Intel has taken the plunge into electronic commerce by implementing a Web-based sales application that has so far exceeded the company's revenue expectations, according to a senior Intel official.
Since the company first began taking orders from OEM (original equipment manufacturer) customers and distributors over the Web four months ago, Intel sees itself on a run-rate of $US2.5 billion worth of sales to be done over the Net by the end of the year, according to John Davies, vice-president and general manager of Intel Asia-Pacific.
That amount far exceeds the company's original expectation that its e-commerce initiative would yield $US1 billion in sales by the end of 1998.
Looking ahead to 1999, Intel expects to see its volume of online sales grow even faster. Davies predicted that Intel will do between $US10 billion and $15 billion worth of business over the Internet next year.