Using IOTA in e-Commerce:
In this paper we analyze the mathematical foundations of IOTA, a cryptocurrency for the Internet-of-Things (IoT) industry. The main feature of this novel cryptocurrency is the tangle, a directed acyclic graph (DAG) for storing transactions. The tangle naturally succeeds the blockchain as its next evolutionary step, nd offers features that are required to establish a machine to-machine micropayment system. An essential contribution of this paper is a family of Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms. These algorithms select attachment sites on the tangle for a transaction that has just arrived.
The rise and success of Bitcoin during the last six years proved that blockchain technology has real-world value. However, this technology also has a number of drawbacks that prevent it from being used as a generic platform for cryptocurrencies across the globe. One notable drawback is the concept of a transaction fee for transactions of any value. The importance of micropayments will increase in the rapidly developing IoT industry, and paying a fee that is larger than the amount of value being transferred is not logical. Furthermore, it is not easy to get rid of fees in the blockchain infrastructure since they serve as an incentive for the creators of blocks. This leads to another issue with existing cryptocurrency technology, namely the heterogeneous nature of the system. There are two distinct types of participants in the system, those who issue transactions, and those who approve transactions. The design of this system creates unavoidable discrimination of some participants, which in turn creates conflicts that make all elements spend resources on conflict resolution. The aforementioned issues justify a search for solutions essentially different from blockchain technology, the basis for Bitcoin and many other cryptocurrencies.
As a transaction receives additional approvals, it is accepted by the system with a higher level of confidence. In other words, it will be difficult to make the system accept a double-spending transaction. It is important to observe that we do not impose any rules for choosing which transactions a node will approve. Instead, we argue that if a large number of nodes follow some “reference” rule, then for any fixed node it is better to stick to a rule of the same kind4. This seems to be a reasonable assumption, especially in the context of IoT, where nodes are specialized chips with pre-installed firmware.
In order to issue a transaction, a node does the following:
The node chooses two other transactions to approve according to an algorithm. In general, these two transactions may coincide.
The node checks if the two transactions are not conflicting, and does not approve conflicting transactions.
For a node to issue a valid transaction, the node must solve a cryptographic puzzle similar to those in the Bitcoin blockchain. This is achieved by finding a nonce such that the hash of that nonce concatenated with some data from the approved transaction has a particular form. In the case of the Bitcoin protocol, the hash must have at least a predefined number of leading zeros.
IOTA in respect to e-Commerce:-
The IOTA workshop on Tracking Cash Flow in Relation to E-commerce Activities was held on 14-16 September 2016 in Riga, Latvia. 51 participants from 28 IOTA member countries exchanged experiences regarding co-operation with internet intermediaries in following payment flows generated by e-commerce business.
• Presentations were delivered by experts from Sweden, Hungary, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ireland, Finland, UK and Norway. Group work sessions provided the delegates the opportunity to discuss further the specific issues and information exchanged with banks, payment service providers and other web based intermediaries that are needed to identify unregistered E-commerce entrepreneurs.
• As the inaugural Northern Ecommerce Awards shortlist is revealed, we are absolutely delighted to have been shortlisted in the category of ‘Best Ecommerce Platform’ and hugely proud to be in amongst a shortlist of retailers and agencies including; Misguided, Shop Direct and Pound land – all of whom are at the cutting-edge of ecommerce technology.
• The way we shop is changing. In our cash rich, time poor society, consumers crave the thrill of a new purchase – and they want it right now. The internet provides a quick, easy and practical way of shopping and e-Commerce is the fastest growing retail market in Europe, set to grow by 18.5% in 2015.Yet despite this, High Streets up and down the country continue to be bustling every weekend, proving people still want the retail experience. Let's face it - nothing beats a browse around your favorite store for inspiration, touching and feeling the items on display.
One iota's Dave Hague takes a look at the ways retailers can marry the two by embracing e-Commerce in-store. Picture the scene. Saturday afternoon. A popular sports store. A customer arrives to purchase a new pair of the latest trainers. Their money is burning a hole in their pocket and they have been waiting for this all week. Only – the store have sold out of their size.
So what is the retailer going to do?
• Allow the customer to walk away, dissatisfied with their experience, money still in wallet, with the hope that they will come back next week?
• Or grab the opportunity while it is there in front of them and utilize modern technology to close the deal?
• In-store IOTA e-Commerce provides the ability to do just that, with both staff assisted and customer self-service solutions allowing the retailer to sell beyond what is simply 'on the shelf', showcasing the entire product range directly to the customer, and capitalizing on sales opportunities.
• The benefits are huge. They allow the retailer to strike while the iron is hot and the customer is in the building, ready to purchase, before they can go home, rethink it and possibly change their minds. Customers can still buy the products they want from the retailer of their choice, even when items are not immediately available. Businesses can avoid lost sales by embracing these types of assistive devices, rescuing what would otherwise be lost revenue.
• Even better news is that each sale made via in-store IOTA e-Commerce is attributed to that particular store, rather than to general website sales, an important message that retailers need to ensure is passed down to store managers. Regarding sales, the devices also open up many opportunities for up selling, showcasing items the customer may never have thought to look at.
On a practical note, customers can order in-store and have their goods delivered directly to their home, eliminating the need for carrying heavy bags around town. As logistics and delivery provisions improve, customers can now have their new purchase first thing the next day. With all these benefits, it's easy to see why in-store e-Commerce is the future of retail - and now is the time to fully embrace all it has to offer.