E-commerce, E-commerce Website & Its Features ?

First of all Get Some Idea About E-commerce : 

Electronic commerce, commonly known as E-commerce,is a kind of industry where buying and selling of product,service is conducted over electronic systems such as the Internet and other computer networks.

Electronic commerce draws on technologies such as mobile commerce, electronic funds transfer, supply chain management, Internet marketing, on-line transaction processing, electronic data interchange (EDI), inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems. Modern electronic commerce typically uses the World Wide Web at least at one point in the transaction's life-cycle, although it may encompass a wider range of technologies such as e-mail, mobile devices social media, and telephones as well.

Electronic commerce is generally considered to be the sales aspect of e-business. It also consists of the exchange of data to facilitate the financing and payment aspects of business transactions. This is an effective and efficient way of communicating within an organization and one of the most effective and useful ways of conducting business.

E-commerce can be divided into :

E-tailing or "virtual store fronts" on websites with online catalogs, sometimes gathered into a "virtual mall"

The gathering and use of demographic data through Web contacts and social media

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the business-to-business exchange of data

E-mail and fax and their use as media for reaching prospective and established customers (for example, with newsletters)

Business-to-business buying and selling

The security of business transactions

Resource : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-commerce

E-commerce Website :

E-commerce website is your virtual ‘shop window’, letting your visitors see your products from the comfort of their own home. So what do you need to make an e-commerce website effective?For any ecommerce website to be effective there are a few things that need to be in place before you ‘open for business’. 

Like any shop window, an ecommerce website has to be eye-catching, effective and offer potential customers what they want. So the first thing that has to be right is your SEO or search engine optimisation. Without a good page ranking, your shop will remain empty and the customers will be spending their money on your rivals’ sites. 

An effective ecommerce website should be vibrant, easy to navigate and well laid out, just like any other ‘real life’ shop. Ecommerce is all about the user experience, and your shop has to give your visitors the best user experience it possibly can.

The Value of E-commerce and Ebusiness :

When mail was integrated with the internet we called it email, and now we have eCommerce and eBusiness, which is obviously business and commerce integrated with the internet, further proving the internet's vast convenience and capabilities; like we ever doubted it. 

ECommerce is the new consumer market that is taking eBusinesses, and even regular businesses that have taken on the internet concept, to greater heights than ever before. The actual concept of eCommerce brings millions of consumers from across the world to one single location, eliminating the need for various buildings and a larger budget for supplies and office space. 

EBusinesses are taking hold of the expanding market, literally popping up every day, offering a new convenience and variations of products and services; the eBusiness market being very vast and expansive. 

Read More On E-commerce and Ebusiness : http://www.fatbit.com/website-design-company/ecommerce-and-ebusiness.html

Now What the Essential features of E-commerce Website : 

• E-commerce websites have to exert an image of vibrancy, competitiveness and efficiency. For that a powerful website builder software has to be selected.

• The pages have to be search optimized if you want your site to be visible in search engines at a higher position.

• Integration of the website with PayPal would help accept real-time credit card processing instantly.

• The templates of the site should be designed professionally and there should be space to accommodate catalogues prepared in Excel.

• The site has to be integrated with other websites using HTML editor, which involves allotting codes to web pages.

More Features Of E-Commerce website : 

1. Search Box
2. Featured Products
3. Related product
4. Newsletter Subscription
5. Product Zoom
6. Categories
7. Good Navigation
8. Good Payment Gateway
9. Privacy Policy
10. Good Return Policy
11. Customer login & registration
12. Good Graphics
13. Delivery Information
14. News & Events
15. Social Media Presence

Described Information on these 15 points here : http://www.searchenginejournal.com/15-must-have-features-ecommerce-site/27233/

Microsoft tweaks Windows 8, revs up developers

Microsoft Corp released a test version of its Windows 8.1 software on Wednesday, bringing back the "start" button and adding a host of features it hopes will appeal to users, while spurring developers into writing more applications for it.

The updated Windows, which was signaled at the end of May, is aimed chiefly at soothing traditional computer users, many of whom were unsettled by Microsoft's shift towards a new "tile"-based interface that works best on touch-enabled devices, but left fans of the old-style desktop confused.

