And it is much easier to trust someone who has been around the corner than a cyberspace entity. In other words they trust the retailer's brand. But it will require them to understand that Internet advertising is essentially promotional in nature and contributes little to their brand. Furthermore, a lot of the advertising on offline media which touts internet sites goes for the shock value rather than for the communication of long term brand values. Those commercials can be memorable and entertaining without necessarily being brand-building.
Many Web sites rent some space, usually a one-inch banner across the top of their page.
That space is used to advertise, or rather to promote other web sites for unrelated businesses. The rent collected from those advertisers can generate significant supplemental revenue for the site owner. We do not see this as an oversight but rather as an indication of their savvy in protecting a brand. Internet-only retailers, with less brand property to preserve, may not yet see the danger of diluting a brand in this endless stream of uncontrolled media impressions. They learn very fast, though.