E-commerce and soft computing: Scopes of research

In this article we present a brief overview of e-commerce research with an emphasis on how it can benefit from the soft computing disciplines. We review various tools and techniques in the paradigm of soft computing such as fuzzy logic, artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms. Then we discuss how soft computing tools can be applied to tasks that deal with imprecise definition and uncertainty modeling (such as profiling, targeting, and product recommendation) to perform these tasks more effectively. We conclude by discussing future potential of enhancing e-commerce applications by using soft computing tools and techniques. © 2001 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.