It's somewhat comforting to know that, even in this new economy, the old rules apply.

More mature consumers can increasingly isolated by talk of dot.com this and e-that.

It hasn't helped that new technology has brought with it a whole new lexicon and a far faster pace of change.

But for all their flashy sites and technospeak, the latest generation of e-tailers are missing some of the fundamentals.

A survey this week of US and British ecommerce sites found many were more sizzle than substance, driving customers away due to lack of service, including reliable after-sales service.

The problem seems to lie in the belief that the online world is a revolutionary departure.

Maybe, e-tailers would be better off treating the Internet for what it is - a technology allowing retailers extend good business practice.

The people who carried out the survey said three-quarters of online shoppers abandon their purchases before paying for them.

As they point out, you don't find a host of filled supermarket trolleys abandoned in the aisles of supermarkets belonging to shoppers who have gone home, having got fed up trying to buy their goods.