Book Review

.COMS or .BOMBS: Strategies for Profit in e-Business

By Nicholas Walker, Cyberwalker Media Syndicate

Do you get the feeling that e-commerce is going to make some of us very wealthy and leave the rest of us in the dust, scratching our heads wondering what happened?

Mark Layton, president and CEO of Daisytek International, the largest distributor of non-paper computer supplies and accessories in the world, has put a book together with Vicki Blakley to lead us into the fray. Called .COMS or .BOMBS: Strategies for Profit in e-Business, this 200-page hard cover book will either heighten your fear of cyber-savvy competition or increase your optimism about making a killing in e-commerce.

One thing is certain, Layton is passionate about his subject. His argument is compelling. He quotes 1999 Forrester survey findings that estimate e-commerce will suck $1.4 trillion out of the traditional economy and pump it directly into the Internet by 2003. He predicts 98 percent of corporate America will be on line by the end of 2000 and so will 100 million adults.

Add to that the fact that each year more and more cyber-savvy kids go on-line to spend their allowance, the momentum toward near-universal adoption of e-commerce techniques seems unstoppable, given time. Resistance is futile, but there is a hitch.

Layton points out that people's experience in purchasing things over the Net has not been without its disappointments. In fact, consumer satisfaction levels have been steadily dropping from the outset of on-line retailing. One reason is that new on-line vendors can't meet the sudden influx of orders, causing huge delays. Another is that consumers want help if there is a problem -- and often can't.

Companies engaged in e-commerce, says Layton, must choose a new model for running the business, one that is oriented around customer needs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. On-line consumers want every conceivable product for less and faster then ever before. They also want help finding odd-sized or specialty items at 4 a.m. on Sunday.

.COMS or .BOMBS goes to great lengths and into great detail to help the reader take advantage of the burgeoning e-age. Part I introduces the concepts and terms associated with e-business. Part II puts those concepts to work with advice on developing e-commerce strategies, minimizing customer frustrations and developing Web sites and distribution systems.

Along the way, Layton coins numerous terms, all clearly defined in a glossary at the back, such as e-business, e-dispersion, e-experience, e-soup and e-nuts, et cetera: so many, in fact, that it starts to get e-rritating. He tacks that pesky prefix to everything that's not nailed down.

He also likes to quote himself. That's hard to stomach from any author, especially when the indelicate maxim is: "If you ain't the lead dog, the scenery never changes." Clearly, there's nothing subtle about this guy, and the loudmouth charm of new money can wear thin after a while.

Still, Layton is a seasoned officer in the economic revolution of e-commerce. His experience, his extensive research and his incredible enthusiasm for e-business all contribute to an engaging and thought provoking read. .COMS or .BOMBS is required reading for anyone with aspirations in e-commerce and anybody who isn't yet convinced that the threat of e-commerce is real.

Reviewer's rating: 4.5 / 5

Comment: .COMS or .BOMBS: Strategies for Profit in e-Business is required reading for anyone with e-commerce interests or ambitions. This get-rich or get-ready mix of statistics, advice and bombast makes for an engaging and informative weekend read.

Title: .COMS or .BOMBS
Author: Mark Layton, with Vicki Blakley
Publisher: Profits in e-Business, LLC
ISBN: 0965878899

Price: $28 US / $42 Canadian.