Articles by Paul A. Greenberg

In the mad scramble to be the flashiest, biggest, and most dynamic Web site in cyberspace, many retailers are losing sight of the most important prize - the bottom line On the surface, things are looking up. Amazon.com, for example, reported that last Friday's sales were up 150 percent over last year.

With upwards of $9 billion (US$) in sales expected over the Internet this holiday season, many businesses without Web sites are wondering if they've missed the boat Not necessarily. Although it may be tricky to get a site up and running in time to cash in on this year's holiday shopping bonanza, the online buying momentum built by the holiday rush ...

The one development that may single-handedly change the landscape of electronic commerce is wireless communication. So why is it taking so long for us to have it in general use? The answer is complex. It's about technology, standardization, consumer expectations and deciding which applications are most desirable to the largest number of users.

It's official: E-tailers had a stellar holiday weekend, with brisk sales and vigorous activity fueled by savvy shoppers who have been doing their homework. The consumer is now well-equipped to sidestep inefficient or rigid e-tailers and carve out the best online deals with a maximum of convenience ...

E-businesses, Internet Service Providers and technology firms are increasingly setting their collective sights on the fastest-growing minority population in the United States: Hispanics Naturally, Spanish-speaking populations are already the target of forward-moving Internet organizations in Latin America. However, many of these same companies have...

Many e-business owners are attempting to ride the limitless wave of the Internet overseas, a prospect that can be rife with dangerous twists and turns. Before a business can get up and running in another country, there are a number of issues that must be considered: Internet users in some countries are more responsive to a national Web site than an...

If the likes of Amazon and eBay are destined to forever dominate e-commerce, why are the biggest names in the business working so hard to boost fledgling startup companies? Take Steve Case, CEO of America Online, for example. As far back as five years ago -- ancient history in cyber-years -- AOL offered business incubation services to entrepreneurs...

Many American Internet users still perceive life with borders. However, if any one message is coming through loud and clear, it might be to "think bigger." Countries of all stripes are gearing up their own electronic commerce operations, and it may soon be commonplace for Americans to shop for products from Asia, Europe, Latin America, and perhaps ...

E-commerce is clearly a media favorite at the moment, occupying significant space in most major newspapers and magazines, but most people are still shopping the old-fashioned way Many consumers research products online, only to log off and drive to the mall to make their purchases. Pundits in print and talking heads on TV may debate the reasons for...

Given our litigious society, it was inevitable that the world of e-commerce would eventually find itself dragged into 'real world' courtrooms. And, lest anyone think that Microsoft is the only e-commerce-related company with legal woes, there is plenty of reason to believe that the floodgates are poised to open While Congress does its best to resol...

Everything that has to do with e-commerce seems to move at record speed, except for one thing: The decision whether to tax goods and services sold over the Internet Somehow, the debate over Internet taxes has dragged on for the better part of the year, with the U.S. Congress' Advisory Commission on Electronic Commerce taking its time when it comes ...

Despite the fact that media attention to the explosive growth of e-commerce has largely focused upon the new synergy between consumers and e-tailers, the real success stories may be in the business-to-business sector While e-tailers struggle to steady themselves financially, B2B operations are realizing revenues beyond their own expectations. Accor...

"If you build it, they will come" may be true for baseball, but when it comes to e-commerce, it's how long it takes customers to get to what you build that really matters Research from various sources indicates that once the online buying experience becomes too cumbersome and slow, would-be customers log off. And, since there are already enough obs...

As the battle for Web survival intensifies, e-tailers are finding it increasingly necessary to ask themselves a most fundamental question: What do online customers really want? It is a tough question to answer, particularly given that online commerce is still in its formative stages and many of the shoppers are new to the medium.

Lost amid the hoopla and hyperbole of the e-commerce explosion is the nagging reality that few e-businesspeople seem to know how and when they are going to make a profit The worry is valid, particularly in light of recent research from GartnerGroup showing that 75 percent of all e-business startups will fail.

Electronic commerce is shaking up a lot more than consumer buying trends lately, as high salaries and unlimited growth potential are allowing e-businesses to lure the best of the best from the brick-and-mortar business world. Almost daily, accomplished executives in various fields are joining the electronic commerce revolution Earlier this week, Se...

As the Internet continues its global expansion, many companies are finding that localized e-services are making the most inroads with consumers While mega-sites such as Amazon.com offer attractive discounted prices and huge selections of goods, local Internet sites are betting that customers are also looking for convenience and rapid delivery. In f...

According to Washington-based research firm The Strategis Group, more than 100 million Americans are using the Internet, and getting smarter and faster as they surf Another group, the Computer Industry Almanac, reports that more than 110 million Americans will be using the Internet by the end of this year, accounting for 43 percent of the world's t...

Just days after Intel chief executive officer Craig Barret reiterated his company's determination to invest in China, the country has drafted rules that would formally ban foreign investment in the Internet Although China's Internet policies have been difficult for foreign investors to interpret over the past few years, the new guidelines would cle...

Until recently, men were considered to be the broad target audience for the Internet, but new data from Forrester Research shows that 29 percent of all American women now use the Internet regularly In comparison, 39 percent of American men use the Internet, but e-tailers and other e-businesses are expecting a demographic shift in the near future. F...