Bro&er 1ust a year ago, you probably heard and saw ads for brokers all over the radio and #K. 0ow that most of those players are out of the way, you have to work a little harder to find a broker, but thatGs not necessarily a bad thing. Bere are the top three ways to find a broker6 Referrals from friends L ask your friends who they used. ,f they werenGt happy with the broker, they wouldnGt offer the recommendation. Referrals from real estate agents L most agents work with brokers, so your agent probably already has a list handy. Online search L 5ust search for a broker in your area or one of the larger online mortgage brokers like 2ending #ree. (#his is not an endorsement. -uestions to As& a Bro&er Before you hire a mortgage broker, ask the following &uestions to be sure youGre working with a licensed, reputable broker6

Bow many years of experience do you haveM )hat is your license numberM Bow are you paidM %o you receive a J+*M

Bow long does funding usually takeM )ill you guarantee your good$faith estimateM %o you fund your own loansM (,tGs okay if they donGt, but itGs important to know whether theyGre actually a broker or are a direct lender.

(nce youGve told the broker about your specific financial situation, including credit scores, salary, etc., ask the following &uestions about any loan offers the broker produces6

)hich loan is best for meM )hat is the '*"M ,s the rate fixed or ad5ustableM ,f itGs ad5ustable, what are the terms of ad5ustmentM )hatGs the most my payment could be after the first ad5ustmentM )hat are the points and feesM )hat are all the costsM

Comparin% Costs and O**ers ' mortgage broker will most likely return a couple loan options. "eview them carefully, and then approach a couple of consumer lenders directly to see if you can get a better deal. /se Bankrate to find local lenders and mortgage rates. JouGre not obligated to use a mortgage broker even if they go through the process of approving a loan. Jou donGt want to scout too many brokers or banks because each pull on your credit report does reduce your score, but itGs worth your time and money to re&uest three offers from three sources before making your final decision about a loan and a broker.

"ull.$ervice/ Discount and Online $toc& Bro&ers . +o, 0o $elect the Best One(
(nline stock brokers are only one of many choices you have to buy and sell stocks. #heir ma5or advantage is low brokerage fees. But is online service the right choice for youM (nline stock brokers are only one of many choices these days to buy and sell stocks, whose ma5or advantage is definitely extremely low brokerage fees. ,f this type of broker will suit your needs is something that you have to find out and understanding what a broker actually does, will help you a lot. Bro&er is a salesperson ,or&in% *or a bro&era%e house ,hose purpose is to ma&e mone) *or themselves and their sales sta** b) carin% out )our transactionsD broker interests are not necessarily aligned with yours. #o become a broker one must first pass licensing exam or more of them. (nly then is allowed for them to advise you, solicit business from you, and to execute your transactions for you. A

bro&er can advise )ou/ tr) to sell )ou/ and do )our trades *or )ou and their level of service is the main difference between a full$service stock broker and discount stock brokersD full$service brokers offer you advice and hand holding while the discount and online stock brokers 5ust execute your trade orders and perhaps try to solicit more business from you.

&ull-%ervice %tock 'rokers

-ull$service brokers usually o**er a ,ide variet) o* *inancial products as ,ell as investment advice and research. #hey charge higher fees than discount brokers.

$iscount %tock 'rokers

%iscount stock brokers do not o**er an) advice or research $ they 5ust execute your trade instructions. 't least thatCs the way it used to be with a discount stock broker. #hese days, however, there is a wealth of research from third parties that many discount stock brokers can offer you within your account at their website. Because a discount stock broker doesnCt have to hire expensive stock analysts and expensive stock brokers, discounters can charge considerably lower fees than full$service brokers.

(nline %tock 'rokers

(nline stock brokers a similar to discount bro&ers in the level of their service only that the) onl) o**er online computer order entr) services and can therefore be even cheaper for you.

)!oosing #mong (nline %tock 'rokers

It1s essential that )ou determine the level o* service )ou need2 ,f you arenCt willing to do your own homework on choosing investments in the stock market, then a full service broker might be for you. ,f you plan to mostly buy investments for the long term and hold on to them, then you wonCt be trading so often and the higher commissions wonCt matter so much in the big picture. (n the other hand, if you are planning to trade more often, then online stock brokers are ideal for

you. #hey give you the lower costs of trades, which matters a lot since youCll be trading more often. #he next step in choosing online stock broker is to compare each broker to evaluate the best broker that meets your needsD even within this group of stock brokers they can offer you different services and features.

