Towards the formulation of a comprehensive framework for the evaluation of investments in sell-side e-commerce

Abstract In recent years, whilst considerable attention has been focussed on the Internet, and in particular its potential as a sales medium, little research has been conducted into how such investments can be objectively evaluated. Based upon a review of the literature and a series of exploratory interviews, a provisional framework for evaluating e-commerce investments is presented. It is shown that in addition to considering generic issues such as flexibility and implementabilty, an e-commerce evaluation framework should address specifics, such as customer management, marketing and logistics. “The key question is not whether to deploy Internet technology—companies have little choice if they want to remain competitive—but how to deploy it” [ Porter 2001 ]

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