B2C versus B2B Legal, Ethical and Regulatory
Bob Holland
EBUS/400
Milind Modi
April 28, 2010

B2C versus B2B Legal, Ethical and Regulatory This analysis will provide the reader with information that explains how legal, ethical and regulatory issues differ on a B2C website compared to a B2B website. The analysis will examine these different elements and will describe the differences and the similarities. Overview The primary differences of a B2C and B2B website when discussing the legal, ethical and regulatory issues associated with these sites are the result of the differences in the end user of the site. The primary user of a B2C site has an objective to sell, receive and process purchases and to provide …show more content…

For example, many parts of the world accept public nudity as an acceptable behavior. In the U.S., public nudity would result in some form of punishment in the legal system. Ethics are developed in many of the organizations of the world. Ethics can be described as a collection of principles to be used as a guide for the members or employees. Legal Issues Contracts are a key element of traditional business and contracts are just as important in e-commerce. Any contract requires three essential elements, an offer, an acceptance and a consideration. Consideration is the agreed upon exchange of something such as money, property or services. Written Contracts on the Web In general, contracts are valid even if they are not signed or in writing. There are some contracts which must contain these elements. Most courts will rule that writing exists when terms of contract have been reduced to some tangible form. Tape recordings, faxes and computer files have been found by courts to be an acceptable form of contract writing. Warranties on the Web Any contract for the sale of goods or services includes implied warranties. The seller implicitly warrants that the goods for sale are fit for the purpose for which they are normally used. Sellers can avoid some of the liability by making a warranty disclaimer which must be made conspicuously in writing. Privacy Rights The issue of online privacy continues to evolve as the web and