As expected, Red Hat has released its E-Commerce Package. The
most useful piece of new information from this report (as opposed
to the anticipatory pieces widely carried last week) is the
information on the price structure:
"...The suite is priced at $275 per month for a minimum
of 12 months or for a one-year license at $2,995. The package will
be available starting Aug. 22, but preorders will be accepted by
the Research Triangle Park, N.C.-based company starting next week.
Dan Kusnetzky, an analyst at IDC in Framingham, Mass., said the
suite is well positioned to provide an affordable way for smaller
businesses to start selling their wares online. "Most small and
medium-size businesses do not have a Web presence" other than
perhaps having online catalogs of their offerings, he said. "This
would allow them to take the next step."
What has held such businesses back in the past, Kusnetzky said,
is that they haven't had the on-staff expertise or the money to be
able to afford trying to sell online. "This would be a low-cost and
useful approach," he said."
