Our View: Time to harness power of web

People's lives are defined by the internet - routine chores are now all available online, from banking and paying bills to watching television and movies.
Social media has become a part of everyday lives, with nearly one billion people worldwide connected to social networking sites. The most popular of them all, Facebook, has more than 750 million users while Google plus had more than 10 million users sign up within its first month.
So it only makes sense that other online services are expected to take off.
New Zealand relies on overseas imports for many products but often has been seasons behind in getting these new products or they come at a much higher cost than in other countries.
Not surprisingly, this country is experiencing a boom in online spending and it's only going to get bigger.
A new report predicts almost half of the population will spend $1400 each shopping online this year, with more than one-third of that offshore.
And there is no doubt that trend will emerge here in Tauranga. In fact, some stores have been taking advantage of it.
In April, fashion boutique Idiom closed its retail doors after a challenging few years of trading to focus on its online sales, which accounted for 70 per cent of its business.
The report, from PricewaterhouseCoopers and research firm Frost & Sullivan, also showed that over the next 12 months, 82 per cent of online shoppers surveyed would increase or maintain their present level of online spending.
These figures should serve as a warning bell for local retailers, who will need to adapt their businesses to suit the changing market.
Like Idiom, they may need to jump on the bandwagon or at least redirect some of their focus online, as another local clothing company is doing.
Evolution Clothing has five boutique stores around the North Island but owner Miranda Cobb says they treat online as their sixth.
Ensuring all aspects of a business meet consumer expectations - top service, quality products and competitive prices - is sure to influence some shoppers' decisions.
Cost is often the deal maker or breaker, which may prove a challenge.
But retailers can also take on the competition by offering something online shops never can. Personal service goes a long way in satisfying customers' needs.
Kiwis are rapidly changing how they spend their money and businesses should look to how they can position themselves to catch the sought-after retail dollar.