Confidence in

the internet MOST local firms expect to generate at least a quarter of their sales over the internet during the next five years, according to a survey out today.

And businesses in the region are more optimistic about e-commerce than their counterparts in other areas of the country.

Only five per cent believe that their level of internet business with never be a significant part of their revenue, compared with 13 per cent nationally.

The survey, carried out by CMG, found that 30 per cent of firms in the region felt their were no barriers to introducing e-commerce into their organisations. A further 42 per cent said changing people's attitudes and the investment required as being negative factor.

Exactly half of firms questioned said they felt they did not have sufficient in-house skills to develop their own e-commerce facilities -- compared with 39 per cent in the south.

Almost one in five local employers have now appointed a specific head of e-commerce and 67 per cent have an e-commerce strategy.

But the survey found that despite high expectations of internet sales, few firms were actually achieving significant sales yet.

Across Europe the percentage of firms recording more than one per cent of annual revenue through e-commerce has fallen to just 14 per cent compared with 20 per cent last summer.

While the South of England is ahead of Europe on 18 per cent the North is lagging well behind on just eight per cent.

Although local firms are optimistic over the long term potential in e-commerce sales only 77 per cent believe their own sales will increase over the next year.

"Most organisations now accept that e-commerce is here to stay but it is still in its infancy and the gap between expectations and reality is wider than ever," said Steve Lloyd, associate director of CMG.

"There may be some evidence of a North/ South divide when it comes to e-commerce but it is by now means certain that this will persist over the longer term."

MOST local firms expect to generate at least a quarter of their sales over the internet during the next five years, according to a survey out today.

And businesses in the region are more optimistic about e-commerce than their counterparts in other areas of the country.

Only five per cent believe that their level of internet business will never be a significant part of their revenue, compared with 13 per cent nationally.

The survey, carried out by CMG, found that 30 per cent of firms in the region felt there were no barriers to introducing e-commerce into their organisations. A further 42 per cent said the need to change people's attitudes and the investment required were negative factors.

Exactly half of firms questioned said they felt they did not have sufficient in-house skills to develop their own e-commerce facilities -- compared with 39 per cent in the south.

Almost one in five local employers have now appointed a specific head of e-commerce and 67 per cent have an e-commerce strategy.

But the survey found that despite high expectations of internet sales, few firms were actually achieving significant sales yet.

Across Europe the percentage of firms recording more than one per cent of annual revenue through e-commerce has fallen to just 14 per cent compared with 20 per cent last summer.

While the South of England is ahead of Europe on 18 per cent the North is lagging well behind on just eight per cent.

Although local firms are optimistic over the long term potential in e-commerce sales only 77 per cent believe their own sales will increase over the next year.

"Most organisations now accept that e-commerce is here to stay but it is still in its infancy and the gap between expectations and reality is wider than ever," said Steve Lloyd, associate director of CMG.

"There may be some evidence of a North/ South divide when it comes to e-commerce but it is by no means certain that this will persist over the longer term."