E-commerce has become a real part of the daily lives of consumers and businesses alike. It has become the next stage in the electronification process of doing business. There are two facets of EC: business to consumer and business to business (B2B).

The study addresses Internet access, issues and concerns (consumers and merchants), payment alternatives, regulatory considerations and strategic alliances, as well as profiles of impact companies and consumer and B2B activity (volumes). Consumer e-commerce expenditures (1999, 2000, 2004) are forecast by line item ... computers, software, travel and entertainment, housewares, books and publications, specialty items and home entertainment.

B2B, in addition to computer-related outlays, contains e-forecasts for expenditures (1999, 2000, 2004) in automotive, government (federal as well as state and local), healthcare, energy and EC facilitators. There are also forecasts for types of Internet access devices (PCs, TV set top, wireless), number of Internet households, fraud losses, etc.