BTEC – ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
Qualification:
BTEC National Level 3
Subject:
Information Technology
20836
Certificate
Unit number +
8. E-Commerce
Title
Assignment
1. Why E-Commerce?
number + Title:
Assessment
P1 P2 P3 M1 M2 D1
Criteria:
Purpose / Aims
(learning
outcomes)
LO1
Understand the web architecture & components
P1
Describe the technologies required for e-commerce
P2
Explain the impact of introducing an e-commerce system to an organisation
P3
Explain the potential risks to an organisation of committing to an
e-commerce system
M1
Recommend methods to promote an e-commerce system
M2
Discuss how security issues in e-commerce can be overcome
D1
Evaluate the use of e-commerce in a ‘brick & click’ organisation
Introduction
(Scenario)
You work for a firm of e-commerce consultants in the West Midlands and have
been asked to provide a ‘guide to e-commerce’ leaflet for a local retail business
considering e-commerce. Your guide will cover the regulations related to ecommerce and the implications of e-commerce on society. You will also put
together an e-commerce strategy for the business.
Assignment 1
(Scenario)
You visit the Managing Director of your local retail business to go over what is
needed for e-commerce, including the different technologies to be bought. The MD
is not very IT literate and therefore you need to explain the different hardware &
software and networking technologies needed for e-commerce.
THE FORMAT OF THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN SET AND MUST NOT BE CHANGED IN ANY WAY
Approved by: PB
Internally verified: Sep-12
No
Criteria
For P1, you need to develop an information guide for a local retail
business considering whether or not to trade using e-commerce.
Use Microsoft Publisher (or Word) to produce an information
‘Dummies Guide’ leaflet (using both words & pictures) that
describes the purpose of e-commerce.
1. E-commerce
 E-commerce:
 What is e-commerce?
 What types of products are offered by e-commerce
retail websites
 Example 1 (include a screen shot)
 Example 2 (include a screen shot)
 What types of services are offered by e-commerce
retail websites
 Example 1 (include a screen shot)
 Example 2 (include a screen shot)
2. Hardware & Software
Select two of these types of hardware & software technologies
(from either Web Servers, Browsers, Web Authoring Tools or
Database System)
Tasks
1

Web servers:
 What hardware is required to run a web server?
 What software is required to run a web server?
 What is the purpose of web server software? What
does it hold and manage?
 What web server software is available for hosting
websites?
 How does a web server process requests made by
clients (users accessing the website from their web
browsers)
 Browsers:
 What is browser software?
 What does browser software do? What is its
purpose?
 What different web browsers are available to
access the internet?
 In your opinion which is the most popular web
browser? Why is it the most popular? What are its
main features?

Web authoring tools
 What are the most popular web authoring tools?
 What is the purpose of web authoring tools?
 What are popular features of web authoring tools?
P1
 What is the purpose of text editors and how can
they be used to create and edit websites?

Database system
 Why is a database important to an e-commerce
website? What does it hold?
 What are the most popular web database systems
used for managing data on an e-commerce
website?
3. Networking
 TCP/IP addresses ports and protocols:
 What is the format of an IP address?
 What are unique IP addresses assigned to?
 What does static IP addresses mean and why are
they important to a web server holding an ecommerce website?
 What do e-commerce retail stores use to
communicate with their customers?
 What is TCP/IP?
o What does TCP/IP stand for?
o What does the TCP/IP protocol do? What is
its purpose?
o What does the TCP/IP protocol consist of?
o What is each layer of the TCP/IP
responsible for?
 What are the different protocols that make up the
TCP/IP?
o What does HTTP stand for?
o What does the HTTP protocol do? What is
its purpose?
o What is the port number given to the HTTP
protocol?
o What does HTTPS stand for?
o What does the HTTPS protocol do? What is
its purpose?
o What is the port number given to the HTTPS
protocol?
o What does SMTP stand for?
o What does the SMTP protocol do? What is
its purpose?
o What is the port number given to the
SMTPS protocol?
4. Considerations
Businesses need to consider a number of factors before they can
conduct an e‐commerce website
Select three of these types of hardware & software technologies
(from either Domain Names, Multiple Registration of Domains,
Programming Requirements, Download Speed and Browser &
Platform Capability):

Domain names:
 What are domain names? Give examples of three
different domain names, each ending with a
different sub domain (co.uk, .org, .com)
 Why are domain names used instead of IP
addresses to access websites?
 How many parts is a website address split into?
Give an example of a retail website address and
explain how it has been split
 What is used to assign a domain name to an IP
address?

