Amazon.co.uk Review
Clocking in at just over 100 pages, it would be great to be able to say that
Starting and Running a Business on the Internet contained everything you needed to know on the subject, but of course, life isn't that simple. Nevertheless, Alex Kiam and Tim Ireland's book is a good place to start and has much to offer on Web navigation and etiquette as well as making itself indispensable on e-mail, browsers and ISPs. What the authors do extremely well and concisely is describe how the Internet hangs together and how the small player can use this knowledge to exploit their Web space effectively. The Internet virgin will come away with a clearer picture of how new sites can join this elaborate and complexly structured community without getting lost. On the downside, many issues central to business start-ups are missing, suggesting that the book's true niche is amongst existing businesses migrating to the Internet rather than new players--there is no mention of venture capital, staff or business planning, for example. Readers looking for the full-blown business start-up manual will want to supplement their reading elsewhere (try Tess Read, Calum Chace and Simon Rowe's
Internet Start-Up Bible) but as a guide to operating a Web page and understanding the rules of conduct in cyberspace,
Starting and Running a Business on the Internet hits the mark. --
Iain Campbell
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Synopsis
In the year 2000, online businesses clocked up more than 20 billion pounds in sales over the Internet . These cyber-businesses use the Internet to slash costs, improve their customer relations and support, sell their products direct to the customer, cut marketing expenses and reach hitherto untapped markets. The author, who himself has run three profitable web sites since 1993, lends his experience in an easy to follow format so that British businesses can benefit from being on the Internet. Many basic questions are answered such as: is the Internet right for my business?; how can I use the Internet to get and keep customers?; can I get started quickly and cheaply?; what are the potential problems and how do I avoid costly mistakes? This second edition takes into account recent developments in the fields of encryption and shopping cart technology, as well as discussing the high profile failures of companies such as "boo.com". It also provides an introduction to WAP and the mobile e-commerce marketplace.
No matter how little you know about computers, this book will take you from the very basics, such as getting a domain name, through to 'going live' with a brand new Internet business and the possibilty of taking orders from around the world.
