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Latin Trade, Dec, 2000

EVERYONE TALKS ABOUT E-COMMEECE, BUT WHO EVER DOES anything about it? Our stalwart correspondents fanned out again at Tuesday gatherings of the Web crowds. The question: "Be honest. What have you bought recently on the Internet?"

"Nothing. I have dedicated myself to selling rather than buying and also to watching how other people try to sell. There is a lack of culture of buying without touching here in Argentina. Many have thought that it was easy to import [business] models. That has been the great error in this business."

Jorge Juri, 42, executive director, nevando.com

"A Palm V from alcosto.com. It was excellent. They rang me five minutes after ordering to get my credit card number. It cost US$400, when the market price is $600. They told melt would be there in 48 hours and it arrived in 24 hours with a free CD as well."

Luis Espindola, 41, director, TeenAger's World

"I bought groceries and stuff from the supermarket yesterday. I have done the month's shopping!"

Antonio Azambuja, 37, director, Sale Marketing e Comunicacao

"I bought books and CDs. Recently, I have also purchased a mobile phone. But instead of being delivered within seven days, it took almost a month. After a while, I called and complained. I even asked to cancel the transaction, but then the phone suddenly came to my door."

Daniela Bueno, 24, media manager, Tutopia

"I had a problem [ordering a book]. It should have taken 3 weeks and it didn't arrive, so I called Amazon and they sent it by DHL and it arrived immediately. This is the second time it happened that the books never reached me.

Alvaro Diaz, 49, Undersecretary of the Economy for Chile

Jonathan Franklin (Chile), Thierry Ogier (Sao Paolo) and Peter Hudson (Buenos Aires).