MYTH NO. 3: Everyone's doing it. (Myths And Realities of Web commerce Part three)

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Those living in Silicon Valley, Seattle, or Manhattan can find plenty of evidence to support this myth. And just about every company has a Web site. But brochureware isn't commerce. Dig deeper among multibillion-dollar companies, even among some consumer-focused retailers, and you'll find a different story. Companies on the sidelines of Web commerce include chains Best Buy, Circuit City, and Fry's Electronics.

"Fry's doesn't even post a catalog," notes Vern Keenan, an analyst with research firm Keenan Vision. "It goes along with their conservative management--using merchandising techniques from 50 years ago, like heavy promotion of loss leaders in low-cost ad channels like local newspapers and radio. They still work, and Fry's sees no reason to go on the Web." Fry's doesn't comment on its business strategies.

With a few notable exceptions, such as General Electric, Boeing, and the Big Three U.S. automakers, most old-line manufacturers have yet to move into E-commerce--and may not for quite a while. "In some companies, you almost need the retirement of an entire generation of purchasing and sales staff members before it will happen," says Sam Kinney, co-founder and executive VP of FreeMarkets Online Inc., a company that manages online bidding for industrial requests for quotes. "This is not an overnight thing. There are some massive penetration barriers that will not fall for decades."
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Many companies simply don't see a compelling business reason to move to E-commerce. Maytag Corp., for example, finds that electronic data interchange with its suppliers and distributors works fine, and it's playing the Internet commerce card very carefully. "We all should be cautious. There are very few Amazon.com opportunities out there," says Maytag VP of IT Ed Wojciechowski. "We have informational Web sites where we can engage the customer, and we see commerce as an option in the future. But it's not strategic for us yet."

And even if Myth No. 3 were true, that doesn't mean following the pack is a sound strategy.