Because the Internet provides a flexible and dynamic marketplace to exchange goods, services, and information with consumers and business partners, it is becoming increasingly important for businesses to use the Internet to reach new markets. One main business advantage of being online is the ability to market products both locally and globally. The following list offers some reasons for companies to build commerce-enabled Websites:

• Low entry costs: A company can establish itself on the Internet, and open for business, with a relatively small investment. Thousands of companies operate simple, inexpensive sites that are successful in their markets.
  
  
• Reduced transaction costs: Dealing with customers over the Web, whether to process orders or to attend to customer support, is more cost effective than traditional marketing methods. For example, Dell Computer Corporation estimates that it saves eight dollars each time a customer checks the status of an order at the Dell Website, instead of calling the company.
  
  
• Access to the global markets: With a traditional business, the target market may be the local community or, with a higher advertising budget, it may extend to neighboring communities. The web extends the reach of even the smallest businesses by allowing them to market products globally.
  
  
• Secure market share: Getting a business online protects its current offline market share from being eroded by an online entrepreneur. If a business enters the e-commerce market too late, competitors who have already established a Web presence may make a successful market entry more difficult.