Comparing Different E-Business Models

For the purpose of this paper, I selected the following three categories for comparison : B2C, C2C and e-Government. For the sake of ease, I chose representative entities for each category : Amazon (B2C), EBay (C2C) and Arizona government, www.az.gov (e-Government). In the following paragraphs, I will identify the differences and similarities of those three business models by addressing the questions in the syllabus.

1) Who is the target audience for this Web site?

Amazon targets consumers and seeks revenue from small transaction markups on thousands of small sales each day. Originally they started with new books as their primary product. Once they established name recognition, they expanded into cross-category consumer goods and even used goods to continue growth. They have limited themselves to shippable products and have not yet expanded to services to my knowledge. EBay also targets consumers and seeks revenue from transaction fees on sales each day. EBay is different in the fact that it doesn't warehouse or distribute anything, but instead provides an auction format for consumer to consumer transactions. Originally it was focused on used products, which made it unique compared to other online marketplaces. Consumers were often looking to EBay to find a used product at a cheaper price or a product that is no longer available on the retail markets. EBay has since expanded to sell nearly anything, from new and used products to services. AZ.gov (AZ) targets Arizona residents and prospective residents. It provides information about Arizona, from weather to businesses to taxes, as well as services such as drivers license renewal. AZ intends to market the state of Arizona as a great place to live to promote growth.

2) What are they offering to their buyers or consumers via the Web?

Amazon offers hundreds of thousands of products, shippable directly to the consumer without leaving their home. The idea is one stop shopping for non-perishable goods, available at reasonable prices due to volume purchasing power. The most recent value added to Amazon was their creation of an "Amazon marketplace", where they allow other businesses to sell their products through Amazon for a fee. Amazon does not have to pay for inventory or distribution of these products, only the cost of maintaining the business link with the retailer (i.e. accurate inventory, transfer of information). This marketplace has added thousands of retailers, more specialized products and more used products, all under the "one stop" umbrella.