No longer do consumers fear putting their credit card numbers online. Once you get them to try it once, generally they're hooked. Jon Zeitlin, manager of Excite's shopping strategy, agrees with that assessment. That doesn't mean we don't want to beat them at their own game. The growing penetration of the Internet portends not only big numbers but shifts in consumer habits.
Price matters less than ease of use and convenience.
With the hectic pace of Netizens' lives, it's just easier to order online. In the longer term, however, as more and more Americans go online and competition heats up, they'll start comparison-shopping and price will become more of a factor. Products once thought unmarketable online are being sold electronically after all. Even if you're selling handcrafted custom suits, chances are someone out there is willing to plunk down the bucks and transmit his measurements. Even businesses that sell only through physical outlets will probably need a Web presence.