Bottlenecks in e-commerce

Eight out of ten companies in the Netherlands are on the Internet. One in three of these companies use the Internet to sell their products, although some of them encounter problems in this respect. Many companies on the Internet do not use the medium to buy or sell products. Why not?

Bottlenecks in Internet sales, companies on the Internet by e-sales, 2001

E-sales

Half of companies encounter one or more obstacles when selling their products via the Internet, to such an extent that they prevent further investment in e-commerce. Some companies feel that their products are less suitable for the 
e-market. Some think the prices of the Internet outlet are too high. Lastly, companies sometimes experience problems with payment and legal security.

Bottlenecks in Internet sales, companies on the Internet but without Internet sales, 2001

E-commerce: why not?

Companies on the Internet who do not sell their products via this medium give the following reasons for not doing so: product unsuitable, sales logistics too complex and satisfaction with existing channels.
Surprisingly, within this group companies with their own website foresee more problems than companies who have no 
e-commerce facilities at all.

Many companies on the Internet do not report why they do not use it for e-sales.

E-purchases

More companies use the internet for purchasing products than for selling them. Electronic purchases are indeed easier to realise as the only thing they require is access to the Internet.

Ben Stigter