As Hamleys found, integrating legacy systems with the front-end Web system is essential for getting the most out of a site. This ensures the site is more than graphically impressive but functionally useful too. Once the site is developed, it needs to be proactively maintained to keep up with changing business demands. A company's Web presence should not be allowed to stagnate and the site must be flexible enough to adapt to changing business pressures. And there is more to an effective e-business strategy than investment and technology.
Corporate culture plays a role too.
Innovation must be nurtured, and creating a separate e-commerce business unit is a good way to start the process. It is no good having a separate e-commerce business that does not think of itself as part of the main company. A separate unit that is unwilling to co-operate with the traditional business is a liability. A two-pronged divergent corporate vision will ultimately damage a company. Good management is important here.