"Since we announced and shipped Windows 8, suffice it to say, we pushed boldly and yet what we found was we got a lot of feedback from users of those millions of desktop applications," said Microsoft Chief Executive Steve Ballmer, opening the company's annual developer conference in San Francisco.

"If I was to put it in coffee terms, 'Why don't you go and refine the blend here?' Let's remix the desktop and your modern application experience. Let's balance them better," said Ballmer, summing up user feedback.

The result is the reinstatement of the 'start' button, and easier ways to find and access applications, along with a highly improved search function, some of which was announced last month.

Microsoft shares closed up 2 per cent at $34.35 on Nasdaq, outpacing generally higher markets. Ballmer also promised a "rapid release cycle" for Windows in future, abandoning its previous policy of making new versions of Windows every three years, in an effort to match Apple Inc and Google Inc.

THUMBS-UP FROM WINDOWS FANS

The response from the thousands of developers at the conference in San Francisco was broadly positive, although attendees tend to be Windows die-hards.

"Of course, they're playing some catch up (with Apple and Google). They have been lagging behind for years now," said Jorgen Nilsson, a manager at UK-based Aveva AB, a firm that makes computer-aided design software applications. "But this release is driving it forward instead of catching up and making it work for business and personal use. This is looking really good now."

Content Source : http://www.indianexpress.com/news/microsoft-tweaks-windows-8-revs-up-developers/1134547/

Microsoft to bring 'Age of Empires' to Apple, Android phones

Microsoft's gaming business is dependent primarily on its Xbox franchise but mobile devices have been eating into the gaming industry, luring consumers away from traditional consoles.

While the tech giant has released a few mobile games for iOS and Android like Wordament, "Age of Empires" is its most popular game to date to be offered beyond its own consoles.

The strategy is one that analysts argue other game machine makers such as Mario Brothers creator Nintendo Co Ltd could consider in a bid to leverage their software assets.

KLab will develop a mobile version of "Age of Empires" which will be released before the end of March, a KLab spokesperson said.

Shares in KLab were overwhelmed by a glut of buy orders in Tokyo trade on Tuesday, with its price indicated at 972 yen, 18 percent higher than its last close.

Read Complete Post Here : http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/25/us-microsoft-games-idUSBRE95N16J20130625

Alternative To Google Reader

By pulling the plug on Reader service, Google will break the hearts relying on it for aggregating content from their favorite websites and blogs.

Here are the words Google used to justify the dreadful act;

“We launched Google Reader in 2005 in an effort to make it easy for people to discover and keep tabs on their favorite websites. While the product has a loyal following, over the years usage has declined. So, on July 1, 2013, we will retire Google Reader. Users and developers interested in RSS alternatives can export their data, including their subscriptions, with Google Takeout over the course of the next four months.”

Read complete post here : http://www.fatbit.com/fab/july-1st-google-removes-reader-from-its-product-shelf/

Now come on the main topic That is Alternative To Google Reader : 

Google Reader, the popular news aggregator and reader service, is in its last week of existence. After July 1, it won't be accessible. The impending demise created an opportunity for many other RSS ( Really Simple Syndication) services to provide an alternative by ramping up their features. 

A feed aggregator, like Reader, delivers you content from multiple websites on one single page. If you follow, for example, 20 websites, you don't need to open each of them to see the updated content. Moreover, the updated content may not be on the home page, and there is every possibility that you may miss it. A feed aggregator solves the problem. Not surprisingly, Google Reader was very popular and for reasons best known to Google, it's being shut down. 

The first off the block to fill the void was Feedly, which got into action on the very day Google announced the decision, on March 13. They increased server capacity and provided easy syncing with Google Reader. During the last three months, Feedly has been regularly updating and upgrading the features, and as of now, it is the best alternative to Google Reader. 

It provides you not only a Google Reader-like experience, it goes beyond and does what the Reader failed to do: a magazine format with curated contented. There are two other ways of viewing the feeds: card and full article. 

