Difficulty in getting information on warehousing, international and domestic distribution, plus confusion over competitive pricing wastes valuable time. Sumitomo Corporation is tackling the problem through the introduction of their LogiClinic online logistics advisory service. In response, NTT's telecom competitors have not been idle. In the online environment of exploding content and fickle users, luring visitors is no easy matter. Maximizing hits has become a valuable art and a sophisticated science.
Practitioners know that search engines can make or break their sites.
If a URL fails to appear among the top ten search results, most surfers won't even see it - much less click on it. Hit-based advertising revenue consequently will languish. According to a Dentsu report, Japanese Internet advertising grew 86 percent last year to JPY11 billion. The specifics confirm industry fears that, while a step forward, the system will do nothing to change the way most people access the Internet and the charges they incur. We've all heard the stories about Japan and e-commerce.