Survey: Small Businesses Rely on Internet

 

April 10, 2007 -- Nearly 20 percent of the nation's small employers would go out of business without the Internet, according to a new national survey.

Of some 600 small businesses polled, two-thirds said they use the Internet for business purposes several times a week, if not daily, while a third said losing it would have a major impact on their operations, Wells Fargo reported on Tuesday.

The survey also found that larger companies -- those with $2 million or more in revenue -- tended to rely on online tools and services more than smaller businesses for gathering data on industry trends and advice, banking, networking, advertising, and marketing, among others.

"The Internet provides an immediate and accessible set of information, resources, and services for small-business owners," Rebecca Macieira-Kaufman, the head of Wells Fargo's small-business segment, said in a statement. "Technological innovations are making it possible for small-business owners to more easily manage their finances and obtain timely information online."

Other recent technologies cited by small-business owners included Wi-Fi devices, global positioning systems, and handheld scanners, the survey found.

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