The Market for E-commerce According to International Data Corp. (IDC), the first records of a company letting people buy things off the computer is present as early as 1992 in the form of CompuServe, which may not have offered a great boost to international trade, import/export or global sourcing but it did provide a humble basis for future development in the arena. The year of 1995 cannot be forgotten as it marked the beginning of two giants of Amazon and Ebay which do not need any introduction these days have certainly contributed in their own ways to international trade, import/export and global sourcing. The worldwide market for Internet-related services is expected to explode - from $4.5 billion in 1997 to $43.6 billion by 2002. The main impetus for this trend is the rush to implement e-commerce Web sites. Often, the term electronic data interchange (EDI) is used inappropriately as a synonym for e-commerce. In fact, EDI is only one aspect of e-commerce; e-commerce comprises other elements, including electronic faxes, e-mail, and e-forms. E-commerce has become a critical business component for many businesses. The earliest available records or e-commerce are available as early as 1984 when then the electronic data interchange was invented, which helped companies to carry out their dealings in a much more reliable manner than before in terms of international trade, import/export and global sourcing. B2C (Business to Consumer) models have been tried and tested during the first generation of E-commerce boom, but the newer trends are toward B2B (Business to Business) and Click-and-Mortar models. B2B provides advantages of close integration and communication with partners and suppliers, Click-and-Mortar provide takes advantage of offline and online channels being established in physical store locations but at the same time offering online commerce convenience. Companies have quickly realized that E-commerce sites are more than digital storefronts that display products and allow customers to place an order. Business processes should extend to the back-end with systems in place to optimize the company’s supply chain and distribution system. A holistic approach will offer the company insights on creating maximum efficiencies to support all business processes. E-commerce business models are more than technology solutions. Success in the e-marketplace will depend on companies being able to respond to needs of the ever-changing marketplace and forming partnerships, alliances, and collaborations with others to deliver value that may not have been possible with individual efforts. The ability to innovate, change, recover from setbacks will be hallmarks of success in this competitive arena. Generic models of B2C commerce are outdated and newer efforts are needed to leverage the untapped potential offered in the digital medium. There is a discerning shortage of personnel with the right mix of technology and managerial competencies. With continuing education and real-world experience that reflects trends in current marketplace, today’s IT professionals should grab hold of opportunities that are available in the dynamic E-commerce field and position themselves to be leaders of the next generation E-commerce that is constantly creating rapid transformation in Internet time.