That includes customers such as General Motors Corp., General Electric Co., Home Depot Corp. and PepsiCo Inc.'s Tropicana unit. Charles Wodehouse, president of CSX's technology division, says the Web service is such a hit with customers that CSX plans to share much of its software with the American Association of Railroads, in hopes of establishing it as an industry standard. But the Web still can play an important role in providing customers with accurate information about prices and model choices, he says. As consumers' interest in Internet shopping grows, online advertising is surging. Not surprisingly, the Web's fastest business inroads have occurred in the computer industry, or in closely related fields.
Similar savings arise with phone charges and management time.
But some computer-industry veterans say there's a limit to how far Web commerce will spread. Intuit Inc., the Mountain View, Calif., maker of personal-finance software, lets online customers download programs directly to their computers, instead of shipping them computer disks with the programs. With an Internet connection and a few idle moments, it is now possible to get a mortgage, shop for insurance, trade stocks and pay bills online. Enthusiasts for these new services say they are signing up thousands of new customers every day, offering an unbeatable blend of convenience and better terms. Charles Schwab Corp. turned heads earlier this year when the longtime discount broker said it was processing more trades online than through traditional means.