Another debunked principle of brick-and-mortar marketing: segmentation into homogenous units. In the e-world, micro segmentation goes down to a single customer, closely studying individual views and choices and putting it to strategic use. Says Sudarshan: ``The fundamental principle for business on the Net is thus to do the same thing differently and to do different things.'' The advantages: customised services, dramatic reduction in transaction costs, B2C (business to customer) information that helps create a precious infobase and which can be translated into a strategic advantage.

Adds AsheeshKumar, country business manager, HP: ``It won't be about you working the Web. It's about the Internet working for you.'' The most prominent trend: `Apps (applications) on taps' which involves paying for the services you use, e-service portals, and dynamic brokering of e-sites.

Talking of business on the Web, Sudha Kumar, head, corporate marketing, Infosys, said the Net economy would essentially: empower the consumer (by providing 24-hours, seven-days-a-week services); provide a global sales channel; reduce the cost of buying and selling; reduce time to market; enrich buyer experience; customise selling; and reduce barriers to market entry.

The implications of Net commerce for Indian brands, according to Kumar? A dramatic reduction in transaction costs through `disintermediation.' Leveraging, with even small businesses leveraging the Net to expand globally. Customised services with one-to-one services. Infomation portals fulfilling the infomation needs of the growing economy. And finally, community portalswhich can be leveraged to allow like-minded people to interact.