The Money Pit
The second fundamental reason publishers have questioned whether to create their own storefronts is cost. Businesses have been creating ecommerce sites in earnest for around fifteen years. In the early years of ecommerce, creating an ecommerce site represented a significant capital technology investment. A high level of technology integration was required, if not outright software development, to create the desired shopping experience for the customer and fulfillment processes. Ecommerce initiatives in the early days were risky, complex, and became a career Waterloo for many executives for whom the initiative got out of control. Without a clear projection of the new revenue ecommerce channel would generate, it was difficult for publishers to justify the investment of an ecommerce site.
- Places:
- U.S.