'rokerage &ees
#his is a *ee )ou are char%ed *or bu)in% or sellin% through your online account and it the most important cost of trading. #hey can be expressed on a per unit base or in percentage terms, depending on the market you are trading. #here is often a sliding scale offered to you, meaning the more units you purchase in a single transaction, the less the 7cost per unit7 you will pay. Compare each broker and read the fine print within contracts.

#ccount Holding &ees

'ccount handling fees will vary depending on the type of cash management account you use. ,f the broker supplies their own account then the cost will be minimal. 2ook for any hidden fees and be careful also about fees concerning corporate actions, fees for withdrawing money... 'll fees should be listed in the terms and conditions and presented to you before opening an account.

*rading +latform
(nline brokers usually supply their own trading platform. #he software that you use can be simply web based or separate application that has to be downloaded and installed on your computer. ,f foreign currency trading is your preferred platform, you can view forex charts at fxcm.com and place and manage trades directly from the charts. !ost brokers will offer you at least the web version of trading platform for free, but there can be a big difference among them in data and data &uality they provide you. )hile delayed data from exchanges is mostly free, they can charge you different fees for providing you real$time stock &uotes and other data, like "euters 0ews for example.

+!one (rders
(nline services can go down during hours of service. ,nterruptions to broadband services, power outages and computer problems can stop you from accessing information you need at critical points. #his is why you must have phone access to your online broker. !ost online brokers accept also telephone orders in this case, but they charge you a higher fee for these trades.

)ustomer %ervice
Customer service becomes an important issue with an online account as you need to access this at some stage. Jou can check their accessibility before you 5oin. Jou should check that you are

not keep on hold for extended periods of time. 0ot only is this annoying, it also means that others are having issues with their accounts or trading platforms.

)as! #ccount
!ost brokers have a cash account facility that is linked to your trading account which means you can access your money anytime. -or the cash holding on the trading account brokers normally pay you interests, not as high as saving accounts, but this can be a factor of decision, especially in bear trends, when you step out of stock positions and hold cash for an unknown period of time.

&inancial %tatements
'll online brokers should offer you financial statements so that you can reconcile your accounts. #his becomes important at tax time and when discrepancies occur in your account.

*erms #nd )onditions

Carefully read the terms and conditions offered by online brokers. Compare minimum account balances and possible other minimum re&uirements, like minimum trades per month.

E"tra 'enefits
!any brokers will give you extra incentives to open an account with them. +ome brokers offer cost$free trading for a limited period of time or for a limited period of tradesD others will offer free reports on the markets you are interested in. Check these bonus offers if all other e&ual between your potential brokers, but not make this number one criteria. )ritten by6 <oran %olenc

Online $toc& 0radin%

Online $toc& 0radin% is becoming the most popular way to trade stocks because of computers. 0o longer do we have to call a broker and pay high commissions to buy or sell a stock. )ith 5ust a few clicks of the mouse we are in total control of our investments. )ith online brokerages competing for your business, commission prices are at levels that are easily affordable. 'ccess to information, known only to stockbrokers a few years ago, is now at our finger tips. %epending on what type of trader you are, there is trading software and execution systems that can shoot your orders to 7the floor7 in seconds. )e can log on to the internet, read the news of a stock we are interested in, look at itCs chart, go back to our online trading platform, click a button, and buy a stock. Bere is a small sample of online brokers.

+cottrade 'meritrade E #rade +chwab )hich one is the best to useM #hat all depends on what type of trader you are. ,f you are a swing trader or someone who buys and holds a stock for some time, a company like +cottrade would be good for you. ,f you are day trading stocks online, then you are going to want someone who offers direct access in order to get the best price possible. )ith buying and selling stocks being so easy comes the allure of getting rich &uick. !any people get into this mindset. #hey open an account with an online broker and end up losing their hard earned money. +tock #rading is a get rich slow process. !oney can be made, but it takes time. !ost important, and , can not stress this enough, it takes education. Before you even consider opening an account educate yourself by reading books, and developing a trading strategy. %o not get involved with the stock market without doing this first. #he market is filled with hungry sharks looking to take your money from you. 'nd take your money they will if you go into this blindly. #his website will help you get the education you need. Bave a look around, there are many resources here to help you get started, and to help you succeed with your online stock trading.