PROFESSIONAL DIPLOMA IN E-COMMERCE

This 10 week live-online / classroom course provides attendees with essential knowledge and skills across key areas of e-commerce. It equips attendees with up to date real time skills and information required to succeed in this fast paced dynamic marketplace. Students are introduced to e-commerce & digital business with definitions and concepts explored before moving onto essentials to include e-commerce business models, e-commerce sales channel options, social commerce, content management for e-commerce success, e-commerce website – design, functionality & security; Other important aspects examined include managing and improving the buyer journey online, customer expectations for online shopping, e-commerce and the service industry, with each lecture delivered incorporating a combination of slide presentation & case studies with a practical e-commerce final project assignment.

This course has been approved by the IOB for CPD:

E-Commerce represents a massive opportunity for sole traders, start-ups and established businesses to grow rapidly and be successful in gaining new customers locally, nationally, and globally. No retail business is too small or too well established not to consider e-commerce as part of their strategy going forward.

The e-commerce marketplace is experiencing major growth fuelled by growing consumer demand for fast, easy, convenient and friendly online shopping experiences. Knowledge, understanding, and skills in e-commerce are currently in very high demand, which is probably essential for anyone involved in online retail, sales, marketing, business development, as well as graduates, entrepreneurs and business owners.

Global retail e-commerce sales were over $4 trillion in 2020 with predictions for further growth (+17%), enhanced technological advancements, improvements in customer experiences online and exciting trends and developments going forward.

In this course you will learn skills in each of these areas of E-Commerce:

Introduction to Electronic Commerce
Definitions, Concepts, Objectives & Principles of e-commerce are examined with a look back to how it all started, how it looks now in 2021 & a glimpse of what the future holds.

E-commerce: Big Business Big Opportunities
Significant opportunities exist in the e-commerce marketplace, irrespective of size or scope all businesses have a chance to grasp e-commerce opportunities ensuring their business survives & succeeds in this dynamic fast-paced landscape. Opportunities are analysed & reviewed.

E-commerce: Business Models
E-commerce business models are presented, then explored & analysed:

• Business To Business B2B
• Business To Consumer B2C
• Consumer To Consumer C2C
• Consumer To Business C2B
• Direct To Consumer DTC.

Sales Channels

• Online marketplaces
• Search engines
• Social media channels
• E-commerce
• Website-design
• Functionality
• Security
• Email marketing
• Comparison Shopping Sites
• Affiliate Marketing
• Bloggers, Podcasts
• Influencers

Ecommerce Marketing Strategy

• Channel Diversification
• Content Management
• Increase and improve engagement
• Communications
• Brand visibility online
• Traditional marketing principles & practices impacting e-commerce
• Role of the e-commerce marketing manager
• Efficient customer acquisition

Strategies for Success

• Examining e-commerce goals
• Investment
• Supports available
• Customer centric approaches
• UVP Unique value proposition
• Sales channel selection

Consumer Behaviour in 2021 & Beyond

• Traditional consumer behaviour
• Changing consumer behaviour post pandemic
• The impact of covid on consumers
• Belief led buying
• Managing customer experiences & expectations online
• Best practice in online reviews management.

Building A Successful Ecommerce Business

• Investments
• Tools
• Technology
• Supports
• E-commerce marketing
• Growing brand awareness and reputation online
• Selection of most suitable industry specific sales channels
• E-commerce success stories – local, national & global.

E-commerce Website

• Design
• Functionality & Security Issues examined
• Domain name registration
• Content
• Search Engine Optimisation
• Payment Options
• Inventory, Shipping & Delivery
• Cart Abandonment Solutions
• Data & e-commerce analytics

E-commerce Trends

• Direct To Consumer
• DTC e-commerce
• Sustainability & Belief Led buying
• Online Consumer Priorities
• The Social Commerce Market
• OMNI Channel & MULTI Channel approaches

E-commerce In The Future

• What the future holds for ecommerce
• Technological advancements
• Key opportunities going forward
• Augmented Reality
• Mobile Commerce

Attendance and Assessment:

A ‘Pass’ grade on both the written assignment (Project) as well as in-class participation is required to achieve the Professional Diploma. A ‘Fail’ grade will result in a Certificate of Attendance for the course but without the Professional Diploma being awarded.
Students must attend at least 8 of the 10 course evenings to graduate with either the Professional Diploma or Certificate of Attendance unless a serious and verifiable reason for further absence is provided. Likewise, the Project must be handed in on the due date unless a sound reason for lateness is provided. In such instances, an extension may be awarded at the discretion of the lecturer.

Written Assessment:

Students will be assessed through a written project to be submitted within one month of cessation of lectures. This written assignment will be 3,000 words. Submitted essays will be graded with accompanying feedback.