The potential of e-commerce to revolutionise marketing, advertising and shopping has probably been its most widely publicised feature - perhaps because media people in TV, in newspapers, and in magazines, are so close to these subjects that they are particularly well placed to see the opportunities for Web advertising and Internet Shopping Malls, for example. It would be foolish to believe totally in the media hype : it would be even more foolish to disbelieve.

Most of the media interest has focused on the Internet. The Internet offers an opportunity to help reshape and strengthen traditional business relationships. Using the Internet, transmissions can be sent whenever necessary at no premium, helping to establish real time shopping, offering additional advantages in speed and flexibility. Moreover, the substitution of traditional marketing and advertising media by the use of Internet-based and Web technologies offers new possibilities. For example, the Web's highly interactive applications enhanced by an ever improving graphical user interface, offering full multimedia support enabling the transmission and dissemination of very complex and rich information, as well as creating possibilities for relationships from around the world, where communication is now accessible with not much more equipment than an ordinary Web browser.

The Free Lunch Syndrome

Today's digital economy and emerging information technologies do promise great opportunities. However, Internet applications are by no means a quick fix to an organisations problems, and alone, will do nothing but waste resources and cause political turmoil. In order to be successful in this new environment, companies must think strategically about exploiting this frontier, and address some fundamental issues of core competencies, the role of IT, and organisational culture.

Skills

Without skills in marketing and advertising, the Web and the Internet are as little use as is, say, newspaper advertising to those who lack the necessary skills. Without a saleable, well-developed, packaged and presented; and appropriately priced product, even the most effective advertising can benefit little. Without the ability to deliver both efficiently and profitably, no quantity of sales will lead to success. Its very efficiency makes e-commerce focus attention all the more firmly on the key attributes of a business. The case studies that follow include issues such as :-

• Advertising and Shopping

• understanding the customers' needs

• increasing contact with the customer

• measuring advertising effectiveness

• using "advertorial"

• targeting the right potential consumer

• using infotainment and edutainment

• ease of use

• attractive presentation

Ease Of Use Issues

In addition to the focus on old core skills, Web sites need to consider new Human Factors in design :
· (This list is provided by the EC Research Project USINACTS, specifically concerned with the human factors in advanced software product design).

• Always provide feedback, as soon as possible, so that the user can always notice the effect of his or her actions. Interactivity principle means that every input action is immediately interpreted, and any change in internal system state is indicated with appropriate feedback to the user.

• Consistency of actions: the meaning of a particular element is constant along all the interface. It also means consistency regardless of the particular object of interest.

• Clarity: objects should represent the function or state without ambiguity.

• Univalency: they must represent the function or state without ambiguity

• Objects must have perceptual similarity with what they represent: e.g. the map in the geographical selection procedure, or button-shaped screen components for functions.

Case Studies