Online population doubles - e-commerce flourishing

[April 24th 2001]

Industry experts concur that the online population is doubling this year to 407 million (NUA). This growth along side website formation growth and the E-Commerce growth reported by website executives in ActivMedia Research's annual "Real Numbers" survey, demonstrates that businesses with solid business plans can thrive online. Overall, the research shows that businesses integrating their website into their entire organization--marketing, sales, purchasing, inventory management, HR--are profiting from the Web.

Website executives who responded to the first report in this year's "Real Numbers" survey reported that real business is happening online which is cutting costs and increasing revenues. This research data, being reported in ActivMedia's the "E-Commerce Shakeout: Surviving the Maturing Web" study being published this May, shows the online future is bright regardless if the business is B2B or B2C. It is those organizations that understand the value of the Web to their entire organization that will continue to survive online.

                   Purposes For Online Presence (%)

SALES & REVENUE                                       98.0
  Accept orders                                       55.6
  Distribute products                                 25.7
  Stimulate customers to contact offline              69.0
  Lead generation                                     51.9
  Create online markets for 3rd parties               16.9
  Publish info / entertainment                        34.4
  Paid ads / links                                    12.8

CUSTOMER RELATIONS & SERVICE                          75.2
  Pre-sale support                                    57.8
  Service                                             48.5
  Technical support                                   27.1

PUBLIC RELATIONS                                      71.5
  Public relations                                    70.5
  Investor relations                                   9.6

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS                               46.8
  General communications                              35.6
  Internal mgt & reporting                            17.3
  Financial info                                       8.6
  Purchasing & supply chain mgt                        9.2
  Human relations                                     11.6

Links
ActivMedia Research		http://www.ActivMediaResearch.com