Time as a factor in the firm adopting and realising benefits from internet marketing

Abstract

This paper presents empirical results that suggest time is not necessarily the driving factor for either the extent to which firms have adopted the internet into marketing activity or the extent to which they benefit from internet marketing activity. Research was conducted amongst 800 firms to gauge impact of the length of time the firm has had an internet connection or a website and the benefits the firm perceives to have received from internet marketing. It appears that the length of time with either internet connection or website has little impact on the extent to which the firm uses the internet for marketing or on the benefits the firm has received from using the internet. This paper is intended to show that simply having the internet or a web site is not enough to benefit the firm, but that ‘how’ the internet is used may be the difference in generating beneficial outcomes for marketing. Implications of this are outlined for research, practitioners and educators.