Business Products and Services

Find the examples, definitions, and comparisons of products and services that support the key functions of your business. Browse Investopedia’s expert written library to learn about software, resources, equipment, and more.

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Are UPS and FedEx the same?

    While both companies have overlapping business models and markets, UPS specializes in domestic ground package delivery and FedEx specializes in rapid, time-sensitive international air freight.

  • What is the difference between business intelligence and competitive intelligence?

    Competitive intelligence involves researching and understanding a business’s industry and primary competitors while business intelligence entails software programs and applications that aid in strategic planning for a business.

  • How do you calculate an EBITDA margin using Excel?

    To calculate EBITDA margin you simply need to add together the earnings before interest and taxes from the income statement to the depreciation and amortization from the statement of operating cash flows. Then, you can divide the EBITDA by the period’s revenue to arrive at the EBITDA margin percentage.

  • What is meant by the Internet of Things (IOT)?

    The IOT refers to the totality of internet-enabled devices, connecting through wifi, Bluetooth, data plans, or near-field communications, such as computers, mobile devices, wearable technologies, and smart appliances like thermostats, home security systems, and refrigerators.

Key Terms

Digital C-Type Print
Large Language Model (LLM)
What Is a Large Language Model (LLM)?
Close-up of a phone that someone is holding with the TikTok app being shown in the App Store
TikTok Dropshipping: Everything You Need to Know
Computer engineer at workstation in office that is full of displays showing 3D representations of neural networks
Artificial General Intelligence (AGI): Definition, How It Works, and Examples
Businesswoman closing a deal with clients.
What Is a No-Doc Business Loan, and Is One Right for Your Business?
Sam Altman CEO of OpenAI, sitting on a podium with OpenAI sign behind him
Generative AI: How It Works and Recent Transformative Developments
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR): Definition, Examples, and Uses
Web 3.0
Web 3.0 Explained, Plus the History of Web 1.0 and 2.0
Internet Service Provider
Internet Service Provider (ISP): What They Do and Examples
A woman walks down the street looking at a tablet in her hands
Best Rental Property Management Software for July 2024
HyperText Markup Language (HTML): The basic scripting language used by web browsers to render pages on the World Wide Web.
HyperText Markup Language (HTML): What It Is and How It Works
Two young women having a discussion in a business about background checks
Best Background Check Sites for July 2024
Personally Identifiable Information (PII)
Personally Identifiable Information (PII): Definition, Types, and Examples
File Transfer Protocol (FTP): The transfer of files between devices over a network.
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Meaning and Uses
Video Conferencing
Video Conferencing: How It Works, How to Use It, Top Platforms
Electronic Retailing (e-Tailing)
Electronic Retailing (e-Tailing): Definition, Types, Examples
Android Operating System: A mobile operating system developed by Google primarily for touchscreen devices, such as cell phones and tablets.
Android Operating System (OS): Definition and How It Works
Best POS Systems for Small Businesses
Best POS Systems for Small Businesses for July 2024
Business Intelligence (BI): The technical infrastructure that collects, stores, and analyzes company data.
What Is Business Intelligence (BI)? Types, Benefits, and Examples
Customer Relationship Management: The principles, practices, and guidelines an organization follows when interacting with its customers.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management): Elements, Benefits, and Technology
Interactive Media: A method of communication in which a program's outputs depend on the user's input.
Interactive Media: Definition, Types, and Examples
Big Data
What Is Big Data? Definition, How It Works, and Uses
Cargo Aircrafts From UPS, Fedex and West
UPS vs. FedEx: What's the Difference?
Software as a Service (SaaS)
What Is Software as a Service (SaaS)? Definition and Examples
Credit Card Processing Companies
Best Credit Card Processing Companies for July 2024
Best Virtual Personal Assistants
Best Virtual Assistant Services of 2024
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID): What It Is, How It Works
The Internet of Things
What Is the Internet of Things (IoT)? How It Works and Benefits
Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) Number: Definition
A man in empty subway train, using laptop.
Virtual Office: Definition, Costs, Benefits, Drawbacks
EBITDA
How Do I Calculate an EBITDA Margin Using Excel?
Mobile Payment: Payments Made From a Smartphone or Tablet
Cityscape at night with digitally imposed streaks of blue light weaving throughout
What Is Broadband, and How Does It Work?
Pixels Per Inch (PPI): Definition, Vs. Dots Per Inch (DPI)
A businesswomen using mobile phone analyzing data and economic growth graph chart.
Information Management Technology (IMT) Overview, Careers
Woman Working at a Coffee Shop With a Laptop
Click-Through Rate (CTR): Definition, Formula, and Analysis
A bike shop owner shifts the front wheel of a display bicycle that is suspended from the ceiling of a narrow store overflowing with new bicycles.
How to Get an LLC
3d printer and house building, concept
3D Printing: What It Is, How It Works, Examples
Best-cell-phone-providers-5093726
Best Cell Phone Providers for July 2024
Proprietary Technology: Overview, Types, Example
Top Tools for ERP Enterprise Resource Planning
Best-call-center-services-5116577
Best Call Center Services for 2024
Coworkers in an industrial setting with a robatic arm discussing robot placement in factory
Work Cell: What it is, How it Works, Example
Creative Businesswoman Video Chatting With Colleague on Digital Tablet in Office
What Is Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Technology?
A woman in her office makes notes on a piece of paper
How Much Does It Cost to Start an LLC?
A business executive reviews documents
Background Check: Definition, Types, and Examples
Insights On Creative Destruction and Technology
Business Intelligence vs. Competitive Intelligence: What's the Difference?
Technical Futuristic Graph
Enterprise Information Management: What it Means, How it Works
Barcode: What It Means, Benefits, History
Digital graph of stock market movement
Electronic Meeting System (EMS): Meaning, How It Works, Example
A new offshore oil platform is situated near an older platform that it will be replacing.
Terotechnology: What It is, How It Works, Example
Portrait of male and female entrepreneurs together at food truck
Best Working Capital Loans
Portrait of a non-binary young person working as a barista
Best Unsecured Business Loans for July 2024
Financial management with mobile banking service
Best High-Yield Business Savings Accounts for July 2024
Global Supply Chain
Semiconductors: What Is the Supply Chain? Why Is it Important?
Restaurant accounting
Best Accounting Software for Restaurants