Online Shopping Research Articles

Reselling or agency selling? The impact of live-streaming on selling formats

PurposeChoosing the proper selling format for online retail has long been a critical issue for many platforms to consider, whereas the emergence and popularity of live-streaming have had a massive impact on the platform's business. As a result, selecting the suitable operating strategy for the live channel has become another critical issue for platforms. In such a context, what will be the impact of live-streaming on selling formats?Design/methodology/approachIn order to explore these issues, we identified two selling formats (wholesale reselling or agency selling) as well as two operating strategies (introduce or discard). Thereby, four channel-structures are constructed, namely the reselling-discard model (WN), the reselling-introduce model (WL), the agency-discard model (AN), and the agency-introduce model (AL). We comprehensively compare how different structures affect stakeholders' interests, consumer surplus, and social welfare through equilibrium analyses.FindingsThese results help clarify the impact of critical factors (e.g. self-effort attribute, cross-effort attribute, and commission ratio) on the choice of models. We find that regardless of the selling agreement between the manufacturer and the platform, the introduction of a live store is necessary; specifically, when the commission ratio is high, the platform's optimal decision is first to sign an agency agreement and then apply live selling (AL); conversely, when the commission ratio is low, the platform's optimal strategy is first to enable the live channel and then to select the reselling format (WL), together, this also reveals, from a theoretical perspective.Originality/valueOur study includes the dual analysis of selling formats and channel operations, considering the inherent dual attributes of service efforts and the external competitive environment.

Adoption of new banking models from a consumer perspective: the case of Iran

PurposeTraditionally, the banking and financial sectors have pioneered adoption of new technologies and business models. One important digital banking model that has proven its efficacy in recent times, is Digital-Only Banking (DOB) where consumers interact with their banks through digital channels only. Having detailed knowledge of what actually happens at the consumer level during the adoption of new digital models and technologies is paramount to the success of these technological initiatives. The present study aims to investigate DOB adoption behavior and possible barriers using a quantitative approach at the consumer level. A conceptual model is developed by extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model, incorporating Trust (TR), Perceived Risk (PR) constructs and cultural moderators of Individualism (IDV) and Uncertainty Avoidance (UA).Design/methodology/approachFor this study, an online survey instrument was created and administered in Iran. The research sample was selected through the application of purposive sampling. Data from 788 respondents were analyzed. The proposed model was tested using Partial Least Square.?.s Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).FindingsThe results show that DOB adoption is positively influenced by Effort Expectancy (EE), Social Influence (SI), and Facilitating Conditions (FC), while PR negatively influences DOB adoption intention. Unexpectedly, the results indicate that TR has no significant impact on DOB usage intention. Additionally, this study demonstrates that with individuals having a low level of IDV, the relationship between PE and BI is stronger, and with individuals having a low level of UA, the impact of SI on BI is stronger. It also reveals that the impact of TR on BI is stronger in low individualistic cultures.Practical implicationsDOB providers should enhance support features of their services or provide facilities that make it simpler for users to accomplish online transactions. Here, in order to improve the UI/UX design of their apps, DOB product managers should carefully observe the technical guidelines of the operating systems of digital devices, such as the Human Interface Guidelines (HIG) for iOS and Material You for Android. Additionally, DOB providers should build partnerships with mega online retailers to provide hassle-free and easy to use payment solutions for consumers.Originality/valueDOB, as a novel and business model, has been investigated in very few studies, especially regarding any which focus on its adoption. To fill this gap, this research investigates DOB adoption through a modified version of the UTAUT model. The findings of this study suggest that future research regarding DOB should consider sources of TR, types of non-adopters, and context. This study, as the first of its kind in DOB literature, also highlights the significant role played by cultural values in customer behavior regarding DOB adoption.

Improving Customer Engagement of Food and Beverage Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Through E-Commerce and Content Marketing Training

Over the past five years, the rapid growth of MSMEs in Indonesia has also resulted in many MSMEs going bankrupt. However, this rapid growth of MSMEs is also accompanied by many MSMEs going bankrupt due to mismanagement and low competitiveness caused by the lack of adaptability to business digitalization through e-commerce and product promotion strategies through digital media. Similar problems are also experienced by Food and Beverage MSMEs in Ketintang Village, Surabaya. This drives the importance of increasing competitiveness with more effective business management and digital marketing strategies through community service programs in this area. This community service-based research consists of online store design training activities in e-commerce marketplaces and content marketing with outputs in the form of scientific publications in indexed international journals, publications in the mass media, increasing community understanding and skills, and YouTube videos aimed at improving customer engagement in e-commerce marketplaces. Using the experimental method, this study concluded that SMEs showed a positive perception of the importance of e-commerce in increasing market reach and sales and insight into digital marketing in compiling content marketing that can increase customer engagement for food and beverage products.

The impact of AR online shopping experience on customer purchase intention: An empirical study based on the TAM model.

Augmented Reality (AR) offers a rich business format, convenient applications, great industrial potential, and strong commercial benefits. The integration of AR technology with online shopping has brought tremendous changes to e-commerce. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is a mature model for assessing consumer acceptance of new technologies, and applying it to evaluate the impact of AR online shopping experiences on consumer purchase intention is an urgently needed area of research. Firstly, the typical applications of AR in online shopping were reviewed, and the connotations and experiences of AR online shopping were summarized. Secondly, using the five types of AR online shopping experiences as antecedent variables, and perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness as intermediate variables, a theoretical model was constructed to explore the impact of AR online shopping experiences on customer purchase intentions, followed by an empirical study. Finally, suggestions were proposed for optimizing the online shopping experience to enhance purchase intentions. The article expands the application scenarios of the Technology Acceptance Model and enriches the theory of consumer behavior in Metaverse e-commerce.

A product recommendation model based on online reviews: Improving PageRank algorithm considering attribute weights

Consumer reviews play a crucial role in evaluating products on online e-commerce platforms. Unlike numerical ratings, online reviews provide valuable information and sentiment. However, existing studies often overlook the unique interrelationships between products on e-commerce platforms, and fail to adequately capture the psychological behavior of consumers during online shopping. To address these gaps, this study presents a novel product recommendation model based on online reviews that evaluates products’ multi-attribute performances. The study first identifies the product attributes that are most important to consumers by analyzing review texts. Then, this study calculates the attribute performance scores of each product by considering consumer sentiment and the usefulness of online reviews. Next, it identifies competitors for the target product using a weighted Euclidean distance function and ranks all products employing an improved PageRank algorithm. Finally, to illustrate the validity of the proposed model, the study conducts a case study using a dataset of 41,352 online reviews obtained from Best Buy, and segments the data into three categories according to price. Comparative results with traditional MCDM models show that among the three categories, our results achieved a maximum improvement of 18.3% in the Spearman correlation coefficient.

Healthiness of food products promoted through placement strategies in Australian online supermarkets: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundProminent product placement is a core promotional tactic in retail food environments. How this practice has been adapted for online supermarkets, and the extent to which it is applied to healthier and less healthy food products in this setting, is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate placement-type promotions of food products in Australian online supermarkets.MethodsWe developed a new method to assess placement promotions and applied it to the online stores of the two largest supermarket retailers in Australia. Each online store was audited across six ‘locations’ (input prior to data collection), including a randomly selected high socio-economic position area and low socio-economic position area from each of the three largest Australian cities. The names, page locations and type of placement strategy of promoted food products were captured, with product healthiness assessed using the Health Star Rating (HSR) nutrient profiling system. Descriptive statistics summarised the page locations of promoted products and the placement strategies used to promote them, and chi-squared tests applied to compare product healthiness by retailer and socio-economic position.ResultsWe recorded 12,152 food products promoted through placement strategies, 99% of which were eligible for a HSR. Overall, 44% of products promoted through placement strategies were unhealthy. Cross-promotions and recommendations was the most common strategy recorded overall (55.9% of all strategies), and advertisements and site content was the strategy most likely to promote unhealthy products (53.7% of products unhealthy). One retailer was more likely to promote unhealthy products (46% v 43%, p = 0.004) and unhealthy products were more likely to be promoted in more disadvantaged than less disadvantaged locations (45% vs 43%, p = 0.05), though the magnitudes of difference were small.ConclusionsA considerable number of unhealthy products are likely presented to online grocery shoppers in Australia. Public health policies targeting unhealthy food promotions may need to be updated, including with consideration of the different ways that products can be prominently displayed online, to avoid exacerbating risks of diet-related disease and health inequalities. Our novel methodology could be used for ongoing monitoring of online supermarkets in Australia and elsewhere to inform such policies.

