E-trade is now available for all; Professor Tony Davies of Cardiff University's eCommerce Innovation Centre argues that the use of sophisticated eCommerce techniques to boost efficiency and improve sales isn't just for big companies.(Business)

Byline: Tony Davies

HELPING small businesses get clued up on eCommerce is what the eCommerce Innovation Centre and Opportunity Wales are all about.

Using this technology companies across Wales are already utilising tools like email, the internet and simple websites to improve efficiency, reduce costs, become more responsive and find new markets.

But this is just the beginning. The targeted use of more advanced eCommerce in the business-to-business market could include joining an eMarketplace, or in the business-to-consumer market offering personalised products and services to customers. Driven by the need to innovate, firms are increasingly using such tools to deliver business benefits. These include: # Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) In use for more than 15 years, traditional EDI has been conducted over dedicated ``value-added'' networks linking small companies with their larger trading partners, and is now evolving to exploit the internet, which will make it much easier and cheaper for smaller businesses to use. In the long term EDI will soon be a commonplace business tool for a much wider range of small businesses.

# XML - the future business language The XML computer language revolutionises the way data is used, making it possible to utilize and view the same information in different ways and with different viewing devices - such as WAP phones, Web browsers or Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) - without further programming work.

# Broadband Communications Research by Fletcher Advisory in the UK showed that improvements to business efficiency achieved by broadband could save UK companies pounds 4.5bn a year by 2005.

# eMarketplaces The eMarketplace, or on-line exchange, connects buyers and sellers together over the internet. The estimated 2,700 eMarketplaces in Europe are helping to streamline the procurement process.

# Electronic Trading Opportunity ( E TO ) ETO systems harness the power of information technology and the internet to bring trading partners together. Using an ETO system businesses can offer or place requests for products or look for agents.

# mCommerce Mobile technologies - or mCommerce - will allow business to react faster, improve employee communication and streamline key processes. Now even small companies can provide mobile workers with anywhere/anytime interactive access to information relevant to their work via mobile phones, PDAs and other Web-enabled devices.

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IN TOUCH: Professor Tony Davies