JUST E-MAIL IT: NIKE OFFERS E-COMMERCE TO USERS

          Nike began selling products directly to consumers on
     its Internet site, Nike.com, yesterday.  The site will
     provide consumers access to the Nike Alpha Project product
     line for a limited three-months time in the U.S. (Nike). In
     Portland, Jeff Manning wrote that Nike saw the potential of
     e-commerce "too great to ignore," despite some in the
     industry being "convinced" that shoes will "never be" a big
     Web seller "because of fit questions."   Meanwhile, Nike has
     "pledged" to retailers they will not "undercut" them on shoe
     prices.  Nike Dir of New Ventures and Site Supervisor Mary
     Kate Buckley "would not disclose" the company's sales goals
     and "would not discuss how much" has been invested in the
     site.  Nike has hired UPS Logistics Worldwide of Atlanta to
     handle all Web site orders and, "if all goes as planned,"
     customers who order from the site "should receive" their
     purchases within one or two days (Portland OREGONIAN, 2/9).