After 6 months that manufacturer stopped and the business went to us. Over the next 10 years with the coming applications built around XML, real world retailers that get hooked into the Internet will be able to fulfill for any other site on a local basis. In five or ten years you may buy everything from amazon or from a yahoo portal or an aol site but in real time using XML, local store databases are tapped to check stock status. Instantaneously you are advised of who has what and if you want to pick it up on your way home or have it delivered. XML renders the Internet of today as mere child's play.
All business is built on and around data.
XML enables us all to access and view any database with a browser if we have permission. The ramifications of this are truly astonishing for every business and for every consumer. XML is a standard for transmitting, viewing and altering data that resides within databases. An example of this in action would be a customer at the Coastal site inquiring about the availability of an item. We first check our inventory to see if we have it.