1 Legal constraints. What are the legal limitations to online promotion and trade such as privacy, disability discrimination (see Chapter 7 section on accessibility) and distance-selling regulations?
2 Ethical constraints. What are the ethical implications in areas such as privacy which have not yet been legislated for?
3 Technological constraints. What is the current availability of technology to access the Internet and to deliver services and what are the emerging opportunities which need to be planned for?
The external audit should also consider the state of the market in terms of customers and competitors. Pertinent factors for the Internet include demand analysis, competitor analysis, intermediary analysis and channel structure. These are described only briefly here since they were discusssed in more depth in Chapter 2.
Assessment of the demand for e-commerce services amongst existing and potential customer segments using the ratio Access : Choose : Buy online.
A thumbnail summary of the characteristics, needs, motivations and environment of typical web site users.
Alternative tasks or outcomes required by a visitor to a web site. Typically accomplished in a series of stages of different tasks involving different information needs or experiences.