It also integrated with IFTTT, a service that enables users of websites to connect and share content with other sites. So, the Feedly channel can be connected to 65 channels like Buzzfeed, Facebook, Evernote, Flicker, Gmail, Wordpress, etc. 

"We delivered a one-click migration tool which allows users to migrate their feeds, categories, starred items and tags from Google Reader to the Feedly cloud. It is available at http://cloud.feedly.com," says a blog post. It has mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. 

Credit Content Resource : http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/computing/Alternatives-to-Google-Reader/articleshow/20760326.cms  

Why Website Redesign necessary for better performance ?

Redesign was never the slippery road it is now.

Every other week brings reports of established web brands facing the wrath of users because of design and functionality related changes. Windows is probably the most recent example of a brand that bowed to web uproar over such changes. This is what happened;

In Windows 8, the company decided to do away with the start button which people were literally habitual to. The tiny button on the left was replaced by a tile like arrangement that served near about the same purpose. This transition seemed only normal from usability point of view but it didn’t go down well with Windows audience. It turned out people wanted the ‘start’ button and the company made the changes in the newest update.

Something similar happened to Flickr when they gave the website a complete overhaul. Presently, Flickr folks are running around, making amendments in their new platform to stop the users from leaving (we have covered the whole imbroglio in our recent post).

While there are plenty of fail examples, there is fair number of online brands that manage the design transition just fine. Pinterest is one brand that introduced design updates earlier this year without any noticeable backlash.

Facebook is another brand that manages fairly well with major functionality and design changes.

So, what makes some succeed and others fall flat on the face?

While reasons can vary with industry and audience in question, there are some points that just couldn’t be ignored before rolling out a major update. Here they are with real examples of brands that have successfully done so;

Read Complete Post here :  Website Redesign – Why Some (Pinterest) Succeed & Others

Tips for Staying on Top of the Latest Web Design Trends

With new techniques and technologies emerging every year, it’s important to be sure you don’t fall behind the latest web design trends. Your education, combined with a passion to continue flourishing as a designer, will keep you sharp when it comes time to enter the workforce.

So to help keep you organized in your professional development efforts, we’ve compiled some tips and tricks to help you stay on top of the latest web design trends. These are real tactics that industry experts have shared with us, so pay close attention.

1.Read web design blogs

Keeping tabs on the top web design blogs is a great way to keep your finger on the pulse of the industry. But be careful because it’s difficult to determine which trends are worth adopting and which are just a fad. If you notice multiple blogs mentioning the same topic, trend or technique, chances are it’s worth knowing.

Some of the best:

• Smashing Magazine
• Mashable
• A List Apart
• Six Revisions
• Web Designer Depot
• Downgraf

2. Follow industry leaders on Twitter

As an aspiring web designer, it’s always smart to take tips from the pros when you can get them.Twitter is an outstanding tool for getting up-to-the-minute thoughts and ideas from the industry’s biggest names. By following professionals in the field, you get a taste for what they’re working on and the techniques they are using.  

Some of the best:

• Jeffrey Zeldman, @zeldman
• Chris Spooner, @chrisspooner
• Brian Hoff, @behoff
• Chris Coyier, @chriscoyier
• Brad Frost, @brad_frost

3. Join professional design organizations

Becoming a member of these organizations has numerous benefits. Not only will you form relationships with other members but you’ll also have unique opportunities to participate in events. Most of these clubs also distribute newsletters highlighting new industry trends.

Some of the best:

• American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA)
• World Organization of Webmasters (WOW)
• International Webmasters Association (IWA)

4. Participate in design forums

Web design forums provide a unique opportunity to interact with other designers. They can be used to solve problems, learn new techniques and bounce ideas off one another. By participating in these communities, you can hear opinions about new trends.

Some of the best:

• CSS Tricks
• Designers Talk
• Dynamic Drive Forums
• Web Dev Forums

5. Attend conferences/networking events

It’s easy to limit your learning to only what can be accomplished behind a computer screen, but attending events offline is invaluable. Not only will you get to hear live speakers present about web design trends, but it’s a great way to network with others in attendance. Rather than merely being known as an avatar, showing your personality face-to-face may help open doors in the future.

