Online Business Center Rankings: Small Business 2nd Half 1999

Published by: In-Stat

Published: Dec. 1, 1999 - 50 Pages

Table of Contents

• 2nd Half OBC Rankings Contents
  
• The Role of the Online Business Center
  
• The ASP Value Chain: Business Services Providers
  
• OBC Components & Their Relative Importance to Success
  
• Editorial/News
  
• Tools
  
• Personal Interaction
  
• Community
  
• Customization/Personalization 4
  
• Capabilities to Perform Activities
  
• Applications
  
• Services
  
• Commerce
  
• OBC Organization & The Ideal Web Layout
  
• Horizontal
  
• Vertical
  
• Fixed Navigational Points
  
• Consistency in Look & Feel
  
• Application Services & Small Business OBCs
  
• OBCs will Become THE Small Business Channel…
  
• Small Business Employees Using the Internet
  
• OBCs Without Stick-e-ness Will Languish…
  
• Online Business Center Rankings: Second Half, 1999
  
• Value-add Potential to End-Users
  
• Value-add Potential to Partners
  
• Value-add Potential to Investors
  
• Ranking: Overall
  
• A New Top Five Reign In the New Year…
  
• Second Five Are Still Coming on Strong…
  
• The Top Ten are ALL Great Bets for Vendors…
  
• Ranking: Value-add Potential to End-user
  
• Customer Service and User Interaction Makes a Difference…
  
• New Faces Grace the Value-add Potential to End-users Ranking…
  
• Ranking: Value-add Potential to Partners
  
• What's the Ideal Partner Strategy?
  
• Next Steps for Partnering in the Second Five…
  
• Ranking: Value-add Potential for Investors
  
• The Shift from Ads to Services Will Be Painful but Necessary…
  
• Profiles of the Top 10 OBCs in the 2nd Half of 1999
  
• Companies Profiled
  
• Profile Contents
  
• Where to Find More Profiles and Rankings…
  
• Office.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• 2nd Half, 1999 Rankings Summary
  
• SmartOnline.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• 2nd Half, 1999 Rankings Summary
  
• DigitalWork.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• 2nd Half, 1999 Rankings Summary
  
• Onvia.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• 2nd Half, 1999 Rankings Summary
  
• Allbusiness.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• 2nd Half, 1999 Rankings Summary
  
• Inc.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• Allbizdepot.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• SmallOffice.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• About.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• IdeaCafe.com
  
• Company Overview
  
• Honorable Mention
  
• ImproveMyBusiness.com Hitting the Bottom-line…
  
• Methodology & Sources
  
• Ranking Structure
  
• Data Collection
  
• Data Analysis
  
• Market Data Sources
  
• Appendix

List of Tables

• Table 1: OBCs Evaluated in 2H 1999 OBC Rankings
  
• Table 2: Online Business Center Site Content Scores - 2nd Half, 1999
  
• Table 3: Online Business Center Site Analysis Scores & Summary - 2nd
  Half, 1999

List of Figures

• Figure 1: The Application Service Provider Value Chain
  
• Figure 2: OBC Components and Their Purpose
  
• Figure 3: Defining Roles Between OBCs and Service Providers & Where the
  Two Meet
  
• Figure 4: The Recommended Web Layout for OBCs
  
• Figure 5: The Nature of Partnering To Deliver Applications/Services Online
  
• Figure 6: Employees with Access to the Internet - Small & SOHO Business
  1998-2003
  
• Figure 7: Top Five OBCs: Overall - 2nd Half, 1999
  
• Figure 8: Second Five OBCs: Overall - 2nd Half, 1999
  
• Figure 9: Top Five OBCs: Value-add Potential to End-Users - 2nd Half, 1999
  
• Figure 10: Second Five OBCs: Value-add Potential to End-Users - 2nd Half,
  1999
  
• Figure 11: Top Five OBCs: Value-add Potential to Partners - 1st Half, 1999
  
• Figure 12: Second Five OBCs: Value-add Potential to Partners - 2nd Half,
  1999
  
• Figure 13: Top Five OBCs: Value-add Potential for Investors - 2nd Half, 1999
  
  
• Figure 14: Second Five OBCs: Value-add Potential for Investors - 2nd Half,
  1999
  
• Figure 15: OBC Ranking - Office.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 16: OBC Ranking - SmartOnline.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 17: OBC Ranking - DigitalWork.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 18: OBC Ranking - Onvia.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 19: OBC Ranking - Allbusiness.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 20: OBC Ranking - Inc.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 21: OBC Ranking - AllBizDepot.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 22: OBC Ranking - SmallOffice.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 23: OBC Ranking - About.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 24: OBC Ranking - IdeaCafe.com, 2nd Half 1999
  
• Figure 25: OBC Ranking - ImproveMyBusiness.com, 2nd Half, 1999
  

Abstract

With more than 50 million small and SOHO business employees having access to the Internet in 1999, the opportunity for online destinations targeting these markets is phenomenal. Online business centers provide content and community to small business users, in addition to many offering commerce and consulting capabilities. These services help to make the Internet a useful and powerful tool for small business users. Because of the unique value these sites provide so many small business users, In-Stat believes online business centers will emerge as a key channel to reaching and teaching small business customers. These firms will eventually fit tightly into the Application Service Provider value chain in the role of the "business services provider." This report assess the OBC market and ranks the leading sites. Detailed profiles of the top ten are provided.

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