The number of visitors to a Web site is an important measurement of the site's success. However, possible inaccuracies in this measurement raise the question of whether too much weight is given to this factor.
Alternative measures are available.
Internet performance has turned out to be slightly more complicated than expected, particularly when it comes to measuring Web site traffic and valuing Internet companies. Unique visitor counts have also been an important factor in the valuation of dot com companies. Now that e-businesses are entering a more sober phase, the parties to transactions are ever more intent on accurately determining whether they have received value for their money. Unfortunately, there may be little certainty or agreement about how many visitors have actually visited a Web site. In the end, the typical questions of sampling and defining the proper base of measurement, which are crucial in any statistical exercise, are just as important in gauging the performance of the new economy.