It's time to grasp the nettle of online trading

Entire lives - shopping, banking, taxis and tax returns - can be run from a local Starbucks with a laptop and a wireless connection.

The fact that we cannot currently undertake the seemingly simple task of browsing media inventory, putting together a package and purchasing it at the click of a button is, frankly, archaic.

The British media industry is rightly lauded for its technological and creative advances. Why, therefore, is it taking so long for us to accept the inevitable?

There are a number of platforms on the verge of a UK launch, such as Media Equals and BuyNowMedia. But even taking the complex issues at play within media into account, it can only be a lack of will on the part of the industry to dip its collective toe that means we currently lag behind the average housewife from Rotherham when it comes to running our day-to-day business.

There are, of course, questions that need answering. Will centralising inventory devalue media owners' stock? Will an online platform really make us more efficient or will we have to, God forbid, add to headcount - bidding experts, anyone? Can a single platform ever be compatible with the multitude of ways in which media is bought and sold, not to mention with our quirky, individual booking systems?

Speak to the platform purveyors and they have reassuring answers. In reality, it will take time and cooperation between agencies, media owners and developers before online trading becomes a valuable, integrated part of the sales process.

Even then, product differentiation will remain key and well-trained sales staff will be more important than ever. It is possible for online trading to complement, not destroy, the intricate buying and selling skills that agencies and media owners have honed over decades, to create efficiencies and add value to once derelict stock. It can bring new customers into the market, but only if we offer compelling wares and a compelling way in which to buy them. Getting involved now gives us the opportunity to shape the inevitable.

Rich Sutcliffe is digital editor of Media Week, rich.sutcliffe@haymarket.com