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Outlines the internet’s contribution to the US economy with particular reference to the growth of online investing since 1994. Presents a study of the factors leading to this growth and its impact on the industry. Tabulates the market shares and stock commissions of the top ten online brokers, discusses their competitive strategies and identifies their key growth drivers. Suggests that they examplify McNair’s (1978) “wheel of retailing” by moving from a new, discounted service to a range of services like those of traditional brokers. Considers the online industry’s current problems (technical, legal, regulatory etc.), gives some advice on choosing an online broker and ranks the top ten by various criteria. Predicts that customers will benefit from increasing competition in the future and that the most successful firms will be middle‐tier ones offering a good combination of cost and service.

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The current study introduces the Dual Mediation Model (DMM) as a user perspective framework to explore the persuasive process of sponsorship and nonsponsorship activation across countries and brands. Data were collected from 1,850 respondents in Australia, the US, Malaysia, and China to examine consumer decision making for Adidas (i. e., sponsor) and Nike (i. e., nonsponsor) in the associations both brands have activated with the 2002–2014 FIFA World Cup (FWC). The majority of the hypotheses were supported, suggesting the DMM's ability to explain the impacts of sponsorship and nonsponsorship activation on cognitive, affective, and conative behavior across countries. Significant differences were also perceived in the attitude–purchase intention relationship between Australia and the other countries for Adidas, and between the US and the other three countries for Nike. Theoretically, the DMM presents researchers with a user perspective framework for the persuasion process in consumer decision making, which has been empirically tested and validated across four countries and two global brands. Managerially, findings reiterate to event organizers and brand managers that sponsorship activation requires activational communication, which should culminate in unique positioning and differentiation for sponsor brands.