Internet editorial
Keywords Internet,Trade, World Wide Web
E-commerce trading on the World Wide Web
In this review we take a different approach from our usual Internet review, and look at a specific topic of interest to entrepreneurs and those involved with SMEs.
It is hoped that in future reviews we will look at other topics of interest to entrepreneurs and researchers, to provide some useful WWW links for readers to explore.
E-commerce and SMEs
There is little doubt that the Internet as a marketing tool offers any business an international shop window but increasingly entrepreneurs and SMEs are seeing the potential of actually selling goods and services over the Internet. This short review acts as a gateway to some information on what e-commerce actually is and directs readers to case studies of a variety of organisations successfully using the Internet to trade.
First, some organisations using the Internet to trade.
Organisation: The Hullachan Pro URL: http://www.hullachan.com
When Craig Coussins started a"hobby site" for his Scottish-based dance shoe manufacturing business, he did it all himself and despite the fact that he knew nothing about HTML or other relevant technicalities.
Today 75 per cent of his sales come from the Internet and he exports to North America, Australasia and Ireland. The company now gets more than 1,000 e-mails every week and gives a promise to answer them within 12 hours.
Organisation: Scotch Corner URL: http://www.scotch-corner.co.uk
Scotch Corner was established as a"virtual" or Internet shop for two main reasons. First, the Internet cut costs as there was no need to rent an expensive shop or hold stock, and second, the target market for the products was to be North America. The Internet gave 24 hours, seven days a week access to the global marketplace and in particular to the lucrative North American market.
As suspected, the site has proved popular in North America, with more than 95 per cent of sales coming from there. Within the site, Scotch-Corner is sub-divided into six "stores", each managed by one individual. Sales are currently growing at 25 per cent per month.
Summary
As you can see, e-commerce offers SMEs the opportunity to trade globally at a relatively low cost. Further case studies and other relevant information can be found from the following sites:
Robert SullivanUniversity of Paisley,Scotland, UK
