Who can you trust? A valuation of a dotcom's intangible assets

On-line firms referred to as dotcoms have carved a new frontier in retailing by uniting buyers and sellers in a virtual marketplace with seamless boundaries. The only requirement was a vehicle called the Internet to provide the necessary transportation means of data. Dotcoms were the new kid on the block with little known historical performance. There are no assessments of their intangible assets such as corporate reputation, customer relations or corporate culture. These intangible assets are the foundation through which firms build a competitive advantage for future performance and growth which cannot be easily duplicated by their competitors. This paper addresses these intangible assets and the need for a method for measuring their performances.