No matter what the company size, planning for a Web site should encompass internal assessment of organizational as well as evaluation of pivotal product and market growth opportunities. A parallel external assessment should analyze the Internet connectivity and unmet needs of existing and targeted customers, track the activities of networked competitors and partners, and determine the mix of products, services, and networked information that will make the greatest impact on targeted audiences. While such analysis is likely to identify multiple openings for advantage, it is not necessary to pursue every possible application simultaneously. Companies may identify a particular cluster of capabilities as being of primary importance for their initial network implementation and plan to phase in other functions. The Internet is a fairly new medium to conduct business in.
Information services prevail on the Internet today.
In the near future, the Internet will overtake mail order and phone orders, but for this to happen, many components will have to be improved to minimize risks to both the buyer and seller. Several methods are used today to protect the privacy of users and merchants. Although it is not here yet, a lot of players are working to make Internet-based commerce a reality. These include identifying breakthrough business opportunities, assessing the competition, attracting and retaining customers, and adding value through integrated information management. This process is clearly different from the most simplistic of approaches to business on the Internet, which consists of opening up a Web site, adding some pre-published content, and waiting to see what happens.