The computer age has revolutionized the world, yet its greatest contribution has yet to be realized in full. Though the dot-com boom of the late 90's gave an all too fleeting and overextended glimpse of things to come, it's the as yet unrealized online marketplace that will eventually change the way business is conducted.
Internet sales, like internet businesses, are growing at a phenomenal rate and have been since the middle of the last decade. While buying and selling online has become a cottage industry in North America, it hasn't caught on as well in other parts of the world. Some of the biggest markets such as China and southeast Asia have been slow to catch on as a result of cultural inflexibility, yet not among all age demographics.
Regardless of where you are in the world, there's a high likelihood that the youth of your country have grown up on the internet. While it may be for decidedly non-business pursuits, the effects of doing so are evident. Older generations may be hesitant to make purchases or do business online, but as the world moves in the direction of e-commerce, so will their children.
Online enterprises will never take the place of supermarkets, corner groceries and several other business entities that cater to the immediate needs of their regional customers, but for almost any other type of product (and service, in many cases), the internet is becoming the new business frontier. If one thinks about the principles behind e-commerce, it's easy to see why the format is so popular.
E-business offers customers the ability to comparison shop without ever leaving their homes, and provides access to products they couldn't get locally. For business owners, the internet represents practically non-existent overhead; a place where their geographic location and storefront has no bearing on their success. Real estate is, as many in the field will happily tell you, all about location, location, location. The internet is has no less than desirable locations, leveling the playing field for business owners who can't afford to compete based on their locality.
In the end, the popularity of internet business is only going to grow, and those who take the initiative to become a part of it now will be the ones ahead of the game in the future.
