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142 Lubbe and Pather
or the organization will not win. He also mentions that failing to test early, often,
realistically and outside the organizational intranet is an expensive mistake. Lastly,
Abel (2002) suggests that attention must be paid to format of the content.
Organizations should remember that readers normally scan for certain key words.
People most of the times visit a site for reasons not anticipated.
Marketing and Choice of Products
The marketing function is one aspect that has been misinterpreted by ecommerce
businesses. Highsmith et al. (2001) suggest that the most profound of
recent changes are not in technology but in the relationship between the business and
its external markets and customers.
Wilder (1998) reports that one of the myths perpetuated by the advent of ecommerce
is that it means the end of mass marketing. The Web is the first
communications channel that enables cost-effective one-to-one marketing on a
huge scale. Brand names are a key issue. Mass marketing is therefore a necessity
for the leaders of the online industry.
Another lesson is to plan an aggressive marketing budget with realistic goals.
One of the chief errors committed by failed dot-coms was based on the belief that
they could buy a national brand. This only takes place over time and demands
excellence in customer service, product fulfillment, and product quality (Wilson,
2001).
When strategizing e-commerce concepts, a business seeking new grounds
should consider the appropriateness of the product for the Web (Auger &
Gallaugher, 1997). Wilder (1998) in writing about e-commerce myths, claims that
business believes that it leads to product commodization. Price is not the number
one selling point for most companies online. Customers also want brands and
service they can trust.
Adopting a New Culture of Doing Business
The move from a traditional brick and mortar setup to an e-commerce
enterprise can be a test of the organizations ability to adapt to a new way of business.
One of the important factors in such a transition is the development and cultivation
of an e-commerce culture (ITQuadrant, 2001). Many organizations have reported
that cultural change is one of the top challenges in moving to an e-commerce
enterprise. Perhaps an assessment of the cultural feasibility of the project would
assist in this regard (see Satzinger et al., 2001). In this transitional period, the ecommerce
organization should note the various stages of human and organizational
assimilation of new technologies (Erwin & Blewitt, 1998).
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