From Library Journal
Retailer dot-coms are very much in the news today, with companies collapsing and their value dropping on the stock market. But, according to internationally known e-commerce analysts Carroll and Broadhead, "far from being dead, e-business is thriving." In this practical guide, the authors take readers through a five-step process for creating an online store: planning, preparation, development, education, and refinement. Using illustrations of businesses on the web (including Staples.com, Yahoo Store, and ), the authors explain how to design a user-friendly web site and describe such desirable design elements as easy navigation, search functionality, and fast download times. In case studies, retail dot-com owners describe their businesses, discuss what makes their companies successful, and offer advice to aspiring entrepreneurs. "E-Facts" presented throughout the book provide demographics and statistics related to e-commerce. This informative and very timely book is recommended for business collections in public and academic libraries. Lucy Heckman, St. John's Univ. Lib., Jamaica, NY Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Book Description
Whether your organization is large or small, Selling Online is a perfect resource for any employee or entrepreneur interested in building a successful, profitable, and sustainable online retail business. In Selling Online, Carroll and Broadhead discuss what makes an online business fail or triumph. From the nuts and bolts of how to build a site to an in depth look at merchant accounts, a systematic business plan walks you through the complex issues of doing business over the Internet.

FROM OUR EDITORS

Is online retail dead? Not at all! Yes, hundreds of Internet companies failed in the peak of dot.com mania, taking millions of investment dollars with them. And these casualties cast a dark cloud over the Internet industry, leading many people to conclude that online retailing was a big bust. But tell that to America Online, whose members spent an astounding $4.6 billion online during the 2000 holiday season! Tell that to the countless other online retailers, many of them small and medium sized businesses, who have discovered online success. The truth is, online retailers fail because of poorly executed business plans, not because online retailing doesn't work.

International e-commerce experts Rick Broadhead and Jim Carroll help you get it right the first time—or help you do it right the next time around. They provide hundreds of tips to help established as well as start-up retailers successfully sell online—and avoid some of disastrous blunders made by other online retailers. This in-depth guide includes comprehensive coverage of the following topics: The most important features to look for in an online storefront solution Advice on getting a merchant account and Internet payment gateway Tips and techniques to maximize online security and minimize credit card fraud Innovative online marketing strategies Methods for generating customer loyalty and repeat sales This book also includes over 100 tips and critical success factors contributed from an expert panel of 20 online businesses in the United States.

Whether your organization is large or small, Selling Online is a perfect resource for any employee or entrepreneur interested in building a successful, profitable, and sustainable online retail business.

Since teaming up in 1994, internationally recognized e-commerce analysts Jim Carroll, FCA, and Rick Broadhead, MBA, have played a key role in educating consumers about the Internet, business, and new technology. They have co-authored an astonishing 29 books, many of them bestsellers, and some of which featured partnerships with prominent Internet and technology firms, including Sprint, IBM, VISA, and Excite.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Internet experts Jim Carroll and Rick Broadhead take readers step-by-step through the process of setting up an online store, marketing goods and services, and building a loyal customer base. Their detailed roadmap closes the gap between the hype and the reality of Internet profits. ￯﾿ﾽSelling Online is an excellent first step for those thinking of opening their own online store.￯﾿ﾽ —John Wetmore, President and CEO, IBM Canada Ltd. ￯﾿ﾽhttp://www.editeur.org/onix/1.2/onix-international.dtd￯﾿ﾽ> 01 Dearborn Trade Publishing

SYNOPSIS

Internet experts Jim Carroll and Rick Broadhead take readers step-by-step through the process of setting up an online store, marketing goods and services, and building a loyal customer base. Their detailed roadmap closes the gap between the hype and the reality of Internet profits.

FROM THE CRITICS

Ralph F. Wilson - Canadian version reviewed by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson, E-Commerce Consultant Web Commerce Today

If you're a small business just in the planning stages of setting up an online store, here's the book I'd recommend. Carroll and Broadhead begin with sober advice for the would-be merchant. They see overinflated expectations as a chief problem, and guide the reader through 18 questions that help assess their possibilities for success—and failure.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING