Exercises
References
Self-assessment exercises
1 Describe the variables that a retailer might consider when trying to identify an online target
market.
2 Describe the different types of formats an online retailer might follow.
3 List the various activities a retailer might include in a customer-facing web site.Essay and discussion questions
1 Evaluate the potential of the Internet as a ‘retail channel’.
2 Discuss whether you consider that all products on sale in the high street can be sold just as
easily via the Internet.
3 Australasia is home to approximately 2% of Internet users around the globe. Describe how an
online retailer might choose to target a market. Illustrate your answer with examples.
4 Select three web sites that demonstrate the different ways in which a retailer might use the
Internet to interact with its customers. Compare the contents of the web sites and explain
what the potential benefits are for the customers of each of the sites.Examination questions
1 It was once predicted that the Internet would replace high-street stores and that within ten years
the majority of retail purchases would be made online. Discuss the extent to which you think the
goods and services available via the Internet can satisfy the needs of the average consumer.
2 Compare and contrast the opportunities that a high-street e-retailer faces with those of a
pureplay e-retailer.References
Abdel-Malek, L., Kullpattaranirun, T. and Nanthavanij, S. (2005) A framework for comparing
outsourcing strategies in multi-layered supply chains, International Journal of Production
Economics97 (3), 318.
Alba, J., Lynch, J.C., Weitz, B., Janiszewski, C., Lutz, R., Sawyer, A. and Wood, S. (1997)
Interactive home shopping. Consumer, retailer and manufacturer incentives to participate
in electronic marketplaces, Journal of Marketing, 61 (July), 38–53.
Allegra (2005) Allegra Strategies Limited, London WC2N 5BW.
Ballantine, J. (2005) Effects of interactivity and product information on consumer satisfaction
in an online retail setting, International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 33(6),
461–71.
Bauer, R. (1960) Consumer behavior as risk taking, Proceedings of the American Marketing
Association, December, 389–98.
Blackwell, R., Miniard, P. and Engel, J. (2001) Consumer Behaviour, Dryden, USA.
Butler, Sarah (2005) Internet stores expect a merry Christmas as online sales soar, The Times,
16 November. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1874371,00.html.