Others aren't ready yet to hand over that mantle. The reluctance is in part due to the fact that from a technology standpoint, the Internet hasn't taken that all-transforming next step to voice recognition. No big news yet. The real power of the Internet has nothing to do with putting the corner store online, offering infinitely more products or creating a faster delivery system. The power of the Net lies in restructuring the information about products and services to benefit consumers and businesses.
Every product has a rich coating of information.
For the buyer, that information includes product availability, price, delivery fees, product features and benefits, and other consumer experience with the product. For the seller, critical elements of the information layer include customer history, financing preferences, attitude and satisfaction with past products. For both sides, the richness of the information layer plays a huge role in whether or not the sale is made - and whether there will be more sales in the future. While prices and features are readily available, buyers have a much more difficult time getting price comparisons, asking questions and learning about other customers' experiences with the product. Sellers, particularly in the retail environment, are often forced to work with the information layer almost empty.