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Date: 1998-11-01
E-Kommerz: Fantastilliarden durch Metaphysik
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Von 30 Milliarden Dollar auf 400 Millarden wär's ein hübscher
Wachstumsschritt, vor allem, wenn dieses binnen drei Jahren
passieren soll. Oder sollte, denn der Faktor, der dieses
Timing steuert, ist metaphysischer & damit höchst
zweifelhafter Natur: "Vertrauen" heisst er. Im
Konsumentenvolke ist dies bis dato recht wenig ausgeprägt.
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Tracy LeMay
October 28, 1998
....
The paint-scorching potential growth of e-commerce --
transactions using digital technology, on open computer
networks (the Internet) or private networks, and credit or debit
cards -- has been predicted far and wide for some time. One
forecast pegs yearly revenue of global e-commerce on the
Internet at about $30-billion (US); by 2002, it predicts revenue
will hit $400-billion (US).
But how fast the market will grow is debatable. Internet
shoppers are fairly rare these days. Surveys show 80% of
Internet users in Canada and the U.S. don't buy on-line.
Why? Market confidence is shaky, mainly because of
worries over privacy and consumer protection.
....
Policymakers from leading industrialized countries have
opted for a go-slow approach to market regulation. At a
recent Organization for Economic Co-operation and
Development conference in Ottawa, business representatives
stressed governments should play a minimal role in privacy
and consumer protection regulations. Their fear is the
market's explosive growth will be smothered by over-zealous
bureaucrats. To their credit, OECD governments are willing to
give industry self regulation a chance.
....
For example, the European Union has adopted data
protection standards to be enforced by governments;
generally, the policy restricts collection and use of personal
data on the Internet and prevents the flow of data to countries
without similar protections.
The U.S., however, argues for complete industry self-
regulation. Bridging this divide is vital; if the EU standard is
enforced, cross-border data flows could be imperilled, thus
throwing a large spanner into e-shopping. Luckily, indications
are many EU countries will hold off implementation in the
interest of promoting a long-term solution.
....
Knowing governments are trying to work things out is
reassuring, but there are still potential pitfalls.
...
>From the customer's point of view, it would make sense if
laws in the buyer's country apply. "It's hard for consumers to
be aware of laws" in foreign lands, points out Philippa
Lawson, a lawyer with the Ottawa-based Public Interest
Advocacy Centre.
But resorting to the courts should be the last resort, Ms.
Lawson says. Ideally, the first stop in these disputes should
be the seller's own complaint procedure, she says. If that
fails, the parties should employ a third party dispute
resolution mechanism, a process which is only now gaining
ground on the Net.
.....
full text
http://www.nationalpost.com
http://www.nationalpost.com/financialpost.asp?s2=columnists
&s3=lemay&f=9810 28/1969640.html
relayed by
offshore@email.msn.com
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edited by
published on: 1998-11-01
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