E-commerce (electronic commerce) is the activity of electronically buying or selling of products on online services or over the Internet. Online shopping for retail sales direct to consumers via Web sites and mobile apps, and conversational commerce via live chat, chatbots, and voice assistants.

Essentially, an ecommerce website is one that allows a business to function almost entirely online, supplanting the need for a home office equipped with a sales and managerial staff. The process is automatic, and this is what makes it stand apart from other sites that still have business development as the main goal.