Red tape measures

In 1997, clicks seemed on the verge of overtaking bricks and mortar as the consumer sales avenue of choice. Since then, the predicted explosion in e-commerce has not taken place. Many retailers failed to develop separate sales strategies for electronic commerce and two recent studies by the Canadian e-Business Initiative, a private-sector group promoting commerce and technology, suggest e-commerce initiatives by small and medium-sized businesses have languished since 2002.

“What’s my ROI on e-commerce? Are you crazy? This is Columbus in the New World. What was his ROI?”
Andy Grove, CEO of chip-maker Intel in 1997, arguing that real revenue is around the corner. One survey earlier that year claims 73% of Web users already use the Internet for shopping

“The first five years of the millennium are going to be really hot. ... Five years from now, what we’re dealing with today is going to look like primitive stuff.”
Daniel Sweeney, vice-president of consulting services at IBM in 1998, commenting on survey findings that 40% of Canadian retailers plan to make Internet sales available to consumers by 2001

“If you have a good business strategy in place and you’re looking at the Internet to augment that, then you’re going to be fine.”
Darwin Dauncey, manager of sales and marketing information at forest company Canfor, in 2002. Canadian Internet customer orders were up 43% in 2001 from 2000, and one research firm predicts online sales will grow 72% in 2002

“Canadians are not fully embracing the online consumer experience and Internet sales are unlikely to grow unless consumers are given a reason to shift more of their buying to this mode.”
Richard Jenkins, of research firm TNS Canadian Facts, commenting on sluggish online sales last Christmas

Steve Brearton