Wilburforce - 8:20 pm on Jan 7, 2013 (gmt 0)

Whether or not you have an online market (i.e. your customers find and buy your goods or services online) isn't the only matter to be reckoned with.

My own coal merchant doesn't have any online presence at all, so "coal merchant mytown" doesn't even find a directory with a reference to him. I found him by personal recommendation, and he is a good coal merchant, so I would recommend him to anyone who asked me.

Possibly he has no need at all for more business, but if he came up top on Google for "coal merchant mytown" he would get more business, without needing his next new customer to know me or one of his other clients.

There isn't much in the way of an "online market" for delivered coal in rural areas, but people use Google to find local hairdressers, village hall events, and, in short, anything and everything. A first-page Google organic listing for relevant search terms would affect sales, visitor footfall, participant numbers in the charity seven-a-side or local six-wicket tournament...

The online market question is a red-herring.