Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Gold/Mining/Energy : Barrick Gold (ABX) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: ahhaha who wrote (1026)	3/17/1999 8:51:00 PM
From: Susan Lynn	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 3558

Just because I say Internet stocks are overvalued doesn't mean I'm prejudiced against the Internet. My company is engaged heavily in Internet-related activities. There is nothing wrong with the Internet model, per se, but the concept that it will replace physical shopping is bunk. For the past few months I have been buying books online. Last weekend we went to Barnes and Noble -- it was refreshing to get back in the bookstore. Men don't understand this, but females need their "shopping fix" and they won't get it all online. And guess who controls most consumer shopping decisions? The Internet offers us an important alternative to brick and mortar, but it will never totally replace the retail shopping "experience." And if you think shoppers are fickle when it comes to stores, they will be even more so when it comes to shopping on the Internet, when the competition is just "one click away." This makes it very difficult to command and retain market share. It's pretty easy when you're the only game in town, but that picture changes on a daily basis. New players don't have to hire an architect, find a building site, or even sign a lease. All they have to do is put up a website. We build several a month and have many others in the works. Nothing this easy will ever afford an opportunity for a site to become the "Microsoft" of the Internet. A Wall Street pundit recently predicted that 80% of current Internet startups will be out of existence within 3 years. If he is even partially correct, this makes investing in these companies a risky proposition indeed.