Did You Know

Since its "official" arrival in 1994 the World Wide Web has experienced phenomenal growth.

• Your dictionary has been emptied onto the Web. Type in any English word as a domain name and you'll probably hit a site.
• Every month 750,000 people access the Web for the first time.
• Thousands of job sites are on the Web. Many job seekers turn to the Web before their local newspaper.
• Over half a million people have placed their resume on the Web. Many companies now encourage applicants to post a resume at their Web site.
• In October 1994, Jeff Bezos wanted to name his new Web venture "Cadabra": like "abracadabra." But his attorney convinced him that this magical name sounded a bit too much like "cadaver." Reluctantly, Bezos went with his second choice: Amazon.com.
• In 1998 7.9% of Americans over the age of 14 made online purchases. By 2002, ___??____ over the age of 14 will.

In 1998, 7.9% of Americans over the age of 14 made online purchases. By 2002, 42% over the age of 14 will.

Although the "Dot Com" fallout of 2001 might decrease the overall percentage, the number of Internet users in the U.S. continues to increase. The Wall Street Journal (Feb. 2002) cites a study by the U.S. Commerce Department that found 54 percent of Americans–143 million–were using the Web by September 2001. This is 26 percent more than in 2000, or more than 2 million new users coming online each month in 2001.

With so many new Web surfers, you can expect to see an increase in e-commerce purchases as well.