The trouble with survival strategies is they're usually short-term, designed to stave off imminent extinction while management frantically casts about for some kind of turnaround strategy or, failing that, a bolt of lightning.

That's what I believe is the inevitable outcome of the merger between limping e-tailers Onsale and Egghead.com. What began the year as two struggling e-commerce companies will begin the new millennium as one larger, struggling e-commerce company.

While the $400 million deal is being referred to as a merger of equals, it's a merger of weak equals. Egghead.com has had trouble getting traction as an online seller of computer equipment since dumping its retail stores almost 18 months ago. Revenue growth has been sluggish compared to other e-tailers, and wasn't going to get any better unless the company cut prices, which would have further lowered an already unhealthy gross margin.

Web auctioneer Onsale, meanwhile, was the subject of takeover rumors itself earlier this month, with news reports saying that Amazon.com might bid $30 per share for the company, a deal that would have been worth $587 million.

And revenue growth in Q1 was only 15% compared to Q4, and 69% above Q1 '98. Having waived transaction fees for its AtCost program, which offers computer parts and software at wholesale prices, you've got to wonder if Onsale can do anything to sufficiently accelerate sales and market share in the hyper-cutthroat e-tailing sector.

Cash-poor Onsale supposedly benefits from the merger by gaining access to funds from Egghead.com's recent secondary offering -- giving the combined entity about $160 million in cash -- as well as a better brand name. But $160 million isn't going to last long when your margins are paper-thin and you're spending heavily on marketing and promotions. As far as branding goes, Egghead's heyday was a decade ago.

There will be similar indifference a year or so from now, when Amazon.com, Microsoft, or some other giant buys up remnants of theunified company in a fire sale.