The document discusses and compares the online businesses of Pets.com and Dell Computer. Pets.com was one of the many e-commerce companies that emerged in the late 1990s but failed to be profitable as pet supplies are inexpensive and heavy to ship. In contrast, Dell Computer realized significant benefits from applying information technology to build custom computers online and ship them directly to customers within days, understanding customer needs better than competitors. While Pets.com lacked strategic management and failed to sustain itself, Dell thrived through a direct customer model and efficient operations optimized by technology.