| cast iron fixture repair - With the big fourth quarter holiday season still to come, Datamonitor and BizRate.com predict that 2001 can still be a decent year for e-commerce.
According to Datamonitor's IMPACT 2001 interactive consumer survey, U.S. e-commerce revenue will hit $38.7 billion in 2001, but look for an increasing number of transactions to involve either the Web site of an offline brand or an offline purchase that research or influenced online.
"Many e-businesses have concentrated on duplicating bricks and mortar business models in cyberspace -- virtual bricks and mortar -- and they have proven to be highly competitive in retaining their customers, especially where real bricks and mortar are easily accessible," said Elizabeth Kennedy, technology analyst with Datamonitor.
Datamonitor's research found the potential for such hybrid transactions is 10 times that for pure e-commerce, which makes the $38.7 billion identified in this research, just the tip of |
the e-commerce iceberg BizRate.com predicts that online sales will increase by 34 percent in the fourth quarter of 2001, with $12.4 billion in sales, a healthy growth rate vs. the hyper growth rate seen in prior years.
E-commerce "winners" will comprise companies that adapt to shifts in online consumer behavior. BizRate identifies what it sees as the winning formula for e-holiday success this season: Women will be powering online shopping; exceptional customer service is key to winning consumers' business; and companies must utilize multichannel touch-points to rise above the holiday clutter.
"This is the year when online shopping goes mass -- with more than 25 percent of Americans shopping online," said BizRate.com President and CEO Chuck Davis. "In a maturing market, e-tailers need to focus on the consumer, especially female buyers, in order to continue to thrive."
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