E-Commerce

by Schmidt, Inga D.; Doebler, Thomas; Schenk, Michael

• ISBN13: 9783825846619
• ISBN10: 382584661X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-01
• Publisher: Lit Verlag

Summary

According to market forecasts, e-commerce will attain growing importance in the near future; the nature of business transactions is changing. However, there is little research about its advantages, challenges or what contributes to its acceptance by the public. The book identifies trends in business-to-consumer e-commerce both from the point of view of both the retailer and the customer. Additionally, it contains a case study of a well known U.S. retailer and a corresponding survey of its customers, including customer profiles, market segments and strategies. The editors show that e-commerce is far more than a mere selling and distributing channel. It is a platform for integrated marketing that takes customers' needs into consideration while at the same time enforcing customer focus. While it may be too early to predict its ultimate impacts, e-commerce is certainly a major source of business opportunity today. The greatest threat to business may result from not taking action to participate.

Table of Contents

Table of Exhibits	9	(2)
Table of Appendices	11	(2)
Table of Abbreviations	13	(2)
Section I: Overview	15	(12)
Introduction	15	(1)
Approach	16	(2)
Basic Considerations	18	(9)
Hypothesis	18	(1)
Barriers to the Adoption of Really-New-Products	18	(2)
Technology Adoption Life Cycle	20	(4)
Adopter Categories	21	(2)
Chasm	23	(1)
Outlook	24	(3)
Section II: Age of Change	27	(42)
Internet and Electronic Commerce--the Basics	27	(5)
History of the Internet	27	(1)
Initial Invention	27	(1)
World Wide Web	28	(1)
Electronic Commerce	28	(4)
Different Types of Electronic Commerce	30	(1)
Business-to-Business	31	(1)
Business-to-Consumer	31	(1)
Dimensions of Internet and Electronic Commerce from a Consumer Perspective	32	(10)
Estimate of User Base	32	(2)
Online Consumer Profile	34	(5)
Internet Consumer	34	(2)
Electronic Commerce Customer	36	(3)
Online Browsing and Purchasing Behavior	39	(3)
Dimensions of Internet and Electronic Commerce from a Retail Perspective	42	(14)
Characteristics of Online Retailing	43	(6)
Five Advantages of Electronic Retailing	43	(2)
Customers' Risk Perception-a Challenge of Electronic Commerce	45	(4)
Participants of Online Retailing	49	(7)
Classification of Online Retailers	49	(3)
Movement Toward Market Concentration	52	(1)
Identification of Beneficiaries	53	(3)
Population Dynamics	56	(4)
Demographic Changes	56	(2)
Population Size and Population Growth	56	(1)
Age Distribution	56	(1)
Ethnic Diversity	57	(1)
Lifestyle Changes	58	(2)
Women in the Workforce	58	(1)
Home Meal Replacement	59	(1)
Employment Issues, Income Disparities and Time Poverty	59	(1)
Scenario of a Relationship Change Between Customers and Retailers	60	(9)
Custom Tailored Mercantile Model	60	(7)
Pre-Purchase Interaction	62	(1)
Need Identification	62	(1)
Product Brokering	62	(1)
Purchase Consummation	63	(1)
Merchant Brokering	63	(1)
Negotiation	64	(1)
Purchase and Delivery	65	(1)
Post-Purchase Interaction	66	(1)
Recapitulation	67	(2)
Section III: Primary Market Research	69	(48)
Definition of the Research Problem	69	(1)
Determination of the Research Design	70	(4)
Collection Methods	70	(2)
Selection of the Sample	72	(2)
Collection of the Data	74	(1)
Analysis and Interpretation of the Data	74	(36)
Portrait of Participants	74	(7)
Basic Demographics	74	(2)
Household Information	76	(2)
Occupational Information	78	(1)
Hobbies	79	(2)
Traditional Food Shopping-Opportunities	81	(5)
Characterization of Current Food Shoppers	81	(1)
Shopping Locations	82	(3)
Enjoyment and Comfort Regarding Food Shopping	85	(1)
General Internet Usage	86	(4)
Internet as Part of Every Day Life	86	(2)
Perceived Positive and Negative Features of Web Sites	88	(2)
Online Product Purchases-Potentials	90	(20)
Characterization of Current Online Purchasers	90	(4)
Online Sales Now and Then by Product Categories	94	(7)
Potential for Online Food Sales	101	(4)
Online Security Issue	105	(3)
Attitude Toward Online Purchasing	108	(2)
Reflection of the Three Survey Purposes	110	(7)
Readiness of the Analyzed Trade Area for Online Retailing	111	(1)
Identification of Products and Strategies for a Market Approach	112	(1)
Validation of the Veracity of Analyzed Secondary Data	113	(1)
Observations Regarding the Hypothesis	114	(3)
Section IV: Entrance to the Electronic Commerce World	117	(24)
New Strategic Focus	117	(7)
Reasons for Hesitation	118	(1)
Opportunities	119	(2)
Challenges	121	(1)
Online Vision Statement	122	(2)
New Architecture	124	(14)
Three Pillars	124	(1)
Customer Interaction--Creating a Critical Value Proposition	125	(10)
Distinct Experience of Products	126	(2)
Dynamic Customization of Products and Services	128	(1)
One-to-One Selling	128	(2)
Word of Warning	130	(1)
Understanding the Paradigm Shift	131	(2)
Customer Communication	133	(2)
Asset Configuration	135	(3)
Sourcing Modules	135	(2)
Process Interdependence	137	(1)
Resource Coalitions	138	(1)
Conclusions	138	(3)
Appendices	141	(52)
References	193