E-commerce’s high-tech burden

Kelly McNeill writes “The recent failure of several Internet-only retailers has led many people to claim that the winners selling on the Web will be companies that combine a Web presence with a physical store — brick-and-click outfits like Toys “R” Us, as opposed to the late, lamented eToys. However, it may turn out that selling on the Web generates no winners at all. E-commerce Web sites have gone from being seen as the future of business two years ago, tor being viewed as a useful addition to traditional sales. Yet, in my opinion, e-commerce should be thought of as a thorn in the side of traditional retail and a costly one at that.”