Websites Offer Valuable First Impressions

The vast majority of online consumer book sales are not conducted on publishers' web sites, but this hasn't stopped most publishers from targeting their web sites primarily at consumers. What do you think is the reasoning behind this? Do you think that book publishers can expect to see significant, ongoing growth in direct sales through their web sites? Should the presence or lack of strong direct sales affect the manner and extent to which publishers address their web sites to the general reading public (as opposed to their primary market of booksellers)?

Ok, so I have to admit this whole marketing deal is new territory for me. Last week I blogged and praised Random House's website, while my fellow classmates cited it as poor design. Perhaps I'm not the best candidate to wager publisher's websites goals, but I am a consumer and as such I have insight into what makes me buy.
I think that book publishers are fully aware of where online consumer book sales happen and choose to target the consumer anyway. The website is the perfect place to layout and establish who a publisher is as a company and what they publish. It's also a place to organize and perfect a business model. Appealing to the everyman/woman has its advantages. If a website is created with the hope of intriguing a consumer, then perhaps the company can make a few direct sales.
Another more likely option is that by having a user-friendly website consumers will find out about the book or the publisher and purchase these books from places like amazon. When I found out about the book entitled Shoot the Buffalo by Matt Briggs, I searched for it online and was connected to its publisher--Clear Cut Press. While on the site I became intrigued about their company and other books they'd published. While I didn't purchase any books from the site, I ended up buying and reading several other books from Clear Cut. Perhaps their website was ineffective in terms of direct sales, but it was more successful in gaining exposure to their books.
While it is unnecessary to spend a lot of time and money on a website for a book publisher, it makes sense to make it easy to navigate to all parties. Book sellers are already purchasing books by website, and will continue to do so regardless of design. Why not attempt to reach another audience in the process? Websites are all about presentations and introductions. Publishers should want consumers and sellers to be intrigued by their first encounter with them (ie the website). If they make a good first impression chances are that this won't be the viewer's last encounter with them. Even if the publisher's sales do not increase, the amount of website traffic will. Attractive presentation can increase store sales both on and offline. It's in the publisher's best interest to create a site that presents them self attractive to the consumer.