The specific part of maturita topic 15 (Services and accommodation), at B2 level: buying and selling online, and how a typical company is organised.
E-commerce
E-commerce (electronic commerce) means buying and selling goods and services over the internet – in online shops (e-shops), on marketplaces such as Amazon or Allegro, through apps or social networks.
Types of e-commerce
| Type | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| B2C (business to consumer) | a company sells to customers | an online electronics shop |
| B2B (business to business) | companies trade with each other | a firm ordering office supplies |
| C2C (consumer to consumer) | people sell to each other | second-hand clothes apps, online bazaars |
| C2B | individuals sell to companies | freelancers, influencers |
How an online purchase works
- The customer browses the product catalogue, uses search and filters and reads reviews.
- He or she puts the product into the shopping cart (AmE) / basket (BrE).
- At the checkout the customer logs in or orders as a guest, chooses delivery (courier, pick-up point, parcel locker) and payment (card, online banking, digital wallet such as Apple Pay, cash on delivery, “buy now, pay later”).
- The payment goes through a secure payment gateway; the website uses HTTPS to encrypt the data.
- The customer gets an order confirmation by email, can track the parcel and, in the EU, may return the goods within 14 days without giving a reason.
What a good e-shop needs
A clear and fast website that works on mobile phones (responsive design), good photos and descriptions, simple checkout, several payment and delivery options, customer support (chat, email, phone), security and GDPR compliance, and online marketing – search engine optimisation (SEO), ads, newsletters and social media.
Advantages and disadvantages
For customers: shopping 24/7 from home, a wide choice, easy price comparison and often lower prices – but you can’t touch or try the goods, you have to wait for delivery, and there is a risk of fraud or fake shops.
For companies: lower costs than a real shop, customers from all over the world, data about customer behaviour – but strong competition, the cost of delivery and returns, and the need to protect the site from cyber attacks.
Parts of a company
Types of companies
In English-speaking countries you will meet a sole trader (self-employed person), a partnership, a private limited company (Ltd – similar to the Czech s.r.o.) and a public limited company (plc, or a corporation – Inc. – in the USA, similar to a.s.), whose shares can be traded on the stock exchange.
Structure
A company is usually organised into departments, shown in an organisational chart:
| Department | Responsibilities |
|---|---|
| management / board of directors | strategy and important decisions; led by the CEO (chief executive officer) |
| finance / accounting | money, budgets, invoices, taxes, salaries |
| human resources (HR) | hiring new employees, training, contracts, working conditions |
| production / operations | making the products or providing the services |
| research and development (R&D) | new products and improvements |
| sales | selling to customers, contracts, prices |
| marketing | market research, advertising, the brand, social media |
| purchasing / logistics | buying materials, the warehouse, transport |
| customer service | help for customers, complaints, returns |
| IT department | computers, networks, software, security and support for the other departments |
| legal department | contracts and legal issues |
Other important terms: headquarters (the main office), branch (a local office), employees and their line manager, turnover (the total amount of money from sales) and profit (what is left after paying the costs).
Key vocabulary
| English | Česky |
|---|---|
| e-commerce | elektronický obchod |
| online shop / marketplace | e-shop / tržiště |
| to browse | procházet |
| review | recenze |
| shopping cart / basket | nákupní košík |
| checkout | pokladna (objednávka) |
| delivery / parcel locker | doručení / výdejní box |
| cash on delivery | dobírka |
| payment gateway | platební brána |
| order confirmation | potvrzení objednávky |
| to track a parcel | sledovat zásilku |
| to return goods / refund | vrátit zboží / vrácení peněz |
| responsive design | responzivní design |
| search engine optimisation | optimalizace pro vyhledávače |
| fraud | podvod |
| sole trader / self-employed | živnostník / OSVČ |
| limited company | společnost s ručením omezeným |
| share / shareholder | akcie / akcionář |
| department | oddělení |
| organisational chart | organizační schéma |
| human resources | personální oddělení |
| research and development | výzkum a vývoj |
| warehouse | sklad |
| complaint | reklamace, stížnost |
| headquarters / branch | ústředí / pobočka |
| turnover / profit | obrat / zisk |
Useful phrases
- The customer adds… to the basket and then…
- The main advantage of shopping online is…, whereas…
- The… department is responsible for…
- If I ran an online shop, I would…
- I’d rather buy… in a real shop, because…
Questions the examiner may ask
Try to answer each question in two or three sentences, then click on the hint to compare.
| Question | Hint |
|---|---|
| What is e-commerce and what types do you know? | buying and selling online; B2C, B2B, C2C, C2B |
| Describe the process of buying something online. | browse, basket, checkout, delivery, payment, confirmation, tracking, 14-day return |
| What should a good e-shop have? | responsive design, photos, simple checkout, payment and delivery options, support, security, marketing |
| What are the advantages and disadvantages of online shopping? | choice, prices, comfort vs. no trying, waiting, fraud |
| What departments does a company usually have? | management, finance, HR, production, R&D, sales, marketing, logistics, customer service, IT, legal |
| What does the IT department do? | hardware, networks, software, security, backups, user support |
| Would you like to run your own business? Why / why not? | own opinion – freedom vs. risk and responsibility |