Measuring Internet Retail Service Quality Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis

In the early years of online retailing, having an online presence and low prices were believed to be key drivers of success. More recently, electronic service quality has become essential as an online marketing strategy. Online stores provide higher service quality to create online customer loyalty, improve customer satisfaction and keep a lasting competitive advantage. Despite its recognized significance, there are few comprehensive empirical researches that analyze the quality of Internet retail services. Therefore, there is always a scope of conducting study on the development of e-service quality scales. This paper demonstrates the development of a new scale having new measures for measuring customer satisfaction and patronage intention in e-retailing. For the purpose, Confirmatory factor Analysis was used using AMOS 16.After analysis, the measures like website design, fulfillment, personalization, customer service and ratings & reviews are identified the crucial measures for determining the satisfaction level and patronage intentions of online customers. At the end of this paper, limitations and future scope of the study was given.

The Role of Technology in Business-to-Consumer E-Commerce:Evidence from Asia

Using proprietary panel data, this paper investigates the possible drivers of business-to-consumer (B2C) online commerce growth. It provides empirical evidence that internet access and speed, online security, and financial inclusiveness facilitate internet retail sales. Governments can consider these findings as important issues in building an enabling environment for the development of B2C online commerce.

The violation of the trademark right caused by signing a retail sales agreement over the internet

The global development of electronic commerce is currently leading to extensive intellectual property rights violations. In this paper, the author has analyzed the definition of the internet retail contract and the place where it is concluded, as the possible area where the trademark infringement happens. Furthermore, there is an overview of electronic sales trademark infringements, as well as the solutions attempted. In the end, the author presents his opinion on methods that should be used in order to protect trademarks in electronic commerce, taking into account the interests of all market participants.

E-commerce mercantilism-practices and causes

Purpose This paper aims to highlight in particular one commercially influential but subtle constituent of China’s mercantilist stratagem – asymmetrical internet access. The wider aim of the paper is to provide a solid basis of real-world facts and knowledge to the e-commerce discussions at the World Trade Organization and the ongoing plurilateral e-commerce negotiations. Design/methodology/approach This paper uses an empirical approach to reflect the general experiences of consumers connecting from China to e-commerce platform websites in other countries and vice versa consumers connecting from other countries to China’s e-commerce platform. Findings The empirical data show that Chinese potential customers trying to connect to the websites of foreign internet retailers in 17 other sample countries are faced with prohibitively long waiting times. In contrast, the average waiting time that it takes for customers in those other 17 countries to link up to China’s major internet retail platforms is much shorter. Practical implications The hard evidence presented here serves to strengthen the arguments that such internet censorship is used by China to establish unfair e-commerce advantage. This paper further argues that the General Agreement on Trade in Services is restrained from providing systemic solutions to the digital mercantilism problem. It is essential, therefore, that the ongoing plurilateral e-commerce negotiations address this issue. Originality/value This paper is the first to publish detailed results of a systematic survey designed to analyze the impact of asymmetrical internet access in China. It is also the first to examine the extent and effect of differing internet connection speeds in the context of international trade. The outcome of the survey provides a factual base for future rule-making at the multilateral level.

Confusion in internet retailing: causes and consequences

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce the new construct online shopper confusion and to identify online confusion causes and consequences. Design/methodology/approach Data obtained from a projective technique and a quantitative study were analyzed to identify online shopper confusion causes. Two experiments employing different stimulus materials tested the conceptualized consequences of online shopper confusion. Findings Confusing online store elements are classified into three online confusion causes. Data yielded from two experiments using fictitious and real shopping scenarios as stimulus material show that a confusing internet retail process leads to negative consumer reactions. Research limitations/implications The resulting taxonomy of confusing online store elements offers guidance on the creation of non-confusing online shopping trips, and highlights the relevance of a non-confusing internet retail process. Online shopper confusion is linked to negative behavioral reactions. Consequently, this research offers an explanation for undesirable consumer reactions in internet retailing. Practical implications The findings provide practitioners with concrete insights into how the internet retail process confuses shoppers which help to assess the confusion potential of their existing online stores and consider confusion issues in the development of new online stores. Originality/value This research is the first to explore confusion during the internet retail process. The multi-method approach offers highly valid insights into the causes and consequences of online shopper confusion.

Transformational Leadership Roles in Improving Employees’ Creativity in E-Commerce-Based Firms in Indonesia

This paper analyzes the transformational leadership roles in improving employees’ creativity in e-commerce-based firms in Indonesia. Data from the Ministry of Communication and Information showed that the growth of internet retail in Indonesia is relatively high at 36% from 2010 to 2013. The growth rate is doubled that of the Phillipine and Malaysia, even 3.5 times compared to the growth rate in Singapore. Industries in Indonesia are compelled to adopt e-commerce strategies to stay above the competition. Hence, the importance of transformational leadership to increase productivity through creative and innovative methods. This paper argues that employees' creativity could be optimized by implementing principles of transformational leadership dimension: ideal influence, intellectual stimulation, inspirational stimulation, and individual consideration.

Seller-induced scarcity and price-leadership

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the interaction between inventory availability (scarcity) and pricing levels (price-leadership (PL)), and its effect on product returns in the internet retail supply chain. Specifically, this paper investigates how supply chain managers can use inventory (seller-induced scarcity) and pricing (PL) levers to control product returns. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical data of sales and product returns from an internet retailer is analyzed to identify the scale of the effect that product scarcity and PL has on product returns. These factors are considered in developing a sales-return process model which is used with empirical data in a simulation study. The study evaluates changes in product returns for different policy settings related to PL and inventory levels. Findings of the simulation study are validated using statistical analysis of empirical data. Findings – PL and seller-induced product scarcity affect the rate of product returns; however, the scale of this effect depends on inventory and pricing decisions. The results identify an inflection boundary based on scarcity and PL levels which reverses this effect. This reversal is explained by underlying principles at play regarding buyers’ valuation of the sale and corresponding product attributes. Practical implications – Supply chain managers in internet retail can leverage lower inventory under the seller-induced scarcity approach to improve revenues. However, reducing inventory levels beyond a threshold is counterproductive, due to an associated increase in product returns. Similarly, setting market competitive prices (PL) can help reduce product returns. Under the seller-induced scarcity condition, this effect is reversed for inventory levels below a threshold. Retailers can implement the methodology developed in this paper to identify the inventory-price threshold that can help increase revenues while keeping the rate of product returns at a manageable level. Originality/value – This research extends prior work regarding the role of product scarcity and pricing on product returns and develops a deeper understanding of how these factors can be managed to control product returns in the internet retail setting.