Much like newspapers in the early 1990s, established traditional retailers no longer see the Internet as a threat today. And a strategy that blends offline and online sales will give Internet-only stores a run for their money. Circuit City, realizing that its future depends on online sales, reacted to these numbers by launching an e-superstore late in 1999. Purchasers of electronic equipment online can choose to pick up their products at a Circuit City store near them or have the products shipped. This is an example of how future online shopping will involve a combination of online and traditional retailing.
Companies have to realize their Websites can cannibalize their business offline.
E-shoppers are projected to leap from 31 million in 1998 to 183 million by 2003, according to Data Mine. In the race to steer all these new online customers to their Websites, many businesses are experiencing roadblocks to the Internet. Some companies are worried about how Websites will affect regular retail sales. Money alone doesn t ensure a company s success online. There are many potholes on the on-ramp to the information superhighway.