Not everything works on the web, or is suitable to the web. For the retailer to decide if they need a web presence, they must first work out if their products will work on the web. By considering the following questions, you can begin to understand if your products will work on the web.

1. What benefits to your customers could exist by purchasing on the web? (Cost, convenience, information, extras....)
   
   
2. Do your products represent a sale-able option through online distributions? (ie. does the cost of a average sale allow a suitable margin to handle the cost of distribution)
   
   
3. Is your product suitable to be shipped (is it prohibited in shipping costs?) What cross region problems would your product have? (are you restricted to only your country region?)
   
   
4. Can your product be sold by logical argument? (ie. textual information as opposed to touch and smell )
   
   
5. Are there already online competitors in your market? (this gives some indication of product viability, but it can also be a deterrent if to competitive? Would you sell books against Amazon?)

All retailers should do their sums very carefully before making any decisions on an e-commerce venture. It should always be remembered that any e-commerce venture is a long term venture.