Bob Tedeschi, New York Times' CyberTimes Upshot: The rise in female Internet users has some Web merchants eagerly anticipating a disproportionate increase in sales.
Buy the Way: Experienced women surfers plan to spend more online, and sites are catering to their buying behavior, e.g., gathering information before making a purchase.
Quote: "Women are avid consumers of information, and shopping is their passion." - Marleen McDaniel, CEO of Women.com John Dodge, Wall Street Journal Upshot: Web-based parts ordering and procurement are the natural evolution of U.S. automakers' back-end EDI systems.
Trickle Down: Efficiencies gained in putting cars together will ultimately let car buyers customize their options over the Internet and determine delivery time.
Quote: "In an era of fading brand loyalties, the Big Three have embraced the Web as an indispensable tool that strongly influences customer perceptions and preferences." Heather Green, Business Week e.biz Upshot: Turning the corporate intranet or extranet into a portal for employees and partners can lead to e-commerce opportunities.
Logical Leap: As long as employees are surfing the Net from the office anyway, why not offer content and services that can generate revenue like auctions and buyer-seller matching? Quote: "Companies should get on the corporate-portal bandwagon, not only to keep employees' attention and dish up specific information, but also to have an avenue for expanding their businesses and partnerships in the future."
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