| 2.3 Internet marketing models
Marketing is regarded as a creative and adaptive discipline that is constantly regenerating itself. According to Zott, et al., (2000) there are three major capabilities of the internet;
Interactivity: Relationship between organizations and customers is increasingly becoming interactive due to the real time nature of the internet. The internet presents businesses and customers with two way and information rich channel.
Connectivity: The open and global reach nature of the internet is spearheading the creation of a global market space where businesses and customers can do business irrespective of their location. Over the past decade there has been an exponential increase in connectivity resulting in new communication mechanism across businesses and customers and even among customer groups.
Convergence: Digital technologies are converging at a faster rate making internet more accessible. An example is the emerging of wireless application protocol (WAP) which permit mobile internet access (Zott, Amit, & Donlevy, 2000 ; cited in Zigala, 2003)
The unique capabilities of the internet are creating new marketing concepts and paradigms (Sigala, 2003). The changes in marketing concepts is confirming the point of view of Zott, et al., (2000) In view of this, some Authors like; Chen, (2001) and Hanson, (2000) are calling for the very principles of marketing to be changed and developed. Others strongly believed that the traditional 4Ps of marketing practices will not change; but what are changing are the ways by which the traditional marketing mix dimensions are utilized to exploit the enhanced and new capabilities of the internet (Brandy, et al., 1999; Mahajan & Venkatesh; Leeflang & Wittink, 2000). Some scholars are of the view that; internet and ICT, coupled with the increased power of consumers, has given rise to new marketing concepts such as viral, contextual, interactivity, community and relationship marketing (Hagel, 1999; Hardaker & Graham, 2001; Werbach, 2000; Gilbert, Powell-Perry, 1999).
In view of the transformation of marketing activities on the internet and the level of website functionality the following models are discussed.
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