| Ecommerce has become one of the mainstays for | | | | city-level Wi-Fi networks (specially in the US) have |
| online players and the double digit growth figures tell | | | | made it possible for users to access the internet |
| a good story. Year-on-Year growth in global | | | | very easily. |
| ecommerce has been growing at more than 40% | | | | 3) Small businesses are yet to go online and |
| per annum. | | | | make ecommerce an important aspect of their |
| Though the data provided above is a bit dated, the | | | | bottom-line. This spells a huge potential in future |
| growth has slowed down only by a few points and | | | | ecommerce market as going online is not longer |
| that does not really matter as the absolute figure | | | | cost-prohibitive and ecommerce solutions are now |
| now runs into '00s of billion dollars. Some of the | | | | available out-of-the-box for as little as $75 per month |
| encouraging signs for this growth stem from the fact | | | | ( is a good example). In September 2007, Small |
| that: | | | | Business Research Board eCommerce Study further |
| 1) Many brick and mortar services such as | | | | confirmed the fact that 30% of small businesses |
| financial services have moved on to the internet in a | | | | were expecting online sales to increase significantly in |
| big way in the last few years. Banking, trading and a | | | | the next 12 to 24 months. |
| whole gamut of online financial services have helped | | | | The US of A continue to lead in the ecommerce race |
| increase the growth of online commerce. | | | | with more and more Americans booking travel, |
| 2) Steady investments have gone into | | | | completing their financial transactions and buying |
| making the internet a secure place to transact in. | | | | day-to-day needs online. However, Europe and most |
| Secured servers, encryption technology have made | | | | of Asia are fast catching up to the ecommerce |
| online transaction safer than they were 5 years ago. | | | | phenomenon and is likely to speed in the next couple |
| Other than that, increase in broadband availability, | | | | of years. |