Shopping centers are successful in the real world because they attract more traffic than any single storefront might attract on its own. The Internet as a whole operates much like one big shopping center. Internet malls rarely offer an advantage for consumers who want as much choice as possible. Link rings, testimonials, and referrals serve the same purposes on-line. There is plenty of money to be earned on the Internet your willing to look at the long run.
Internet marketing is niche marketing.
Cooperation is one of the most powerful secrets to Internet success. Rather than attempting to be a specialist in every aspect of your special area of expertise share the limelight with others. In business it's often better to be a key player on a minor league team than a bench warmer on a major league team. If your product is not the best it's more profitable to sell someone else's product than lose the sale or lose the trust of your customer. In the long run it's more profitable to grow a customer for life than to make a sale that isn't the best long-term solution for your customer.