PLUNKETT'S E-COMMERCE AND INTERNET BUSINESS
ALMANAC, the fourth edition of our guide to the industry
that has evolved around the Internet, is designed as a general
source for researchers of all types.
The data and areas of interest covered are intentionally
broad, ranging from the various types of businesses involved
in e-commerce and the Internet, to technologies and access
providers, to an in-depth look at the 450 major firms (which
we call “THE E-COMMERCE 450”) within the many
sectors that make up the e-commerce and Internet industry,
including technology, services, retailing, telecommunications
and much more.
This reference book is designed to be a general
source for researchers. It is especially intended to assist
with market research, strategic planning, employment searches,
contact or prospect list creation (be sure to see the export
capabilities of the accompanying CD-ROM that is available
to book and eBook buyers) and financial research, and as a
data resource for executives and students of all types.
PLUNKETT'S E-COMMERCE
AND INTERNET BUSINESS ALMANAC
takes a rounded approach for the general reader. This book
presents a complete overview of the e-commerce and Internet
field (see “How To Use This Book”). For example,
the impact of the Internet upon retail sales is discussed
in exacting detail, along with easy-to-use tables on all facets
of the Internet in general, from the types of services involved
to names and descriptions of the divisions and affiliates
of the major firms within this industry.
THE E-COMMERCE 450 is our unique
grouping of the biggest, most successful corporations in all
segments of the e-commerce and Internet industry. Tens of
thousands of pieces of information, gathered from a wide variety
of sources, have been researched and are presented in a unique
form that can be easily understood. This section includes
thorough indexes to THE E-COMMERCE 450, by geography, industry,
sales, brand names, subsidiary names and many other topics.
(See Chapter 4.)
Especially helpful is the way in which PLUNKETT'S
E-COMMERCE AND INTERNET BUSINESS ALMANAC enables
readers who have no business background to readily compare
the financial records and growth plans of e-commerce companies
and major industry groups. You’ll see the mid-term financial
record of each firm, along with the impact of earnings, sales
and strategic plans on each company’s potential to fuel
growth, to serve new markets and to provide investment and
employment opportunities.
No other source provides this book’s easy-to-understand
comparisons of growth, expenditures, technologies, corporations
and many other items of great importance to people of all
types who may be studying this, one of the fastest growing
industries in the world today.
By scanning the data groups and the unique indexes,
you can find the best information to fit your personal research
needs. The major companies in e-commerce are profiled and
then ranked using several different groups of specific criteria.
Which firms are the biggest employers? Which companies earn
the most profits? These things and much more are easy to find.
In addition to individual company profiles,
an overview of Internet technology and its trends is provided.
This book’s job is to help you sort through easy-to-understand
summaries of today’s trends in a quick and effective
manner.
Whatever your purpose for researching the e-commerce
and Internet field, you’ll find this book to be a valuable
guide. Nonetheless, as is true with all resources, this volume
has limitations that the reader should be aware of:
• Financial data and other corporate information
can change quickly. A book of this type can be no more current
than the data that was available as of the time of editing.
Consequently, the financial picture, management and ownership
of the firm(s) you are studying may have changed since the
date of this book. For example, this almanac includes the
most up-to-date sales figures and profits available to the
editors as of early 2005. That means that we have typically
used corporate financial data as of mid-2004.
• Corporate mergers, acquisitions and downsizing are
occurring at a very rapid rate. Such events may have created
significant change, subsequent to the publishing of this book,
within a company you are studying.
• Some of the companies in THE E-COMMERCE
450 are so large in scope and in variety of business endeavors
conducted within a parent organization, that we have been
unable to completely list all subsidiaries, affiliations,
divisions and activities within a firm’s corporate structure.
• This volume is intended to be a general
guide to a vast industry. That means that researchers should
look to this book for an overview and, when conducting in-depth
research, should contact the specific corporations or industry
associations in question for the very latest changes and data.
Where possible, we have listed contact names, toll-free telephone
numbers and World Wide Web site addresses for the companies,
government agencies and industry associations involved so
that the reader may get further details without unnecessary
delay.
• Tables of industry data and statistics used in this
book include the latest numbers available at the time of printing,
generally through mid-2004. In a few cases, the only complete
data available was for earlier years.
• We have used exhaustive efforts to locate and fairly
present accurate and complete data. However, when using this
book or any other source for business and industry information,
the reader should use caution and diligence by conducting
further research where it seems appropriate. We wish you success
in your endeavors, and we trust that your experience with
this book will be both satisfactory and productive.
Jack W. Plunkett
Houston, Texas
February 2005
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