Online! The Book

Buying on the Internet

We are all a little lazier than we'd like to admit. Most of us would rather swivel our desk chairs and click the mouse a few times to buy what we need than to walk downtown or drive to the mall. The convenience of the Web frees us up to do more of what we need and love to do. (We're all looking for a bargain, too.) Consumers, young and old, are augmenting their buying online.

That doesn't mean that all Web buyers make the most of the opportunity. The Web can be overwhelming and frustrating, with its dizzying array of mediocre sites, direct marketing assaults, and merciless pop-ups.

A lot of us just scratch the surface, not taking full advantage of the many venues and market opportunities available to us. And that's too ...