Obviously that's an enormous market for online retailers. Despite the potential, many have tried and failed to tap that market and were claimed by the 2000 technology crash. For those who've survived the bust cycle the future, while not rosy yet, is certainly looking up. Online buyers now have lower incomes and education levels than this time last year, indicating e-tailing is becoming more accessible. Mark Ronnalls from Ernst and Young.
Every industry goes through a period of boom and bust.
We've seen a lot of the hype over the last two years. I think what we're seeing now is real organisations looking for cash flow and looking for profits, and the market seems to be suggesting that it's no longer prepared to sustain companies on the basis of market values, it really wants to see those indicators of sales translate into revenue and, in turn, to profits. We think alliances are a way of bringing together organisations like the e-tailers who perhaps have more experience understanding how to build and construct an interesting, enticing online site and retailers who really know the mechanics of fulfilment of after sales service and delivery and strategic purchasing to get the best deals for their customers. So the bringing together of those skill sets is, we think, one way that alliances are going to emerge this year. I think there's always room for improvement.