Printnation.com--Inside, Looking Out

PI: What are the barriers to buying over the Internet? Why will or won't printers really take to print buying over the 'net—for the long haul?

Steinhardt: Many industry reports state that 70 percent to 80 percent of printers are now online. Take a look at the TrendWatch Forecast 2000 report: Thirty-eight percent of printers surveyed already purchase computer software via the Internet, and 31 percent go online to purchase equipment and computer hardware. So printers are buying online.