Multiple registration of domains (.com as well as.co.uk):
 How many domains can be assigned to a single IP
address?
 Why do companies register multiple domain names
to one IP address?

Programming requirements:
 Client Side Scripts: What kind of programs are
installed on the client’s browser so that they are
able to interact with an e-commerce website?
 Server Side Scripts: What scripts are used on the
web server to improve the user’s browsing
experience?

Download speed:
 What affects the performance of a website?
 What must be reduced or kept to a minimum on a
website to improve download speed?

Browser and platform capability
 What factors must be taken into account before
designing an e-commerce website and why is this
important?
 client’s operating system
 browser
 screen resolution and size
 number of colours
Following your meet up with the Managing Director, you will next
meet with the Shareholders where you will explain the impact of
introducing an e-commerce system to the retail company.
2
For P2, you are required to prepare a stimulating & interesting
visual presentation (with detailed supporting speakers notes) in
Microsoft Powerpoint covering:
Five of the following eight benefits:
 global marketplace
 24/7 trading
 relatively low start-up & running costs
P2





competitive edge
search facilities
gathering customer information
alternative income sources
pricing opportunities (for example, differences, fluid
pricing)
Four of the following six drawbacks:
 consumer trust
 lack of human contact
 delivery issues
 international legislation
 product description problems
 security issues
For P3, you need to produce a report in Microsoft Word explaining
the potential risks to your retail organisation of committing to an
e-commerce system.
Hacking
 What is hacking?
 How could hacking be a threat to your retailer’s ecommerce website? What type of data might hackers
steal & what use could this be to them?
 What measures can be taken to protect hardware/
software used to run your retailer’s e-commerce
website?
o Viruses
 What is a virus? How can a virus damage your
retailer’s computer system?
3
 What is a trojan? How can a trojan damage your
retailer’s computer system
 What is a worm? How can a worm damage your
retailer’s computer system
 What type of data is held on a web server and how can
a virus act as a threat to your retailer’s data?
 What measures can be taken to protect the web server
holding your retailer’s e-commerce website from
viruses?
Firewalls
 What is a firewall?
 What does a firewall do? What is its purpose?
 How can a firewall protect your retailer’s e-commerce
website? What security threat can they overcome?
o
o Identity theft
 What is identity theft? How can identity theft be a
threat to your retailer’s e-commerce website?
 How can someone create a look alike site to “phish”
for information leading to possible identity theft or
P3
theft of other data (e.g. credit card details)?
 What actions can be taken to prevent identity theft?
For M1, produce a report in Microsoft Word describing (&
recommending) a variety of methods available to promote
your retail e-commerce business and the pros & cons of each
method.
4
Effective use of search engines using meta tags & ‘spiders’
 What is a search engine?
 Give examples of at least three search engine widely
used (using screen prints & web addresses)
 Demonstrate a search that can be carried out for a
retail product of your choice using a search engine
(use screen prints to demonstrate the process from a
search engine search to the e-commerce website where
you can purchase the product)
 What is the purpose of meta tags and what do they
contain?
 What are description meta tags?
 What is the name of the program that automatically
fetches and feeds pages to search engines?
 Give several examples of these programs.
 What are the advantages of using search engines to list
your retail e-commerce website?
 What are the disadvantages of using search engines to
list your retail e-commerce website?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Paying for prominence in search result listing
 What must companies do to get their e-commerce
website to the coloured area at the top of the search
listings? How does this work?
 What are the advantages of paying search engines to
list your retail e-commerce website in the first page of
results?
 What are the disadvantages of paying search engines
to list your retail e-commerce website in the first page
of results?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Newsgroups and forums
 What are newsgroups?
 What does a newsgroup do? What is its purpose? Use
screenshot examples
 What are forums?
 What does a forum do? What is its purpose?
M1
Use screenshot examples
 How can newsgroups and forums be used to advertise
your retail e-commerce website?
 What are the advantages of using this method to
promote your retail e-commerce website?
 What are the disadvantages of using this method to
