A good web site is considered a must for a reliable company, even though many are not updated on a regular basis. Some companies go beyond web marketing and invest in online commerce. Russians have ambivalent attitudes about new technologies and most have no confidence in virtual transactions, something Western consumers have been accustomed to through catalog purchases. Nevertheless, some B2C projects are expanding. As of summer 2000, Russia has about 500 online stores.
Most retailers require on-delivery cash or credit card payment.
The above-mentioned projects are very aggressive in brand development and have catchy names for the 2.5 million Russian Internet users. Most industry experts believe that B2C electronic commerce will become economically viable only when Internet reaches about 10 percent of the population, or 15 million users, which may happen in 2003. Given the difficulties of B2C development, Russian companies are actively exploring web opportunities in B2B marketing. Major industrial groups are going online and are launching e-commerce projects. Metallurgical plants are making the most impressive investments, followed by oil companies.