How has technology changed the way businesses market and sell to customers?
Digital marketing and e-commerce: the use of the internet and social media in marketing, e-commerce and online selling, the benefits and drawbacks of digital marketing, and the impact of technology on small and large businesses.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Business content on digital marketing and e-commerce, covering the internet and social media in marketing, online selling, the benefits and drawbacks of going digital, and the impact of technology on businesses.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
WJEC wants you to understand how technology has changed marketing and selling. You need the use of the internet and social media in marketing, the meaning of e-commerce (online selling), the benefits and drawbacks of digital marketing, and the impact of technology on both small and large businesses. This is the modern face of the marketing mix, especially the promotion and place elements.
Digital marketing and social media
Social media lets a business talk directly to customers and target particular groups, often at very low cost.
E-commerce
Benefits and drawbacks of digital marketing
The impact of technology on businesses
Why this matters
Digital marketing is the fastest-changing part of the marketing mix and connects to the wider role of technology in business (a separate external influence) and to growth (e-commerce lets firms expand cheaply). It draws on market research (online data reveals what customers want) and reshapes promotion and place. Exam questions often ask you to weigh the pros and cons of going digital for a particular firm, where cost, reach, competition and the risk of bad reviews are the deciding points.
Try this
Q1. State two benefits of e-commerce for a business. [2 marks]
- Cue. Any two of: no need for a physical shop, trading 24/7, reaching customers anywhere, collecting customer data.
Q2. Explain one drawback of marketing through social media. [2 marks]
- Cue. Negative comments or reviews spread fast and publicly, which can damage the business's reputation if they are not handled well; it also takes time to manage.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC (Unit 1)2 marksExplain what is meant by e-commerce.Show worked answer →
A 2-mark AO1 definition with development. E-commerce means buying and selling goods and services over the internet.
Develop it: customers order online through a website or app and the goods are delivered or downloaded, so the business can sell without a physical shop and can trade around the clock to customers anywhere. Markers reward the core definition for one mark and a developed point for the second.
WJEC (Unit 1)6 marksAnalyse the benefits and drawbacks to a small business of marketing through social media.Show worked answer →
A 6-mark AO1, AO2 and AO3 question. Reward developed points on both sides.
Benefit: social media is cheap, often free to post, and can reach a large, targeted audience quickly, so a small business can build awareness and talk directly to customers without a big advertising budget.
Drawback: it takes time to manage and respond to messages, and negative comments or reviews spread fast and publicly, which can damage the firm's reputation if not handled well.
Chain and judgement: social media gives a small business a low-cost way to reach customers and compete with larger rivals, but only if it is managed carefully and posts are kept up to date, so the benefit outweighs the drawback when the business engages properly. Markers reward developed points on both sides plus a balanced comment.
Related dot points
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- Business growth and the scales of business activity: why businesses grow, internal (organic) and external growth including mergers and takeovers, the difference between local, national and multinational businesses, and the advantages and disadvantages of growing larger.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Business specification (Wales) — WJEC (2025)
- WJEC GCSE Business (Wales) specification (3510) — WJEC (2017)