E-Commerce - Legal Aspects

Legal Information about E-Commerce






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Electronic commerce, commonly known as e-commerce or eCommerce, refers to the Internet based industry of buying and selling products or services via electronic means. E-Commerce uses a combination of Internet technology, mobile commerce, electronic funds transfers, escrowing services, electronic data interchange, supply chain management, inventory management systems, Internet marketing, data collection systems, and many other technologies and innovative business systems. Most, if not all, e-commerce transactions use the Internet for at least one point of the transaction. 

While e-commerce can take on many forms, one of the most common practices related to electronic commerce is the practice of "e-tailing." Also known as "virtual storefronts," this is the practice of listing products for sale in a catalog format on a website. Some e-tail sites (perhaps most notably Amazon.com) take this a step further and aggregate numerous smaller stores into a unified system like a "virtual mall." 

Other examples of ecommerce include subscription sites, mobile application sales, electronic book purchases, online auctions, and the procurement of various services via the web.
  • ABA - Electronic Commerce Law Subcommittee

    The American Bar Association Electronic Commerce Subcommittee develops and recommends efficient, flexible and equitable policies, principles, and practices for business-to-business and business-to-consumer electronic commerce. It's actively engaged in projects directly aqnd through three working groups: the Consumer Protection Working Group; the Working Group on Transferability of Electronic Assets, and the Electronic Contracting Practices Working Group.

  • Basic Guide to E-Commerce

    Guide to doing business over the internet/web. Includes: Basics; Getting a Computer, Connecting to the Internet, and Developing a Web Page; Understanding Electronic Data Interchange (EDI); Building and Managing a Virtual Team; Product Development; Developing Your Online Store, Online Transactions, etc.; Online Marketing and Monetizing Your Website; and Other General Resources.

  • E-Commerce and Tax Law Journal

    A legal publication created and published by the Internet Business Law Services (IBLS), the world's largest Internet law publisher and Thomas Jefferson School of Law Masters in Law Program. The Law Journal publishes writings by academics, practitioners and policy makers on a variety of topics, including e-commerce, electronic contracting, techno torts, cyber crime, privacy, Internet taxation, international taxation, etc

  • E-Commerce and the Law

    An e-commerce guide that covers: E-commerce Regulations; Tips for complying with the E-commerce Regulations; Regulations applying to telephone and fax marketing; Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations; Tips for complying with the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations; E-commerce and the Data Protection Act 1998; Distance Selling Regulations; and Provision of Services Regulations.

  • FTC - Online Advertising and Marketing

    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the primary federal agency regulating e-commerce activities, including use of commercial e-mails, online advertising and consumer privacy. This page provides information and links to legal resources, which include: Case Highlights; Reports and Workshops; Laws, Rules, and Guides; and Compliance Documents.

  • SSL Privacy Seal Program - Guardian eCommerce

    SSL Privacy Seal Program is a third party site verification provided by Guardian eCommerce. Its primary objective is to help protect online consumers worldwide by identifying safe and trustworthy web sites.

  • UNCITRAL - Electronic Commerce

    The United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) was established by the General Assembly in 1966 to further the progressive harmonization and unification of the law of international trade. The Commission has since come to be the core legal body of the United Nations system in the field of international trade law.

Starting an E-Business

Starting an E-Business is much like starting any other form of business, except that the company usually exists primarily or entirely on the Internet. There are many reasons to set up a business online: it is cheap, your catalog is easy to maintain and keep current, you can communicate with customers directly via blogs and email without the costs of mailings, there are usually much lower staffing costs, you can be open 24 hours a day, and you are open to a global market. There are many other reasons you may want to consider opening an online business. But, the process is not free of its share of legal pitfalls, as well. The resources below will help to guide you through the process of investigating and establishing your E-Business and helping it grow and succeed.

Domain Names

Domain Names. The choice of a domain name involves more than simply selecting a name not already registered by someone else. A domain name can function as a trademark or service mark, which is a term or symbol used to create an exclusive association in the marketplace between a company and the goods and services it sells. Think, for example, of Google, AOL, or Facebook. Their company and web address are virtually synonymous, as are hundreds of other companies. If your choice of domain name is so similar to another company’s domain name, or other trademark or service mark, that it is likely to cause confusion among consumers and your company may be subject to allegations of trademark infringement. There are a number of other legal and practical considerations to work through before settling on a domain name for your business. The resources below will help guide you through the process of choosing an ideal domain name and bringing your brand to the Internet.

Articles on HG.org Related to E-Commerce

  • Bipartisan Bill Looks to Crack Down on Rogue Websites
    A bipartisan group in the U.S. House of Representatives recently introduced legislation intended to combat the illegal distribution of counterfeit goods via rogue websites hosted overseas. The proposed bill greatly expands protections for intellectual property (IP) and, if passed, would bring sweeping changes to copyright law.
  • Facebook Pictures and Privacy Concerns with Facial Recognition Technology
    Face Recognition Technology
  • Did Lawsuit Get Filed in The Right Place?
    In the age of the internet, filing lawsuits has become more complicated. Consider the scenario where you order a product from a website and the company is from out of state or maybe you are working with an vendor or supplier that is located out of state. Some dispute arises and a lawsuit is imminent. Where should the lawsuit be filed?
  • $1.5 Million For Texting? That is Awesome, Dude
    Between email and texting and IM and social media messaging in its varied forms, the number of ways to communicate without ever actually speaking is astonishing. And it can lead to big problems when combined with continuing contract discussions. If your life is anything like mine, you were forced into text messaging kicking and screaming.
  • User Agreements for your website
    Don't think you need contracts for your website? Think again! Consult a lawyer today that specializes in internet law.
  • “I Never Signed Nuthin!” Five Tips For Small Biz Internet Contracts
    If you’re a small business with an e-commerce website you’d be best served making sure your site does substantiate understanding of the transaction and it does confirm assent to the terms in what the courts have uniformly called a “fair and forthright” manner. Here are five tips to help you do just that.
  • Internet Marketing Law - FTC and Advertising Rules
    Marketing and Advertising on the Internet is subject to the same laws as any other medium. Sometimes people do not follow those rules, and the FTC or State AG is involved.
  • If My Only Contact with a State Is My website, Can I Be Sued There?
    A recent decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Penguin Group (USA) Inc. v. American Buddha may make it easier for New York plaintiffs asserting copyright infringement over the Internet to haul infringers into court in New York.
  • A Recipe for Disaster
    Why a magazine is in hot water over a half-baked response to alleged copyright infringement.
  • How to Protect Your Business against Internet Defamation
    The Internet is, as the cliché goes, "a marketplace of ideas." Whether a person has an opinion on politics, commerce, or even the show they saw on TV last night, there is always a forum to spread their opinion on, and that opinion will be available worldwide.