The Role of Brand Equity Mediates The Influence of Endorser Credibility and Brand Experience on Wardah Product Purchase Intention

The use of e-commerce in trade has had a big impact on Indonesian society, especially in terms of very important legal issues. Legal protection in e-commerce is crucial to protect consumers who make buying and selling transactions via the internet. This development is driven by high demand and acceptance from the public, as evidenced by the emergence of various online stores such as Kaskus, Tokopedia, Bukalapak, Shopee, and Lazada. Rapid advances in technology have changed the method of buying and selling from physical stores to online transactions via the internet. E-commerce, as an information technology innovation, allows consumers to make transactions with just the touch of a finger without having to leave the house. However, the variety of e-commerce platforms available increases the potential for legal issues in online transactions. This research aims to understand how to legally protect consumers and help them if losses occur in e-commerce transactions. The method used is a normative approach, by reviewing literature and secondary data related to consumer legal protection in e-commerce transactions.

THE EVOLUTION AND REVOLUTION OF MARKETING MIX FROM 4P TO 4C TO 4E TO E-MARKETING MIX: A LITERATURE OVERVIEW

Marketing mix is an important concept in the world of marketing that was first introduced by an academic named Jerome McCarthy in the 1960s. The marketing mix was created in the early days of the marketing concept when physical products, physical distribution and mass communication were dominant. The marketing mix paradigm, in its famous version of the 4 Ps, went all the way through the evolution of marketing theory being object of discussion both in academic literature as well as in managerial practice. In today’s era of revolutionary change, the digital business represents the more recent of the business contexts and the one with the greater need for a differentiation and upgradation of the mix. Throughout this evolutionary process, researchers have given their views who think the 4 Ps paradigms is able to adapt to the environmental changes by including new elements inside each “P”, and some affirmed that the 4 Ps paradigm is obsolete and propose new paradigms. This paper aims to clarify these two different approaches to marketing mix evolution through a review of the main literature regarding e-marketing mix and its constituents which provides an up gradation to the existing elements of marketing mix as well as focusing on the development of marketing mix theory for the digital context. . In the context of the wars between the upstart internet retailers and the existing brick and mortar retailers, this study would pave the way to consider E-marketing as an innovated way to customer delight. The evolution of 'Product,' 'Price,' 'Place,' and 'Promotion' in the digital era requires a holistic understanding of consumer behavior, technological advancements, and the interconnected nature of the online world.

The Consumer−E-retailer−Intermediary Triad: Why and When Unfairness Perceptions Undermine Ethicality and Consumer Repurchase Intention

While there is considerable research on consumers and e-retailers; the relationships between the consumers, e-retailers, and their intermediaries—the ecommerce platforms are underexplored. The current research focuses on this triad and examines why and when price unfairness and product unfairness influence consumers’ perception of ethics of the e-retailer and their spillover effects on consumer repurchase intention from the ecommerce platforms. We adopted a mixed-method approach and conducted two studies. The qualitative study performed a content analysis based on 349 real comments of online shoppers. The quantitative study collected data from 632 existing customers of actual ecommerce platforms. The results show negative relationships between unfairness and consumer responses in the context of online retailing. Moreover, perception of e-retailer ethics explains the impacts of price unfairness and product unfairness on consumer repurchase intention from the ecommerce platforms. Besides, the salience of ethicality on repurchase intention depends on the level of prior shopping experience, such that this effect is lessened when shopping experience increases. This research offers significant implications for different stakeholders including e-retailers, ecommerce platforms, policymakers, and consumers to stimulate consumers’ perception of e-retailer ethics and repurchase intention from the ecommerce platforms.

