Web site characteristics and business performance: some evidence from international business‐to‐business organizations

This paper addresses the effectiveness of Web site capabilities. It is intended to empirically determine the importance of site properties for Internet sales performance. More specifically, we consider the relationship of characteristics such as navigability, interactivity, multimedia design and marketing communications content with sales attributed to the Internet. Advanced econometric modeling of cross‐section data on business‐to‐business firms demonstrates that interactive responsiveness of the site, enabling customized interactive programs and club membership, fast‐downloading multimedia, such as frames and animation, corporate information stressing corporate positioning and active information submission on behalf of the target audience may influence sales performance. Important implications for optimization of business‐to‐business Internet strategies are also considered.