Internet
Shopping
It is one of the least loved rituals of Christmas. The annual slog
up and down the High Street to do the Christmas shopping is regarded as
a
chore at best and sheer purgatory by many The crowds, the transport, the
weather, the endless renditions of So Here It Is Merry Christmas can all
combine to make it one of the most stressful experiences of the year. READ
MORE
70 per cent of small firms
Companies using the Internet are seeing
a huge return on their investment. New research shows that nearly 70
per
cent
of small
firms have invested
in the web, spending £4,800 on average over the past two years on
internet systems. The research, for business and technology exhibition
Internet World 2003, shows that each investing company saves up to five
man hours a day, equivalent to £14,500 a year based on the average
hourly wage of £11.10. Small firms are also seeing a return of more
than three times their investment on average.
DIY packages are becoming increasingly popular
Thanks to the Internet, DIY packages are becoming increasingly popular
Travellers can buy their flights online and then tailor car hire, hotels
and transfers around them. But trying to find the best computer-based
deals can sometimes be tricky and there can be drawbacks with doing reverberating
online. “The Internet is fine until something goes wrong or needs
to be altered and with travel that can be a regular occurrence,” says
Sue Ockwell, spokeswoman for the Association of Independent Tour Operators
(AlTO).
“There’s no hand-holding or personal advice via the Net. Booking
with a specialist tour operator can make the difference between a bog-standard
trip and a holiday that you remember for all the right reasons.”
In response to customer demand for holiday “separates”, many short-break
specialists including Cresta
Holidays, Superbreak and Cadogan offer
accommodation-only
brochures. Sovereign and Cosmos have
dedicated web sites - and all will now do a package to sell you the hotel on
its
own. However we found that Look Before
You Book offered the best deals and information
that was independent and put you directly in touch with the hotel without charging
any commission.
e-Bay is worth $35 billion 50% more than
General Motors
The Internet bandwagon that was scheduled
to arrive three years ago is finally due to pull in. Apologies for the
delay, partly
caused by an unfortunate
crash in 2000. And don’t be surprised if you don’t recognise
the bandwagon, because it will bear little resemblance to the shiny and
exciting machine we once expected. The touted $15 billion (£10 billion)
flotation of search engine Google is a sign the internet is rolling again.
Followers of the stock market will have arready spotted as much America’s
hitech Nasdaq stock market has risen by 40% in the past year. Online e-Bay
is worth $35 billion 50% more than General Motors. MORE
