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My name is Stephanie Spann
I am currently in my 2nd year of studying at QUT:
Bachelor of Business (Public Relations and Marketing)/Bachelor of Creative Industries (Media and Communication)
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=Annotated Bibliography:=
==The growth of online shopping==
Black addresses barriers to the growth of online shopping. He provides an overview of these negative issues and suggests that whilst it may seem that consumer shopping preferences are increasingly headed toward electronic shopping, these issues are critical and may have the power to halt the seemingly continuous growth pattern of online shopping. These barriers include issues of security and safety of online transactions, as well as convenience problems of tedious purchase procedures entailing logging in, registration forms, online checkout processes and delayed delivery, which have raised apprehension due to online shopping growth. He discusses the prevalence of online fraud and consequently shoppers’ reluctance to disclose information online. Also, convenience issues, especially advanced software programs that require a substantial education program to navigate the site that ultimately discourage customers, rather than entice. Black develops all these problems as possibly a greater deterrent than attraction to the electronic shopping experience and therefore affecting the total growth of online shopping.
Stephanie Spann 09:15, 13 Aug 2004 (EST)
Burke addresses the original shopping phenomenon that was projected to take over the world – interactive television shopping. However, these services were never materialized and now similar claims are being made about online shopping. Burke points out that although not everyone has embraced the concept of online shopping, the number of people using the internet for other purposes such as bill payments and research suggests that eventually, electronic shopping will take off as well. It is also founded in Burkes chapter that academics, business papers and other sources of valid information have claimed that the internet will change the way we shop, communicate and conduct our daily lives. Due to this, the relationship between consumers, manufacturers and electronic retailers will dramatically change. However, there will always be a percentage of customers that seek a face-to-face relationship as their preferred method of conducting business.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
This chapter explores the increasing consumer demands of online retail outlets, and the impact that these demands have on the online retail experience. De Kare-Silver introduces the term ‘prosumer’, the demanding, self-confident consumer who proactively seeks the service and information they require and suppliers who will deliver those services. These sophisticated consumer demands, in conjunction with constantly improving internet technologies, are driving online shopping habits and the continuation of electronic retail distribution. De Kare-Silver also introduces the concept of the ‘I want it now’ society, which includes experienced online shopping consumers who are becoming intolerant of and impatient with the existing technologies. They are aware of what is possible and unwilling to accept less than the best in electronic service technologies. Addressing these service requirements is a prerequisite for e-commerce/online shopping success. Being able to sit at home or in an office and purchase items eliminates the crowds, parking hassles, trolleys, queues etcetera of traditional shopping, however if online shopping cannot meet the service requests and expectations that can be met by physical shops, e-commerce will be left struggling, because although online shopping is convenient, individuals are still attracted to the service that can be attained from a visit to the shopping centre.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
Beginning with a brief introduction to e-commerce, Martin discusses the successfulness of the internet and its development as not only an information tool, but rather an alternative shopping venue for consumer purchases. She provides statistics to clearly demonstrate the increase in online sales over recent years, with major growth identified in music, computer equipment and travel. The internet is then discussed as a viable distribution channel. Martin identifies the Internet as a unique and infant environment which up until now has relied upon customer faith and loyalty for its success. Martin outlines technology task-fit as a crucial element in the expansion of the internet and electronic shopping, a concept that deals with the capability of internet technology to meet task and consumer requirements. She provides an overview of how the internet has proven to be an excellent task-technology mix, especially within the travel industry. She also provides an insight into the aspects considered by consumers when deciding between bricks and mortar and Internet distribution channels.
