This story appears in the
February 2000 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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You can't pass a billboard or see a commercial without
sighting the little ".com" trailing every product title.
Clearly, the Web is now, or is fast becoming, the favored resource
and communication device of the masses. And with arenas like
extreme e-tailing, college prep and cyber-delivery developing into
the latest online hotbeds, the thought of never ever having to
leave your console is quickly becoming a reality. Take a
look . . .
Extreme e-tailing: E-tailers are giving e-shoppers a more
thorough look at the items they choose to purchase online. Le
Printemps, a Paris department store, employs inline-skate-equipped
salespeople, harnessed with laptops, networking gear and video
cameras, to roll through the aisles of the 24-floor establishment,
discussing and demonstrating items via www.webcamer.com for Web shoppers.
Clothing can even be modeled upon request.
College prep: As competition rises in the fight for
top-tier college admission, so too are college-prep firms
scrambling to attract students via the Web. Increases in the number
of such services are quickly paving the way to an automated
admissions process. Online forums, such as Achieva (www.achievaonline.com), set up
college interviews, provide complete admissions advice, discuss
financial-aid prospects and even offer round-the-clock personal
mentors.
Cyber-delivery: Although at the moment you'll find
very few establishments to deliver the latest DVD release, a pint
of Pralines and Cream and a roll of toilet paper to your door at
the mere click of a mouse, rest assured that such heavenly 24-hour
cyber-delivery services will be making their way to a city near you
before long. If you're living in New York City, you've
probably already had a taste of this convenience.