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Actinic Publishes 2005 Report on SME Ecommerce Results show a sharp rise in retailer web sites & ecommerce use |
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| Weybridge, Surrey ~ 14 October 2005 ~ New research from ecommerce software developer Actinic points to a sharp rise in internet adoption and ecommerce deployment among small British retailers. The survey also revealed rises in the number of companies planning to adopt ecommerce in the future (13%), and in the number of online traders planning further development to their sites (48%). The findings confirm predictions by Gartner, of a second wave of internet adoption driven by the spread of broadband. Profitability among retail sites remains high at 70% (72% in 2004). Chris Barling, CEO of Actinic, comments, “2005 may prove to be the year when ecommerce finally comes of age. But there is still a long way to go before the percentage of businesses trading online comes anywhere near the percentage of consumers who are shopping online. Many small businesses are still missing out on a huge opportunity – and at a time when traditional retail is under increasing pressure.” The study was conducted for Actinic by pfa Research, based on interviews with 394 small and medium businesses in the retail sector. A copy of the full report is available free from www.actinic.co.uk/2005_Actinic_Ecommerce_Report.pdf or by email from jane.lee at dexterity.co.uk 2005 Report Highlights 1. The market appears to be entering a second wave of business internet adoption, perhaps driven by the spread of broadband. The number of small and medium retailers with web sites has risen sharply from 7% in 2004, and may be as high as 25%. 2. The number of ecommerce sites has also risen sharply from 3% in 2004. At 8% in 2005, it still remains low overall, and lags behind the deployment of new business web sites. 3. The high level of profitability among retail sites (70%, from 72% in 2004) was sustained in spite of a doubling in the overall number – indicating that the majority of new sites became profitable within the year. 4. The number of small and medium retailers with firm plans to adopt ecommerce bottomed out at 7% in 2004, and has risen to 13% - roughly the same level as in 2003. 5. There has been a slight rise in the number of online retailers planning further development of their sites – 48%, compared with 41% in 2004. Companies are increasingly citing lack of resources such as time, money and knowledge as the inhibitors that are preventing them from adopting ecommerce. 6. ASP (server-based) ecommerce solutions are growing in popularity, up from 7% of all ecommerce sites in 2004 to 29% in 2005. |
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