We’ve become so blasé about the vivid exaggerations of dot-com revenue forecasts that a possible decline of a few billion dollars is refreshing news. It appears that online transactions by businesses will account for only $5.4 trillion by 2006, down from the $6.3 trillion projected for 2005, according to Internet research firm Jupiter Media Metrix.
Considering that e-commerce statistics have never been accurate, and that the Jupiter report came out on Sept. 24, following the terrorist attacks on the U.S. and an already weakened economy, it is advisable to take the latest prediction with a pinch of salt. Still, the overall trends in business-to-business e-commerce that Jupiter expects will probably hold true over the long term. Industries slated to move most of their transactions online in the next five years include motor vehicles and parts, aerospace/defense, computer and telecommunications equipment, chemicals, and metals and mining. The automotive industry will set the pace as better-informed consumers jack up demand for cars that match their specifications.
For more information, contact Ryan Ettinger at Jupiter Media Metrix, 21 Astor Place, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10003; phone: (917) 534-6226; e-mail: [email protected].