INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

It is quite obvious that the internet and the World Wide Web are growing faster than they were estimated in the past decades. The internet technology has dramatically reduced the world into a village wherever every information is very obtainable shopping which is one of the essential parts of the real world activities has made its mark and found it way in the internet. It is commonly referred to as E-shopping which means electronic shopping or on-line shopping.

E-commerce is fast gaining ground as an accepted and used business standard. More and more business organizations are implementing web sites providing functionality for performing commercial transactions over the web. It is reasonable to say that the process of shopping on the web is becoming a common place.

An online bookshop is a virtual store where customers can browse the catalog and select books of internet. The selected books may be collected in shopping cart (sometimes referred to as a shopping basket). This entails buying of books of different kinds with the buyer still making his or her choice and making the payment through the internet. This pattern of trade conducted through the internet has grown extraordinarily with the wide spread use of the internet. This new trend in fact has contributed immensely to the growth of E-business.

 

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The existing system has the following problems

• Poor arrangement of books in the shop
• Time wastage in searching for desired books
• Time wastage in attending to customers
• Conflicting, confusing and inadequate record keeping of daily transactions
• Lack of central database for books collection

 

1.3 Aim and Objectives of the Study

The aim of this project work is to develop an online bookshop system.

The objective of this study is to develop a software that will;

• Provide a central database for book keeping
• Keep records of books and customers daily
• Provide a bookstore shopping cart for interested customers

 

1.4 Significance of the Study

• To provide a system that will enhance the current manual system of a bookshop;
• To implement the changes of operation in acquiring books through the internet
• To provide the basis for effective collection and distribution of books to customers.

1.5 Scope and limitations of the Study

The coverage of this study has been narrowed down to calabar taking into consideration unicross bookshop. So as to provide an adequate tool for managing customers and books effectively. It covers the following areas amongst others; provision of necessary information of books available.

This section deliberates on the difficulties faced in obtaining facts and vital information about the existing system of operation of transaction from unsteady sales manager and rude customers.

• Hosting the site is quite expensive and too difficult a task therefore, the site isn't accessible to everyone.
• Inadequate information fetching by bookshop staffs, due to reasons known by them
• Time constraint and financial issue

 

1.7 Definition of Terms

Bookstore: It is a room or shop where books of a particular types or various types are packed and sold

Computer: This is an electronic device that is capable of accepting data as inputs, stores it, processes the data and outputs it as result or information.

Acquiring Bank: This is a bank or financial institution that accepts payments for the product or services on behalf of a merchant.

Credit Card: It is a payment mechanism that enables its consumers can stand on to make their online purchase.

Data: Data are raw facts which undergo processing and become information. They are also the simplest unit of information that can stand on its own.

Digital Certificate: It is a certificate that enables a merchant to do online business and it is been issued by a corporate body.

Gateway: This is a device that connects two computer networks connecting other networks from commuters, companies, houses etc.

ISP: Internet service provider is a company that provides internet access to homes or business users.

Merchant Account: It's a contract under which an acquiring banks extends a line of credit to a merchant who wishes to accept payment card association brand.

MYSQL: This is a relational database management system or software that is ideal for both small and large applications.

Online Bookstore: It is a representation of material or real bookshop on the internet or on the web.

PHP: (Hypertext Pre-Processor): This is a powerful server side scripting language for creating dynamic and interactive website.

Program: A program is a sequence of instructions written in a computer to execute a certain task and solve a problem. a program must possess clarity, be specific, effective and user friendly.

Www (World Wide Web): It is a multimedia interface that connects us to resources such s documents, emails, chat, websites that are available on the internet with the computer.