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Small
Businesses Primed for New Growth Opportunities Through
E-Commerce
New
International Survey Provides Insights Into U.S. and European
Small Businesses Perceptions of Internet and E-Commerce
IRVINE,
Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Optimistic about the potential of
online avenues for business growth, 65 percent of
America's small businesses
say they expect e-commerce will open up new markets and
opportunities for their businesses. A
solid 50 percent of those surveyed believe that selling online
will result in increased sales for their business.
Specific
to e-commerce, more than half (53 percent) of U.S.-based small
and medium-sized businesses believe that all their products and
services are suitable for sale over the Internet. Indicating
action in this area, 40 percent of those businesses surveyed
plan to add an e-commerce solution in the next 12 months.
These
results are among the key findings from the Small Business
E-Commerce Survey commissioned by Sage
Software, Inc., and Peachtree
Software, Inc., leading providers of business management and
accounting software solutions. Survey questions were asked of
200 U.S. small business executives, as well as business leaders
in the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
The
survey also compared attitudes between U.S. and European
entrepreneurs, showing surprisingly similar attitudes on a
variety of Internet-related issues.
"Clearly,
small businesses are recognizing the importance and benefit of
Internet and e-commerce capabilities," said Paul Stobart,
chief operating officer, The Sage Group plc. "Savvy
businesses realize it's not enough to simply have a Web
presence. Effective use of the Internet to increase revenue is
the key to success, as shown by their favor of e-commerce."
Entering the Mainstream With
Small Businesses
Further indicating a strong openness to conducting business on
the Web, 64 percent of small businesses reported that they are
no longer put off by the day-to-day language of e-commerce. Only
41 percent of U.S. small businesses say they are still worried
about security of data issues, compared with 53 percent of
French small businesses with similar concerns.
However,
not all businesses are rushing to hop on the Internet bandwagon.
Forty-two percent of small businesses still believe e-commerce
has no relevance to their particular business. Another 45
percent say they don't have the time to devote to getting their
business into e-commerce, a figure in sharp contrast to German
small businesses of which only 13 percent share the same
attitude.
Where
Small Businesses Go For Advice
Much to the dismay of
information technology professionals everywhere, a recent survey
found that 72 percent of the nation's small and medium-sized
businesses would go to friends for advice on Internet or
e-commerce strategy.
Survey
respondents' second choice for Internet and e-commerce guidance
was family -- chosen by 54 percent of respondents, followed by
independent IT consultants who came in third, selected by a
modest 52 percent of those businesses surveyed.
Image is Everything
Among America's small businesses, 63 percent believe being
recognized as an e-business will be good for their image, and 55
percent of small businesses are in agreement that failing to
adopt the potential offered by the Internet will be a commercial
mistake.
Despite
small businesses' increasing knowledge and acceptance of the
Internet and other emerging technologies, nearly two-thirds (62
percent) of those U.S. small businesses surveyed claim their
children have a better understanding of the Internet than they
do. In the United Kingdom, 74 percent of small businesses tip
their hats to the younger generation.
About The Survey
Accounting for more than 99 percent of employers in the United
States, small business is the nation's largest employer group.
The Sage Small Business E-Commerce Survey is based on telephone
responses from the (titles) of (xxx) companies across the U.S.,
U.K., Germany and France ranging from (1 to 250) employees and
was conducted in March 2000.
With
headquarters in Irvine, Sage
Software is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Sage Group plc,
the world's leading PC-based accounting software company with
more than 2 million customers. Sage Software markets four major
accounting software packages -- MAS 90(R), Acuity(R),
BusinessWorks(R), and DacEasy(R).
With
headquarters in Norcross, Ga., Peachtree
Software is also a wholly owned subsidiary of The Sage Group
plc. Peachtree Software has more than 20 years of experience
developing and marketing the highest quality accounting software
and business management solutions designed specifically to meet
the needs of small businesses.
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