Some of the best:

• An Event Apart
• AIGA Gain Conferences
• PHP Conferences
• Meetup

6. Listen to design-related Podcasts

Listening to podcasts is a great way to hear about new techniques and ideas from thought leaders throughout the industry. This is an easy way to introduce yourself to new information and challenge yourself without leaving the comfort of your own home. You can even listen to them while working out or in the car while running errands!

Some of the best:

• Shop Talk Show
• The Big Web Show
• The Web Ahead
• Boagworld Show

Read full post here : http://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/design/blog/staying-on-top-of-latest-web-design-trends/

Apples'S Worldwide Developers Conference from June 10-14

The 24th WWDC 2013 kicked off with a keynote speech from Tim Cook (CEO of Apple Inc.). With curtain raised from OS X Mavericks (jokingly referred to OS Sea Lion), iOS7, iTune Radio, new Safari browser and Mac Pro, there was no scarcity of announcements.

iOS7 was certainly the one that garnered most attention as people wanted to know what Apple had reinvented to keep up with the rivals like Windows and Android JellyBean. However, amongst the cheers and revelations, there were whispers and unimpressed looks that reflected the common opinion slowly building around the brand.

Following points will answer the question posed in the title;

Public Reaction

The new iOS7 with over two hundred additional features and new user interface obviously made a good first impression. While most developers said that the giant leap Apple took towards making the new UI is impressive, many felt that it is less design oriented with poor and amateur icons. Some experts even say that the new font looks pushed in the scenario.

Apple has ‘sherlocked’ many companies by integrating third party software features into their own. For instance, the Mailbox’s swipe gestures into its own Mail App, Angelbit’s 1Password, HTC’s Android weather App. Apple had also finally brought in Apple Maps for cars in order to cope up with Windows’ Nokia Drive.

Read The Full News Here with this title :  WWDC 2013 & iOS7: Did Apple Really Impress?

The Rise and Rise of Neil Patel

Neil Patel is a Seattle based entrepreneur, angel investor, and analytics expert.He is best known for his work in digital marketing ,Patel co-founded KISSmetrics, a customer analytics platform designed for small and mid-sized companies.

Till now, making of millionaires and their journeys have been illustrated in biographies, articles and news. But from today, another medium will be the added to the list.

FATbit presents Biographic, life chronicle at its comic best.

We have chosen the web entrepreneur and founder of two successful companies, Neil Patel to grace the first ever biographic made. Enjoy our graphic hard work and learn everything about Neil’s life, struggles, and achievements with a pinch of humour.

Source: The Neil Patel: MOPPING TO MILLIONS

why colour accessibility is important,how integrating it into your workflow

Awareness of accessibility is again growing in the web industry. We’ve recently reported on Nomensa’s accessibility declaration tool, GAAD 2013, and Web Axe urging designers to keep link underlines.

.net: Why is colour accessibility important and why do you think more designers aren’t thinking about it?

GC: I don’t think most people realise how common conditions like colour-blindness really are. Close to five percent of the population have some degree of reduced colour vision, and that’s not counting the even larger percentage of people who have poor vision in general. Design trends these days are all about subtle details and many websites feature text or other page elements that have insufficient contrast or inappropriate colour combinations. Designers are designing for what they can see, not realising that it may be incredibly difficult to read for others.

.net : What would you say to a designer concerned about sacrificing creative freedom when following colour accessibility guidelines?

GC : It’s a common misconception that ‘accessibility’ equals ‘boring’. It reminds me of the same misconception about responsive design; some people say it restricts designs into visible grids and everything ends up looking the same. Taking that attitude is a way to blame the tools or requirements when we are the ones in control of the final outcome. Plus, guidelines for making a design colourblind-friendly are completely reasonable. There’s simply no excuse. Striving to make our work more creative is important, but we also need to think about real-world considerations and understand that not everyone is blessed with perfect vision. We need to be inclusive and provide an enjoyable experience for as many people as we can.

Read full story here : http://www.netmagazine.com/news/web-industry-urged-embrace-colour-accessibility-132779