TABLE OF CONTENTS You can only predict things after they ve happened.
Eugene Ionesco
Despite a few stumbles, the future is bright for e-commerce. The 20th Century, shaped by the Industrial Revolution, became the age of the automobile and the television. The 21st Century, shaped by the Technological Revolution, is the age of globalization. The Internet massively impacts all aspects of business. In the 21st century, e-business is no longer an option for businesses; it is a necessity.
Today, e-commerce is an ever-expanding consumer industry. For an e-commerce site to succeed it must understand its customers mindset. Although price is always an issue, it is rarely the primary motivator for buying a product online. Customers are looking for convenience, and/or products they can t find elsewhere.
Small websites that cater to niche markets have the best chance of prospering. That is, as long as you take care to ensure that your customers shopping experiences aren t marked with too many potholes.
The Internet, the Web, and e-commerce have their peccadilloes. External elements, including the public at large, and governments, have not yet weighed in with a final opinion regarding this new behemoth. The public s concern about security and the personal information that websites amass must be addressed before the public takes action of its own. In the other arena, a crucial and as yet unresolved factor that could impede the growth of e-commerce is the degree of governmental involvement including regulation and taxes.
The general population believes...
