Trends and News

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
Web Commerce Today, Issue 2, September 15, 1997

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This article contains older information. Go here for newer information on miscellaneous Internet marketing strategies.

We are not trying to be a new product announcement service, but are keeping our eyes open for up-and-coming trends in electronic commerce which you ought to be aware of. Some of these will turn out to be publicity hype, but some may change the shape of how commerce is done on the Web.

Excite Directory is moving toward an AOL-type "member stores" concept.

• Excite Certified Merchant Shopping Program lends logo to merchants like Wal-Mart who meet qualifications and are willing to ante up.
• Kathleen Murphy, "Excite Joins Commerce Game With Shopping Channel," Web Week, September 8, 1997. Excite will collect "rent" from the merchants that are its electronic "tenants" and will receive a share in the merchants' transactions ranging from a fraction of 1 to 15%, depending on a storefront's profit margin.
• David Lazarus, "Excite's E-Commerce 'Guarantee' Mostly Hype," Wired News, September 2, 1997.

Other Trends you need to be aware of:

• Jeremy Carl, "Virtual Emporium: A New Concept in Shopping," Web Week, February 3, 1997. The Virtual Emporium brings users out of their houses to shop in the store online, guided by store employees who offer both sales help and technical support.
• Robert E. Calem, "Software Company Seeks to Ally Direct Marketers," New York Times, CyberTimes, September 11, 1997. BeFree, Inc. announces programs to let online retailers open thousands of branches in "affiliate" Web sites, track sales through those outlets to individual customers, and correlate the sales to the amount of advertising done for each product. First licensee is BarnesandNoble.com
• Patricia Riedman, "MyPoints aims to be universal Web currency," Ad Age, August 18, 1997. Service could be tied to incentive, affinity programs.
• CyberCash and BlueGill Team Up to Offer Bill Presentment and Payment on the Web. Many companies will get on board due to processing cost savings.

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