E-commerce, or electronic commerce, refers to marketing, buying, selling, and distribution of products or services over the Internet, or other computer networks. In the larger context of business, e-commerce transactions involve, among others, supply chain management, electronic funds transfer, e-marketing, online transaction processing, and electronic data interchange (EDI). In addition, it also involves online marketing, automated inventory management systems, and automated data collection systems.

Due to advancements in computer technologies, and the easy access of electronic communications technology of the World Wide Web, it has become easier to carry out all the above business transactions as a home based business. As a home business, e-commerce can cover a range of different businesses, such as consumer based retail sites, auction or music sites, business exchanges - trading goods and services between corporations, etc.

If you intend to use your home business just to supplement your income, or if you are a woman with family responsibilities, and wish to add to the family income by some e-commerce activities from home, you can consider the following home businesses:

Affiliate Programs - You affiliate yourself with a company and act as a middleman/woman between it and the customers, by promoting the goods or the services the company offers. You get paid depending on the sales you generate, or by directing the prospective customers to the website of your partner company, through your own website.

There is a variety of categories of businesses offering affiliate programs, and they are a good start to help you start making money from home.

Email Processing - This is another easy way to make money from home. On joining this program, you need too perform some tasks concerning emails. Your payment will depend on the number of emails you will process. Sign up requires payment, so you need to select the cheapest, and the best paying. Initially, do not sign up for many programs.

Paid Surveys - To stay in business and to remain competitive, companies depend on, and conduct, market surveys and researches. Through Internet, these surveys and researches can be conducted at highly reduced costs.

Before you are allowed to participate in a particular survey, you need to fit their demographic profile. You are compensated accordingly, though most do not pay much. However, participating in a number of them can bring in some extra money.

If any sign up fees is involved, keep it low, as most surveys do not work.

Home Data Entry And Typing - Home data entry is a great home business. This is basically cleric work, requiring you to input information. Such a job pays well if you are able to find a good employer. Ensure the start up fee is low.

People who do not have the time, or the inclination, to do their own typing, outsource this work. This is a straightforward typing job that does not require much skill. This is a real opportunity to make some extra income.

Transcription Work - If you are doing medical or legal transcription, you may require some basic skills to understand the medical and legal jargon. You are required to type on paper what the doctors or the lawyers have recorded on tape.

You can supplement your family income well, but take care to keep sign up fees low.

You can also do a lot of other miscellaneous freelance work from home. If you are good at it, you can supplement your income by writing web content articles. If you have certain skills, such as programming or other computer skills, you can bid for online work. You need to assess your skills, and see what interests you, and go for it.