E-business is hot - it's fast, furious and fashionable - often a deadly combination in enthusiastic hands. A global market at the click of a mouse with few, if any, legislative restrictions - it is happening quickly and the commercial opportunities and risks are awesome.
Early adopters leading the charge are in the retail Business to Consumer (B2C) area with new sourcing and supply channels and rapid response driving greater customer value. The growth of online shopping (some would say browsing) will continue to be exponential with 'e-tailers' dominating the e-business arena. Volume, growth and 'traffic capture' represent the new business paradigm for these market makers, but they still have a long way to go to build profitability, with a potentially disastrous impact on market capitalisation. A series of high-profile business failures has raised doubts about the long-term sustainability of some businesses, and radical change to this business model will be necessary to avoid further difficulties.
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