
E-commerce set to sky-rocket by 2002
The total value of goods/services traded over the internet will reach $8bn (#4.8bn) this year, but explode to around $327bn by 2002.
According to a Forrester Research report, Sizing Intercompany Commerce, "effective organisations must combine marketing and IT skills".
Forrester researched the e-commerce plans of 150 companies across 12 major industries, and interviewed executives at 63 businesses trading via the net. The report found that companies are using the net as a fourth channel, supplementing mail and phones with electronic ordering.
The report stated: "The 63 companies we found actively trading this year will sell $5bn in business-to-business goods and services via the internet.
This is 10 times higher than last year. They perceive value in cost savings, reduced order- processing time and better information flow."
However, companies are not using the net for end-to-end transactions.
"Completing transactions from order to payment and delivery yields more value than completing only one part of the process. But integrating front-end customer systems with back-end order-entry requires a major investment."
V3 Latest
BT plan to close down conventional fixed-line phone network by 2025 and go all-IP
BT wants to make the public switched telephone network history within eight years
Facebook Login hijacked by hidden web trackers, claim security researchers
Personal data being purloined by third parties via Facebook Login API
Apple: we've no plans to merger iOS and MacOS
MacOS and iOS are better off apart, says CEO Tim Cook
Oracle: Java SE 8 business users must buy a licence from January next year
Or they'll no longer be entitled to updates and bug patches