Learning Objectives

By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:

  • Identify the key services that run on the internet.
  • Describe the function of email, instant messaging, and search engines.
  • Explain how cloud services, VoIP, and location services support online business.
  • Trace how a single online purchase uses several internet services.

Key Features and Services of the Internet and Web

Beyond simple web page viewing, the Internet provides a suite of specialized services that enable the functionality of modern e-commerce.

1. Search Engines

Search engines like Google and Bing are the primary “gateways” to the web. They operate in three main steps:

  1. Crawling: Software (robots/spiders) traverses the web to find new and updated content.
  2. Indexing: The found content is categorized and stored in a massive database.
  3. Ranking: When a user searches, an algorithm determines the most relevant results.
flowchart LR
  SE[Search Engine]
  SE --> C[Crawling]
  C --> I[Indexing]
  I --> R[Ranking]
  R --> SERP[Search Results Page]
  SERP --> Shop[E-commerce Store]

Figure 1: Search engine process from crawl to results

  • E-commerce Impact: Understanding these steps is vital for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)—ensuring your store appears at the top of results.

2. Web 2.0 and Social Media

Web 2.0 refers to the transition from a read-only web to a Participatory Web. User-generated content (reviews, photos, blogs) is the hallmark of this era.

  • Social Networks: Platforms like Facebook and Instagram allow businesses to build communities and target ads directly to specific demographics.

3. The “SoMoLo” Trend (Social, Mobile, Local)

This is a critical e-commerce framework:

  • Social: Using social circles to influence buying (reviews, shares).
  • Mobile: Accessing the web via smartphones from anywhere.
  • Local: Using GPS and location-based services to find products nearby.
  • Example: Searching for “cafe near me” on Google Maps while in Thamel.

4. Communication & Media Services

  • E-mail: Still the most popular tool for business communication and marketing (promotional newsletters).
  • Instant Messaging (IM): Evolving into customer service tools (chatbots and live support).
  • Streaming Media: Real-time delivery of audio/video (YouTube, Netflix). Businesses use this for video marketing and product demonstrations.
  • Voice and video calling (VoIP): Internet calls on Viber, WhatsApp, Zoom, or Google Meet, used for sales calls, support, and remote meetings.

5. Cloud Services and Web Applications

Cloud computing delivers software, storage, and computing power over the internet on a pay-as-you-go basis. A small online shop can run its store on a hosted platform, keep files on cloud storage, and send email campaigns from a web service, without owning any servers.

6. Other Web Features That Support E-commerce

  • Cookies and personalisation: small files and tracking that let a site remember the cart, a logged-in user, and past interests.
  • Online forms and checkout: collect orders, addresses, and payments.
  • Maps and location services: show stores, calculate delivery areas, and track riders.
  • Wikis, blogs, and forums: useful for product guides, FAQs, and community support.

Internet services and their e-commerce uses

Service What it does E-commerce use
Search engines Find and rank web content Customers discover products; firms use SEO and search ads
Email Asynchronous messages Order confirmations, newsletters, invoices
Instant messaging Real-time chat Customer service, order taking, chatbots
Social networks User-generated content and communities Brand pages, ads, social commerce
Streaming media Real-time audio and video Product demos, live selling, video ads
VoIP / video calls Voice and video over the internet Sales calls, support, supplier meetings
Cloud services Software and storage over the internet Hosted stores, back-office tools, backups
Maps and location Geographic data and navigation Store finders, delivery zones, rider tracking

Worked example: one order, many services

A customer in Bhaktapur searches “running shoes price in Nepal” (search engine), watches a review on YouTube (streaming), asks a question to a shop on Messenger (instant messaging), and buys on the shop’s website, which runs on a cloud e-commerce platform (cloud service). She receives an order confirmation by SMS and email (email), and the rider finds her house using a shared map location (location services). Afterwards she leaves a review on the shop’s Facebook page (Web 2.0). One purchase used at least seven internet services.

Internet and Web Features in Nepal

In Nepal, the adoption of web features has bypassed some traditional stages, moving straight to a mobile-centric model.

1. The Rise of Social Commerce

While traditional e-commerce (websites) is growing, Social Commerce on Facebook Marketplace and TikTok is massive in Nepal.

  • Many small businesses in Nepal operate entirely through Instagram or TikTok, taking orders via Viber or WhatsApp.

2. Local Search & Google Maps

Nepali consumers increasingly rely on Google Maps for local information. Businesses that maintain updated “Google My Business” profiles have a significant advantage in attracting foot traffic in cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara.

3. Streaming and Content Marketing

YouTube has become a primary entertainment source in Nepal, leading to the rise of Influencer Marketing. Local brands partner with Nepali YouTubers and TikTokers to reach younger audiences.

4. E-mail vs. Instant Messaging

In Nepal, while professionals use E-mail, the vast majority of customer-to-business communication happens via Instant Messaging (especially Facebook Messenger).

Discussion Questions

  1. How has the participatory nature of Web 2.0 changed the way brands handle customer complaints?
  2. Define SEO. Why is it often called the most cost-effective marketing strategy for e-commerce?
  3. Explain the SoMoLo concept using a real-life scenario of ordering food in Kathmandu.

Summary

The internet offers far more than web pages. Search engines, email, instant messaging, social networks, streaming, VoIP, cloud services, and location services together make modern e-commerce possible. Web 2.0 made the web participatory, and the SoMoLo trend (social, mobile, local) describes how people now shop. In Nepal, use has moved straight to mobile, with social commerce, Messenger-based customer service, Google Maps, and YouTube influencers playing a central role.

Key Takeaways

  • Search engines crawl, index, and rank content; SEO helps a store appear in results.
  • Web 2.0 turned users into content creators through reviews, posts, and videos.
  • SoMoLo = social, mobile, and local, working together.
  • Cloud services let small firms run online stores without owning servers.
  • In Nepal, instant messaging and social media are the main channels between customers and businesses.

Exam-Style Questions

Short answer

  1. List four key services of the internet and the web.
  2. What is Web 2.0?
  3. What does SoMoLo stand for?

Long answer

  1. Explain the key features of the internet and the web that support e-commerce.
  2. Discuss how search engines work and why SEO matters for an online store, with an example from Nepal.