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Mod Dog's Internet Newsletter - Issue 9 - 09/04/01

Published approximately once a month, this newsletter contains information and useful advice to help businesses and organizations develop a more successful Web site and Internet strategy.

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In this issue:

E-Commerce Lives
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It's been too long since the last newsletter (I wish I could say I've been on summer vacation), and I am still waiting to finish my long promised and overdue 10 Steps for Success newsletter. To help those of you suffering from newsletter withdrawal :-) I offer this to let you know that Mod Dog's Internet Newsletter is still up and running, even if the wait between newsletters is sometimes too long.

Past readers of this newsletter know that I am a big fan of usability guru Jakob Nielsen, one of the most widely respected experts on Web site usability. In a nutshell, Nielsen emphasizes simplicity and common sense when developing a Web site, especially an e-commerce site, along with testing sites (both pre and post launch) with "real" users. Many e-commerce businesses that have failed might be alive today had they heeded Nielsen's (among others) suggestions and been just a little smarter with their business plan.

Despite how it may appear if you read the business news on a regular basis, e-commerce is a long way from dead, and in fact is increasingly becoming more and more a part of the shopping habits of the average consumer and business, even if the actual purchase is not always completed online.

What is dead, however, is investment money available to fund extravagantly run companies trying to implement bad ideas with poorly constructed Web sites simply because they have an "e" in their business plan. Now more than ever, it pays to heed the expert's consensus advice regarding Web site design and usability and to learn to apply proven principles to your specific Web site, clientele and business model.

Here are some links to help explain a few of the things an e-commerce site should be paying attention to (keep in mind many of these principles apply to any site), along with some recent articles and news stories to counter all the doom and gloom.

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Useit.Com: Did Poor Usability Kill E-Commerce?

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20010819.html

Did poor usability kill e-commerce? No. First off, despite the closure or dramatic downscaling of many sites, e-commerce is not dead. Second, sites have gone under because expenses were greater than revenues, and usability impacts only the second of these parameters.

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Four Mistakes That Can Kill a Sale

http://www.business2.com/articles/mag/0,,14771,FF.html

Before scoffing at Canon's mistakes, check how many of them you make.
By Jakob Nielsen, June 2001 Issue

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The Church of Usability

http://builder.cnet.com/webbuilding/0-3881-8-5069140-1.html

by Alan K'necht, C|Net Builder.com, 03-20-2001 . There are various points of view regarding to website usability. This issue gathers some differing opinions from six top designers: Andrew Chak, Alan Cooper, Robert Davis and Paul Laroche, Jakob Nielsen, and Jared Spool.

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Small Business Success Stories

http://www.adventive.com/lists/adventive-report/summary.html

Have you read any current news regarding doing business online? Almost without exception, the headlines serve up tales of massive layoffs, bloated companies unable to make payroll, and failing business models. The Internet sector is in a depression, that much is clear. However, getting lost in the doom and gloom are the thousands of small businesses that are succeeding, even thriving, on the Internet.

The Adventive Report is an effort by Adventive to spotlight these successful Internet businesses. While many deadpool Web sites continue to monitor the failures of the high-profile flops, the aim of the Adventive Report is to highlight the companies that are persisting in the face of an Internet slump. Through testimonials, examples, and editorials, our newsletter showcases a myriad of achievements in an evolving industry.

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E-commerce not dead

http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2001/07/27/technology/ecommerce_trend/

Dallas Fed economist says B2B fundamentals sound and will boost economy again: July 27, 2001

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The E-Commerce Survivors

http://www.thestandard.com/article/0,1902,27593,00.html

THE INDUSTRY STANDARD MAGAZINE
By Miguel Helft
Issue Date: Jul 16 2001
A study by The Standard shows that half of all e-retailers are still alive - and an additional 16% remain in business after being acquired.

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The Daily Interview: The Net's Not Dead Yet

http://www.thestreet.com/funds/dailyinterview/1447354.html

By Lee Barney Staff Reporter
6/1/01

With the recent failure of so many dot-coms, it's easy to lose faith in the investment viability of the World Wide Web. But technology research company IDC recently issued a report predicting that Internet commerce in particular will continue to grow at extremely rapid rates. The company's current forecast calls for Internet commerce to grow at an average annual compound rate of 70% to reach $5 trillion by 2005, up from $354 billion last year.

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That's it for this issue of Mod Dog's Internet Newsletter. I hope you enjoyed the information you discovered and learned a few things too. I encourage and welcome any questions or comments you may have related to Web site development or Internet strategy, or suggestions for the newsletter.

In response to many requests on how to best get an Internet strategy off on the right foot, or improve one that may be floundering, I now offer a one hour, telephone only, consulting service. Please visit my consulting services page for more information. Of course, on site and ongoing consulting and project services are available as well.

Best regards,

Brian White
Mod Dog Internet Services, Inc.
Web Site Design \ Web Site Hosting \ E-Commerce Services
Mod Dog Internet Services
Web Hosting Solutions

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