Although the basic definition of online marketing as written in the Marketing Management book by Kotler remains the same till this day, many of the processes are no longer that applicable to the local scene.


First of all the Philippines has no online commercial service like AOL. Some companies have tried in the past such as GOL Philippines a Korean company, which tied up with the local ISP Mozcom, but they all failed in creating the mass number in order to be a profitable community.


Kotler used the term electronic storefronts, which connote a 'store' selling a merchandise or service, such as Amazon. He writes that " many home pages serve as electronic storefronts that offer users a wide variety of information."


A more appropriate term in the context of Online Marketing being discussed would be an Online Portal or Gateway since the company website could act as a 'doorway' to information, catalogues, company news and reports, brochures, company employment, community discussion, and a lot more.


Many local companies who tried selling their Online Marketing services failed having just copied western ways and not able to fast adapt to what the local culture demanded. There was a Philippine Marketing newsgroup formed in order to discuss and learn about trends in online marketing. Sad to say it was just good for two years and nothing much happened despite talks of having IAB approval and the like. The list owner from International Data System (selling online info) had to move out of the dotcom business. His co moderator, marketing in charge of DFNN moved away from his online marketing task in the company. DFNN then sold a large part of its content to INQ7.net and this is now known as INQ Money.


It is only INQ7.net, which is still successfully able to maintain its reputation as a...