"I get the impression that the main problem by very far is not to have a web site where you can put your products or your services. The main issue is, once the web site is done, which is zero point one percent of the problem, which can be solved very fast, at very low cost, in any country, even if the infrastructure is very poor, the real issue is how do you get new customers. Actually, the Internet is very handy to deal with existing customers more effectively but difficult to use to acquire new customers. Many many companies have web sites. They may get visits but they don't many new clients. I don't think there's one single reason for this situation. Probably the most obvious answer to this problem is to combine an offline presence with an online one. Personal contact is often very useful to get to the first part of the deal."

-- Philippe D. Monnier, Managing Director, Eureka Cybertrading SA, Geneva