Consumers increasingly like e-commerce because they can find a variety of goods and services through the convenience of their personal computer. Businesses like e-commerce because they can efficiently reach thousands or even millions of consumers with an electronic storefront that is accessible to anyone who surfs the net. Because store locations on the World Wide Web are simply Internet addresses, small businesses can effectively compete with large corporations by offering unique products, good prices, and superior customer service. In 1997, 19.7 million Americans visited retail web sites, according to Mediametrix, a web rating service. Suddenly, e-commerce has emerged as a huge opportunity for many savvy entrepreneurs.
Online shoppers love the convenience of buying products on the Internet.
Consumers also like the wide variety of products found on the Internet. Even consumers who don t buy products online use the Internet to identify, qualify and select vendors. In fact, according to TechWeb analysts, The Web s power as a sales vehicle has proven to be inversely proportional to the size of the seller. In other words, small companies are doing better than big ones. That s because the Web s worldwide reach can instantly transform a small outfit into a global distributor.