The Complete Idiot’s Guide to E-Commerce
Authors: Rob Smith, Mark Speaker, and Mark Thompson
Rating: 
Pros:
- Good glossary of frequently used terms in the industry
- Easy to understand for beginners in the world of e-commerce
- Makes good use of examples to show the reader what they are talking about
- Stats and facts sections are printed throughout the book on some of the newer technologies
Cons:
- Glossary could have included some more terms that are used frequently
- No overview of the chapters, would of been nice to have handy for quick reference
This is the first time I’ve read any of “The Complete Idiot’s Guides” and I must say that I’m quite impressed with the amount of detail they go into in this 5-part book. Here’s a preview of those very chapters:
Part 1: What is e-Commerce
Part 2: Opportunities in e-Commerce
Part 3: e-Marketing
Part 4: e-Strategies: Managing the e-Corporation
Part 5: Pulling it All Together
It’s not a book you would want to read from cover to cover but rather read each individual chapter whenever a situation comes at hand. The book does go into quite a bit of detail about the aspects of running an e-commerce business. It also includes marketing and promotion strategies towards the end. They also included ways to steer clear of the common pitfalls that bestow on many new e-commerce start-ups.
Another part I really liked about the book was at the end of each part they had listed “The Least You Need To Know.” In this area they listed the concepts you need to know in order to successfully grasp how to do each part of running an online business.
I did find some of the parts of the book rather boring, but then again, this book is aimed towards the beginner and intermediate in e-commerce. If there’s a book that covers a little of everything related to e-commerce, it’s this one. By the time you’ve finished reading it you’ll be up to speed with everyone else on the topic of e-commerce.
To get a copy of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to E-Commerce” and for more reader reviews click here: http://www.merchantseek.com/complete_idiots_guide_to_ecommerce
Review by: Jim Conley II, CEO/Founder of MerchantSeek.com