Cyber

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There is the on-line shopping world (still largely unproven), and the real-life shopping world. Tuck Rickards is looking to marry the two.

His Virtual Emporium Inc. on Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade has been open since last year, and he acknowledges that it remains a work in progress.

“You can’t put your brain to sleep,” he said. “You’ve got to run faster than the next guy. Sometimes I wonder if we’re doing enough.”

Shoppers wandering into Virtual Emporium find shelves lined with samples of merchandise. They can then use computer terminals to place the orders.

The idea is to introduce the Internet to the masses using the store as a kind of advertising so that customers can familiarize themselves with the system in a friendly environment with human assistance.

Then, once at home, they will supposedly be more likely to shop online.

“What we are doing is sitting there shopping with the consumers, finding out what they like or don’t like,” he said. “We act as a bridge between the old way and the new way. It all takes time.”

Virtual Emporium’s Web site features 160 merchants, including 1-800-Flowers Inc., Spiegel Inc. and Mercedes-Benz. Shoppers can click onto the merchants to access entire catalogs, complete with pictures, product descriptions and prices. Once they’re ready to place an order, it’s done on-screen and then sent electronically to the merchant.

Also featured are customized programs, providing shoppers with information on related products from several online merchants, such as golf-related products or wedding gifts under $50.

Each retailer pays a monthly flat fee to Virtual Emporium, which runs from $250 to $2,500.

Rickards acknowledges that the store so far isn’t generating enough revenue to even cover the rent, but that customers are slowly warming to the concept.

Jeanette Korn, 42, wandered into the Santa Monica location not knowing exactly what she was walking into. She found herself leaving the store empty handed, but with the intent of visiting again at least virtually.

“I’m leery about the whole Internet and probably would never buy from one but this isn’t really the Internet,” said Korn. “I mean, if anything goes wrong, they at least have a store and a staff to contact. They aren’t going anywhere anytime soon.”

Mark Collins, 28, also didn’t make a purchase. But the self-styled Internet junkie says it is only a matter of time before he does break out the credit card number.

“There is that whole ‘let-the-buyer-beware’ credo out there,” he said. “You still have to do that, but maybe to a lesser extent here. The only disadvantage is that you can’t get something right away.”

Why battle such cyber-fright? Two words: Growth potential.

There were an estimated 27 million people who tapped into the Internet last year, according to Scott Smith, an analyst with research firm Jupiter Communications. Of that, about half purchased something online and the percentage appears to be growing.

Just months after the Santa Monica store opened in 1996, the company forged an alliance with Infoseek Corp. (an Internet navigation service). Other partnerships fell into line: CyberSmith (a chain of cafes with a high-tech hook), Planet Direct (an Internet access company), and FireFly (a software company).

Last month, Virtual Emporium opened a second location 80th Street and Columbus Avenue in New York’s bustling Upper West Side. Meanwhile, plans are on the drawing board for stores in San Francisco, Boston and either London or Tokyo all by the end of the year.

As for concerns about security, each retailer at Virtual Emporium is required to pass a credit-card test before being allowed to offer its wares. In addition, Virtual Emporium has its own security measures to protect customers’ credit card numbers.

Experts say Virtual Emporium is the only venture that combines online shopping with actual brick-and-mortar stores. The risk, of course, is that others will follow if the idea catches on.

Already there are other virtual malls including America Online’s services and independent Web sites such as Los Angeles-based America’s Choice Mall. But neither offer storefronts.

“Whoever jumps out in front of everyone else is going to have a major advantage,” said Jay Tenenbaum, chairman of CommerceNet, a 500-member trade group based in Palo Alto. “That’s why they must keep forging ahead, coming up with new ideas so they won’t lose the competitive edge.”

Said Rickards: “The Internet, by nature, is built to transfer data at quick speeds. I realized that new companies have to move just as fast.”

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