Customer purchase intention towards agricultural products on Vietnam online retail platforms

This study aims to investigate significant factors affecting customers’ online purchase intentions towards agricultural products in Vietnam. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data from 250 customers who have experience in the online shopping sector. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS 26 software. The results reveal that perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, brand reputation, subjective norm, and perceived risk are direct predictors of customers’ online purchase intention for agricultural products on Vietnam retailing platforms. Particularly, perceived usefulness is found to have the greatest impact on customers’ online purchase intention, followed by perceived risk and then brand reputation. Meanwhile, perceived risk has negative impacts, perceived usefulness and brand reputation pose positive impacts for online purchase intention towards retailing platforms. Meaningfully, this study provides significant contributions about online customer behaviour in both theoretical and practical aspects, especially in a developing area of agricultural products such as that found in Vietnam.

Research on the Purchase Intention of Social Commerce Consumers in Video Streams: Dual Pathways of Affection and Rationality.

Social commerce blurs the boundary between online social interaction and online shopping. The emergence of video streams introduces novel marketing modalities to social commerce. However, there is a paucity of comprehensive studies investigating the impact of emerging marketing techniques such as short videos and live streaming on consumer purchase intention. This study employs Bourdieu's conceptual framework to construct a Field Theory-based model, investigating the impact of atmospheric and capital characteristics of social commerce platforms on consumer purchase intention through affective and rational pathways, respectively. A survey involving 515 Chinese social commerce consumers demonstrates that atmospheric characteristics (emotion and social presence) and capital characteristics (information quality and quantity) in video streams enhance similarity and power. Both similarity and power are associated with an increase in consumer purchase intention. This study validates the dual-path influence of social commerce characteristics and discusses theoretical and managerial implications.

Towards greener city logistics: an application of agile routing algorithms to optimize the distribution of micro-hubs in Barcelona

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift towards online shopping, reshaping consumer habits and intensifying the impact on urban freight distribution. This disruption exacerbated traffic congestion and parking shortages in cities, underscoring the need for sustainable distribution models. The European Union's common transport policy advocates for innovative UFD approaches that promote intermodal transportation, reduce traffic, and optimize cargo loads. Our study addresses these challenges by proposing an agile routing algorithm for an alternative UFD model in Barcelona. This model suggests strategically located micro-hubs selected from a set of railway facilities, markets, shopping centers, district buildings, pickup points, post offices, and parking lots (1057 points in total). It also promotes intermodality through cargo bikes and electric vans. The study has two main objectives: (i) to identify a network of intermodal micro-hubs for the efficient delivery of parcels in Barcelona and (ii) to develop an agile routing algorithm to optimize their location. The algorithm generates adaptive distribution plans considering micro-hub operating costs and vehicle routing costs, and using heuristic and machine learning methods enhanced by parallelization techniques. It swiftly produces high-quality routing plans based on transportation infrastructure, transportation modes, and delivery locations. The algorithm adapts dynamically and employs multi-objective techniques to establish the Pareto frontier for each plan. Real-world testing in Barcelona, using actual data has shown promising results, providing potential scenarios to reduce CO2 emissions and improve delivery times. As such, this research offers an innovative and sustainable approach to UFD, that will contribute significantly to a greener future for cities.

Feasibility and acceptability of a personalized, pre-filled online grocery cart to improve benefit redemption and diet quality of grocery purchases among participants of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)

