Profightstore.com: Developing an Online Store for the Niche Market

Abstract

This chapter explores the possibilities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to find their way to success in e-business. The basic assumption of this chapter is that the Internet allows SMEs to access the niche markets which have not previously been accessible to them. We are presenting a case study of one Croatian online store developed as a portal which targets the niche market and our focus is on the following issues: subcultures as niche markets, criteria for selecting suppliers, developing a new brand, designing an online store as a portal in order to attract visitors, and opportunities for growth. The authors hope that presenting this particular case will help small companies to take into account niche markets when designing their online stores, but also it will help researchers to further explore niche markets as a possible business strategy for SMEs while entering the e-commerce arena.