promote your retail e-commerce website?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Banners and pop ups
 What are web banners?
 What does a web banner do? What is its purpose? Use
screenshot examples of websites that advertise other ecommerce websites through web banners
 What are pop ups?
 What does a pop up do? What is its purpose? Use
screenshot examples of websites that advertise other ecommerce websites through pop ups
 What are the advantages of using banners & pop ups to
promote their retail e-commerce websites?
 What are the disadvantages of using banners & pop
ups to promote their retail e-commerce websites?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
SPAM email
 What is meant by SPAM email?
 What does SPAM email do? What is its purpose?
 What are the advantages of using SPAM email to
promote their retail e-commerce websites?
 What are the disadvantages of using SPAM email to
promote their retail e-commerce websites?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Direct marketing
 What is meant by direct marketing?
 What does direct marketing do? What is its purpose?
 What are the advantages of using direct marketing to
promote their retail e-commerce websites?
 What are the disadvantages of using direct marketing
to promote their retail e-commerce websites?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Site name
 What is meant by a site name?
 What does a site name do? What is its purpose?
 Give screen shot examples of several popular retail
e‐ commerce site domain names.
 Why is a site name important in promoting a retail ecommerce website?
 What must be suggested in a site domain name?
 How can site names be made memorable?
 What are the advantages of using site names to
promote a retail e-commerce website?
 What are the disadvantages of using site name to
promote a retail e-commerce website?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Ensuring an effective user interface
 What design features must a retail e-commerce website
consider when developing a user interface?
 What are the advantages of using an effective user
interface to promote a retail e-commerce website?
 What are the disadvantages of using an effective user
interface to promote a retail e-commerce website?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
Establishing customer loyalty in a virtual environment
 How can customer loyalty be achieved in a virtual
environment?
 What are the advantages of using customer loyalty to
promote a retail e-commerce website?
 What are the disadvantages of using customer loyalty
to promote a retail e-commerce website?
 Do you recommend this method to promote your retail
e-commerce website? Provide a summary regarding
why you do (or do not)
For M2, extend your Microsoft Word report for P3 by discussing
the security aspects of e-commerce, including the benefits &
drawbacks of potential solutions.
Secure Socket Layers (SSL), HTTPS & RSA Certificates
 What is a SSL?
 What does SSL do? What is its purpose?
 What is encryption?
 What does encryption do? What is its purpose?
 What is SSL used for and what security issue does it
overcome?
 Which browsers (name several) understand and work
with SSL?
5
 What does HTTPS stand for?
 What does the HTTPS protocol do? What is its
purpose?
 What is the port number given to the HTTPS protocol
 What does a HTTPS webpage contain? How does a
user know if the e-commerce webpage is secure?
 What protocol does the browser use to connect to the
web server when credits cards details are ready to be
transmitted at checkout?
 What technology is used to return valid identification
details back to the web browser?
 Who does the browser contact after receiving the RSA
digital certificate?
 What happens if the check is successful?
 What happens if the check is unsuccessful?
 What are the potential risks if these technologies don’t
work together well?
M2
Strong Passwords
 What are strong passwords?
 Why is it important for customers to use strong
passwords?
 What simple rules can your e-commerce website set to
ensure that customers use strong passwords?
 What are the advantages of using strong passwords?
 What are the disadvantages of using strong
passwords?
Alternative Authentication Methods
 What are the four other possible alternative
authentication methods?
 What are the advantages of using these methods?
 What are the disadvantages of using these methods?
For D1, you need to extend both your presentation & report
findings in P2 & M1 by evaluating in a Microsoft Word report the
potential use of e-commerce in your ‘brick and click’ retail
organisation.
6
D1
You will need to focus on the ‘click’ part of the operation and
consider what advantages are likely to be given to the retail
organisation over and above their high street presence. You also
need to consider what disadvantages it might bring.
You are expected to research extra material over and above what
has been covered to date in the basic unit content.
Assignment 1
Deadline:
31.10.12