Most participants in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) do not fully redeem their benefits due to barriers like transportation, confusing product eligibility, and unclear labeling. Online food shopping enables choice architecture to promote benefit redemption and maximize diet quality. We conducted a mixed-methods pilot randomized-controlled trial to assess the feasibility and acceptability of a pre-filled online grocery shopping cart to improve WIC benefit redemption and diet quality of grocery purchases. Rhode Island WIC participants (n = 24, mean age 29.4 ± 1.1 years, 75% Hispanic, 54% had never grocery shopped online) completed a baseline questionnaire and a simulated shopping episode (SSE), buying WIC and non-WIC items. After a week, we randomized participants into the intervention (personalized, modifiable carts pre-filled with 100% of the 2022 proposed WIC packages) or control (selected their items individually) groups before the second SSE. Both groups had WIC labels. We assessed feasibility using process data and percent agreement to feasibility questions, and acceptability via percent agreement to acceptability questions and post-intervention qualitative interviews. We conducted exploratory analyses to examine differences within and between groups at each timepoint for percent WIC benefit redemption and diet quality of grocery purchases, evaluated using the Grocery Purchase Quality Index-2016 (GPQI-2016) scores. Quantitative study measures suggest that the intervention was feasible and that the personalized, modifiable pre-filled cart was acceptable. These findings were supported during qualitative interviews, where participants highlighted time-savings, flexibility, and WIC labels as facilitators of WIC online shopping. Exploratory results showed significant increases in mean percent redemption of most WIC food categories and non-significant moderate increases in most GPQI-2016 scores. These measures are vital for the future adaptation of a full-scale efficacy trial in real-life settings.

Effects of urban regeneration projects on store survival rate in neighborhood commercial areas: the case of South Korea

ABSTRACT Neighborhood commercial areas in cities densely populated with small stores serve as crucial social, economic, and cultural hubs. However, the emergence of large discount stores and online shopping and urban decline have challenged these commercial areas. In response, South Korea introduced urban regeneration policies in 2014, known as urban regeneration leading areas (URLAs), with related projects carried out between 2017 and 2019. This study explored how urban regeneration projects impacted neighborhood commercial areas. It specifically examined the relationship between store survival rates – a key indicator of revitalization – and influencing factors (e.g. characteristics of urban regeneration projects, store characteristics, and regional features). The results, derived from a survival analysis model, indicated that revitalized areas, such as artificially specialized streets, negatively impacted store survival rates. Moreover, stores established at the commencement or midpoint of regeneration projects demonstrated lower survival rates, indicating temporary gentrification. Contrarily, stores linked to convenience facilities integral to residents’ lives and those existing before regeneration projects exhibited higher survival rates. These results suggest the need for a shift in urban regeneration projects and policies, such as increasing support for established local stores rather than creating new commercial zones and setting reasonable rents to sustain newly established stores.

Strategi Pemasaran Produk pada Toko Riska Bagstore Gampong Padang Sakti Kecamatan Muara Satu Kota Lhokseumawe

The Riska Bagstore shop, which started as an online shop in 2014 and has now developed into a physical shop, offers various products with a target market of female students and mothers. They implement offline marketing strategies via billboards and online via TikTok and WhatsApp. However, they face problems such as lack of market understanding, suboptimal stock management, and less neat product arrangement. With annual revenue of IDR 769,819,000 and monthly fluctuations, improvements in market strategy, stock management and product arrangement are needed to improve store performance. Price competition will be a consideration for consumers/customers. This research aims to analyze what strategies are carried out by TokoRiska Bagstore and what obstacles are experienced in marketing products at TokoRiska Bagstoe. This research uses a descriptive qualitative approach. Data collection techniques use interview, observation and documentation methods. Based on the research results and discussions that have been studied, the researcher concludes that the research strategy results show that the marketing strategy at the Riska Bagstore store is an offline and online marketing strategy. The offline marketing strategy carried out by the Riska Bagstore store is in the form of personal selling, by offering products directly to consumers who come directly to the store. Meanwhile, the online marketing carried out by the Riska Bagstore store is by using social media, namely in the form of Tiktok, by making videos and explaining the information clearly so that consumers can immediately see what is being promoted by the Riska Bagstore store.

