by Rebecca Rooy

Due to the recent outbreak of media coverage on holiday online shopping, it is important to review what this Internet traffic increase truly means for the economic world. Upon initial consideration, Internet holiday shopping may seem insignificant, perhaps even frivolous. However, this temporary market is a powerful example of the influence the Internet is gaining in the economic and personal spheres. Suddenly, our familiar holiday consumer tradition of streets and malls overflowing with shoving shoppers on “Black Friday” is no longer the holiday shopping method of choice. Wireless has won. The Internet has, indeed, begun to take over, complete with the new hype for the “Cyber Monday” holiday shopping movement.

Business marketing over the Internet has undeniably exploded within the past few years. An increasing number of companies are turning to Internet marketing and advertisement, while fewer rely on the decreasing impact of newspaper and magazine ads. At Whittaker Associates, we’ve noticed that the majority of our researched companies maintain a website, giving us and our clients a detailed business perspective hailing directly from each company. By reviewing details in each website presentation, from design to employee bios, we can learn a great deal about a company.

These trends can lead one to believe that the Internet is the new “happening” place for business. Although it is easy to guffaw at the media coverage of this sudden and unexpected increase in Internet traffic, we must admit they have a point. The Internet is it, and judging from sites such as cybermonday.com, its influence is moving into business, personal, and even special occasion spheres. And that is nothing to guffaw about.