Stephanie Spann 09:15, 13 Aug 2004 (EST)
Papazafeiropoulou and Pouloudi address online shopping as a social phenomenon as well as a technical phenomenon. The chapter explores social concerns with the internet, including trust and digital democracy, and how they impact on the varying levels of the internet. Additionally, the chapter discusses policy implementation for online shopping and how the abovementioned social concerns impact on the construction of effective internet regulations. According to Papazafeiropoulou and Pouloudi, trust and digital democracy are two commonly discussed social concerns of online shopping and are terms which underlie the business and societal use of the internet. The rapid expansion of electronic shopping forced policy makers to speedily implement regulations that would provide consumers with a safe and secure online shopping environment and experience. The chapter outlines six levels of internet policy issues, comprising infrastructure, governance, security, privacy, content and commerce. Each of these issues is covered in depth and provides an insight into their construction process and how the social issues contribute to their development and implementation.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
Throughout this article, the authors aim to relate and associate the concept of quality with new online shopping trends. It is established by Poulymenakou and Tsironis that due to electronic shopping outlets providing new entrepreneurial opportunities, competition is able to emerge from unexpected sources, especially within the current knowledge economy. Consequently, Quality Management has emerged as a competitive tool for online businesses. Poulymenakou and Tsironis have defined Quality Management as the consumers’ experience with the product/service. This article depicts the relationship between electronic commerce and the management of quality as significant to the growth of online shopping. This relationship is explored through five different view points: 1. the end user’s perception of quality through the relationship between customer and enterprise, 2. service quality within electronic service delivery systems, 3. the transformation of Quality Management from a value chain to a supply chain, as a result of supply chain integration, 4. quality information management, and 5. the management of quality in Internet service provision. Within this article, these Quality Management ideals have been implemented into a wide range of electronic commerce issues.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
While traditional modes of shopping continue to exist and as electronic shopping continues to increase in popularity, for both shoppers themselves and the businesses providing the products/services, consumers are confronted with a greater array of choices relating to distribution channels. Throughout this article, Reardon develops a theoretical model to explain consumers’ choice of distribution channels. Throughout the development of this model, Reardon provides an insight into the aspects and elements that assist, as well as hinder such decisions, and ultimately lead to the choice of each consumer’s shopping experience, whether that be online, in a traditional bricks and mortar shopping mall or store, or a combination of both channels. His model exemplifies the ‘channel switching behaviour’ that occurs with each purchase. Each purchase decision is largely related to transaction cost, however, ultimately the consumers’ choice of distribution channel alters online shopping growth statistics. Consumers choosing traditional shopping distribution outlets do not contribute to online shopping growth, whereas if an electronic outlet is chosen, the growth statistics increase.
Stephanie Spann 09:15, 13 Aug 2004 (EST)
Within this article, the authors develop a conceptual model of online retailing. They cover the differences between internet media and traditional media and discuss the importance of understanding the capabilities of such various media and the ability of each medium to derive success as a retail channel. Sindhav sand Balazs believe that the potential and growth of online shopping is influenced by an integrated mix of product attributes, media characteristics, as well as consumer, firm and environmental factors. These elements are the components of their online retail model and are discussed in depth about the influence each component has on the expanding online retail revolution. Three transaction stages are established: Pre-transaction, during transaction and post-transaction. This article provides an insight into each of these stages and the impact that the abovementioned elements have upon the transaction and its result.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
An online transaction places a barrier between the customer and the merchant, therefore to manage online customer relations and enhance online sales, numerous ‘e-services’ are required. As online shopping is embraced more and more and integrated into consumers’ lives, their expectations change. Within this article, Singh has outlined a number of e-services that could drive electronic retailing further and drive growth patterns higher. They include e-response to customer queries, orders and transactions, e-payment, e-transaction record management, e-assurance and trust, product search support, e-help and other online support functions. Singh delves into these aspects and discusses the methods in which they can be implemented and ultimately lead to a more successful online shopping cyberspace for all electronic merchants and online shopping outlets.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
Online shopping is increasingly being integrated into people’s everyday lives. This chapter deals with the internet and online shopping as it faces a shift from novelty to necessity. This shift places a significant responsibility into the hands of online retail services providers. Consumers possess an array of expectations for these interactive services. Successfully meeting these expectations through a number of aspects is identified in this chapter as the key to continuing and expaqnding the online shopping revolution. Within this chapter, Tomsen and Faith identify characteristics which may aid in meeting these expectations. They include universal standards, ensuring a commonality of expectations between consumers and providers, security technologies, consistency of experience, service reliability and service performance. Service providers are driven and motivated by the consumer. A greater dependency upon such interactive services offers providers with the foundation for forming further online retail outlets for customers to integrate into their lives.
Stephanie Spann 22:28, 12 Aug 2004 (EST)
