Compaq shifts half of its sales to the web

At $20 billion a year, web sales for Compaq Computer Corp. now account for half of the company’s revenue, Compaq reported today.

Compaq says it has seen steady growth in its web-based sales since it completed site improvements last year, including a new design and streamlined navigation to improve usability and integration of online purchasing options.

Marty Gruhn, an analyst at Summit Strategies, says Compaq’s site is on a par with the highly regarded IBM.com, which has shifted a significant amount of IBM’s business to the web.

Compaq.com receives more than 6 million customer visits each week.

"Clearly, to remain competitive in today`s marketplace, e-commerce must be an integral part of a company`s business model," Michael Capellas, Compaq chairman and CEO, said in a statement accompanying the release of the figures. "Our e-business team has driven tremendous, continuous growth, giving Compaq an aggressive advantage over our competitors. "