A new report from Access Markets International Partners, Inc., co-sponsored by Inc. Magazine, found a huge jump in small business activity online. For example:
- Online transactions and spending by U.S. small businesses rose from $2 billion in 1998 to $25 billion in 1999.
- The study projects that small business purchases online will increase to $118 billion by 2001.
- Number of small businesses transacting online jumped from 1.8 million in 1998 to 2.8 million in 1999.
- The number of small businesses selling their products and services on e-commerce sites in 1999 were estimated at 600,000, up from 400,000 in 1998. The value of their transactions increased from $14 billion in 1998 to $25 billion in 1999.
Clearly, e-commerce is helping small businesses in terms of both purchasing goods and services, and selling their wares. From a small business perspective, therefore, the imperative to limit the government's ability to tax and regulate the Internet is clear.
