Launch of knowledge platform EcommerceWiki during the Webwinkel Vakdagen (Dutch e-commerce trade show).
During the Webwinkel Vakdagen (Dutch e-commerce trade show), Thuiswinkel.org launched its new knowledge platform ‘EcommerceWiki’ at www.ecommercewiki.org. The goal of the platform is to share international (e-commerce) knowledge. The platform is an initiative of the Ecommerce Foundation and is being carried out in collaboration with Ecommerce Europe, the European umbrella organization for online retail, and its national e-commerce associations.
Wijnand Jongen, director of Thuiswinkel.org, explains: ‘The online market is changing rapidly. Almost all of us shop online and are increasingly buying across borders. We are seeing a concentration in the market with many large, foreign players entering the Dutch market online. In order for Dutch retail to survive, we must not only trade across borders, but also gain and share knowledge within an international network. By working together, we can also achieve great things as a small country.
Salesupply provides content for the section ‘Cross-Border E-Commerce’. Here, interested parties can find information about the challenges, dangers, opportunities, tools, taxes and procedures involved in cross-border sales in Europe and beyond. This chapter was compiled by Salesupply, a company that offers web shops tools to grow internationally quickly and effectively. Extensive experience with websites, web shops, content management systems and internationalization make Salesupply the ideal curator for the cross-border chapter.
Everyone can contribute
Richard van Welie, chief editor of EcommerceWiki: ‘There are many news sites and blogs about e-commerce, but concrete step-by-step plans, templates and best practices are often only found in books. The disadvantage of these books is that they are already outdated while the ink is still wet.’
Anyone can easily contribute to the English-language EcommerceWiki and gain fame by posting content. Van Welie: ‘Just like with Wikipedia, you can edit and add texts yourself. That way, we ensure that the information remains as specific and up-to-date as possible. We call on anyone with knowledge of e-commerce to contribute to the Wiki, to pool as much knowledge as possible. Only in this way can we lift the industry to a higher level together. Professionals from companies such as the Boston Consulting Group, Capgemini and PwC act as curators to monitor the structure and quality of the content. “If people can continue to learn, it also stimulates growth in their organization,” says Mieke Veldhuis, CSO of Bugaboo International. “It all starts with making the right knowledge available.” So there is much to be gained. As a writer on the EcommerceWiki, you even have a chance to join the ShoppingTomorrow study trip to the famous Silicon Valley.
More than 40 topics explained at three knowledge levels
The beta version of EcommerceWiki already contains more than 40 topics, ranging from cross-border e-commerce, e-mail marketing and search engine optimization to online payments, fraud and risk management and online taxes. Each subject has three levels: basic, advanced and expert. This makes the knowledge accessible to everyone, from the intern who wants to familiarize themselves with e-commerce basics to the experienced entrepreneur who wants to better connect their physical shops and online channels.
Thuiswinkel.org is the first national association to launch the EcommerceWiki through Ecommerce Europe. The website is currently still in beta and will be expanded considerably in the coming months, both in terms of functionality and content. Sister associations in Belgium, Switzerland and Italy will follow soon, and ecommerce associations from America, Australia and Hong Kong have also pledged their cooperation.
