Types of e-tailers

Two distinct categories of e-tailers are pure plays and bricks and clicks. A pure play e-tailer uses the Internet as its primary means of retailing. Examples of pure play e-tailers are Dell and Amazon.com. A brick and click e-tailer uses the Internet to push its goods or service but also has the traditional physical storefront available to customers. Combining this new type of retail and the old of a general store is a new type of store which is part of the green economics movement, promoting ethical consumerism.

Advantages to e-tailing

E-tailers who take part in pure play–type business have the opportunity to turn higher profit margins, due in part to the fact that many of the overhead expenses associated with a physical retail space, such as labour, retail space, and inventory, can be significantly alleviated. Pure play allows for a retailer to be able to reach customers world wide, while still only maintaining one location for each and every customer to visit, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.