Will there be a time when many companies run like Amazon.com, where there's no actual store to go to and all business is done online?

While eCommerce continues to grow at rapid speeds, many experts say that malls and other stores will not become extinct.

That's because many consumers use the Internet to research prices, or "pre-shop," before they go into a store. In fact, one study shows that 89% of consumers purchasing goods in a store have researched the item online before the purchase. *

So what is the future of eCommerce?

Like anything, this can be debated. What can't be denied is that eCommerce is growing each quarter. But as for the future, there are some differing opinions.

Some believe that businesses are their own worst enemies because up until now, not only have there been good deals online, but companies have thrown in free shipping, too. So if a customer doesn't receive great prices shipped for free, he will move on.* Online shoppers identify themselves as comparison shoppers more than traditional shoppers do, and that leads to decreased loyalty.

An issue that's causing some controversy in eCommerce is the concept of dynamic pricing. Dynamic pricing is when the same goods or services are sold at different prices to different customers. Prices may be determined by where you live, how much you've bought, or any other criteria a company wants to use. As information technology improves, dynamic pricing - a form of price discrimination - may become a more widespread practice.**

Consumer groups and politicians may start fighting that cause, if and when it becomes more widespread, because eCommerce isn't going away. In fact, if you like buying something using your computer, what about buying something while watching TV? And we're not talking about infomercials.

Called tCommerce by some, this new technology is not yet widely available to consumers, but when it is, you will be able to watch TV, see something you want, toggle back and forth using your remote control, and then buy it. ***

Similarly, there's mCommerce, for mobile commerce, which may become more widespread as soon as this year. People already purchase ring-tones and games using their phones. Combining phones, mp3 players, and video players, such as in the iPhone, will most likely lead to purchasing music and other content online. Because so many people have cell phones, mobile commerce may turn into the preferred way to purchase movie tickets or do your banking, although security software has to catch up before that will become widespread.****

You'll see these changes in the not-too-distant future, when customers will come to your store saying they just got an e-mail on their phone telling them about your just-announced sale. You may want to extend your business hours that day.

*http://www.freeessays.cc
**http://www.vjolt.net
***http://blogs.computerworld.com
****http://en.wikipedia.org