There are some assumptions that go along with this belief (and I am trying to neither identify nor discuss all of them at the moment).  I believe that one major assumption is that consumers can trust the service provider.  That is, will the value in product and experience that is promised, actually be delivered (e.g., fresh fruit, the ability to hand pick or obtain items of a certain type).  I am in the process of exploring trust professionally through an innovative firm named Insite Marketing Technology, Inc. and I believe that the concept of trust is at the heart of success in e-commerce.

Today was a slow day for e-shopping experiences.  I suspect that the next few days will be filled with an uptick in activity.  Cheers.