GTE announced Thursday that it is offering services to allow small businesses to set up online operations.
Called GTE E-Commerce Solutions, the services will provide small companies with hosting services, technical support, marketing guidance and online security as they develop Internet business, GTE says.
While an increasing number of services are being offered to companies as they move to conducting business online, GTE's new service is specifically targeting very small businesses, says Jill Fussell, group manager of product development for GTE's Internet Working Division.
The cost of the package ranges from $39.95 per month for a business with up to 10 items for sale, to $79.95 per month for a company with 100 items, to $129.95 per month for a business with unlimited products. The software application for the service is provided by Mercantec Corp., Fussell says.
"A lot of online business services are targeting business-to-business e-commerce," she says. "This is for retail businesses that want to ship a product to someone's home. Online services have been offered before, but the key here is we are targeting small businesses at a very aggressive price."
However, other companies, including IBM, AT&T, Yahoo and British Telecommunications, are offering similar e-commerce services for roughly the same price, according Erica Rugullies, senior analyst for e-commerce with Giga Information Group in Cambridge, Mass.
"It's a popular offering," she says.
The explosive growth of e-commerce should provide a strong demand for such services, Rugullies says. "There are a million small companies, so there is a market for these players right now," she said.
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