How return policy leniency affects customer patronage in online retailing: moderating roles of novelty seeking and collectivism

How return policy leniency affects customer patronage in online retailing: moderating roles of novelty seeking and collectivism

Pengaruh Live Streaming dan Brand Image terhadap Keputusan Pembelian Produk The Originote pada Pengguna Tiktok Shop di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta

Technological developments make it easier for humans to do all activities online, such as online shopping, so that business people form marketing strategies using live streaming and building brand image. The Originote is one of the skincare products that uses a form of marketing strategy in the form of building a brand image through live streaming. To determine the effect of live streaming and brand image on purchasing decisions for The Originote products for TikTok shop users in the Special Region of Yogyakarta partially or simultaneously. Using a quantitative approach. The research data source comes from primary data obtained by distributing questionnaires to respondents. The data collection technique uses non-probability sampling (purposive sampling). The research sample was 112 respondents with the criteria of having purchased The Originote product at TikTok Shop at least once, being in the Special Region of Yogyakarta and being over 18 years old. The data was processed using SPSS version 27 software. It is found that live streaming has a partial effect on purchasing decisions. Brand image has a partial positive effect on purchasing decisions. Live streaming and brand image simultaneously have a positive effect on purchasing decisions.

The prevalence and magnitude of price promotions in online alcohol retail outlets.

We examined the prevalence of price promotions (i.e., proportion of products on price promotion) and the magnitude of price promotions (i.e., size of the price discount compared to the regular price) among online alcohol retailers. In August 2023, we web-scraped product information for all alcoholic beverages available for sale in the online stores of two leading alcohol retailers in Sydney, Australia. Products were classified into five primary alcohol categories: wine, spirits, beer, cider and premix drinks. We considered three types of price promotion: temporary price discounts (e.g., 'was $5 now $4'), multi-buy discounts (e.g., buy one get one free) and 'any six' discounts (e.g., 5% off when purchased in a bundle of any six similar products). The prevalence and mean magnitude of price promotions were estimated overall and by product category and price promotion type. In total, data for 11,184 products were collected. Of these, 62% were the subject of at least one of the assessed forms of price promotion. The most frequently price-promoted category was wine (91% of products), followed by spirits (35%), premix drinks (30%), cider (28%) and beer (21%). Of all price promotions, 61% were 'any six' discounts, 31% were temporary price discounts, and 7% were multi-buy discounts. Across all price promotions, the mean magnitude of price discount relative to the regular price was 11% and ranged from less than 1% to 71%. Policymakers should consider restricting price promotions as part of a suite of strategies to reduce alcohol-related harms.

Advanced emotion analysis: harnessing facial image processing and speech recognition through deep learning

The human face hides many secrets and is one of the most expressive human features. Human faces even contain hidden information about a person's personality. Considering the fundamental role of the human face, it is necessary to prepare appropriate deep-learning solutions that analyze human face data. This technology is becoming increasingly common in many industries, such as online retail, advertising testing, virtual makeovers, etc. For example, facial analysis technology now allows online shoppers to virtually apply makeup and try on jewelry or new glasses to get an accurate picture of what these products will look like. The human sense of hearing is a treasure trove of information about the current environment and the location and properties of sound-producing objects. For instance, we effortlessly absorb the sounds of birds singing outside the window, traffic passing in the distance, or the lyrics of a song on the radio. The human auditory system can process the intricate mix of sounds reaching our ears and create high-level abstractions of the environment by analyzing and grouping measured sensory signals. The process of obtaining segregation and identifying sources of a received complex acoustic signal, known as sound scene analysis, is a domain where the power of deep learning shines. The machine implementation of this functionality (separation and classification of sound sources) is pivotal in applications such as speech recognition in noise, automatic music transcription, searching and retrieving multimedia data, or recognizing emotions in statements.

Development of an Online Daily Goods Shopping Demand Model Using Internet-Based Consumption Behavior Survey Data

With the rapid growth of the e-commerce market, how to cater to the demand for last-mile deliveries to households is an important challenge for both policymakers and practitioners. Therefore, the incorporation of e-commerce-driven delivery demand into a freight transportation analysis is required. In this research, we conduct an internet-based survey in Japan to collect data on past in-person and online shopping behaviors and develop a household-based e-commerce demand model that simultaneously estimates e-commerce delivery demand in regard to the total value and order size (or order frequency) using a framework proposed by Sakai et al. Using the estimated model parameters, we conduct a sensitivity analysis using the model to understand the impact of changes in delivery service on e-commerce delivery demand. Focusing on groceries and household goods, we successfully demonstrate the ability of the model framework and obtain insights into the impact of delivery service characteristics on households’ reliance on e-commerce using the model developed based on real-world data.