Products Suitable for Ecommerce: A Proposed Model for Click and Bricks Companies

Abstract

The Internet has become a means for socialising, shopping, and keeping informed. The true potential of the net is yet to be explored, given the many new electronic devices that can now access it. Online shopping is growing exponentially. Nevertheless, some products are easy to sell online, while others are still better to be sold at the local store. This paper aims to present a model that identifies the attributes that can improve the marketability of product by Internet: brand, "touch and feel", scarcity, price, and cost of returns. The model is being tested in 14 bricks and clicks retailers. Interviews with top management evaluate the validity of the attributes considered. All interviewed persons consider all of these attributes like a valid tool to select which products they can sell by Internet. The positive effects are the reduction of unsold goods, the increasing of visited pages in the web site, the reduction of costs due to returns, the increasing of income, and the rationalization of the offer. The information could help retailers adapt their strategies to fit customer's needs and attract and retain customers. From the marketing point of view, the knowledge from this study could help to create marketing strategies tailored to respond to online consumer's specific requirements and needs.

Failure Factors in Traditional, Digital, and Hybrid Startups of Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises in the Retail Industry: Literature Review

“…Under Forbes, startups are defined as enterprises aiming to address enigmatic issues with uncertain outcomes (Aminova & Marchi, 2021), fundamentally rooted in extreme uncertainty and a commitment to market-revolutionizing innovations (Aminova & Marchi, 2021;Isharyadi et al, 2022). Traditional startups in retail typically involve a physical storefront where vendors interact with customers and display merchandise that can be examined, tried out, and purchased immediately (Enders & Jelassi, 2000;Andrea Payaro & Anna Rita Papa, 2017). While traditional startups have advantages over online competitors, such as an established brand name, a large customer base, strong bargaining power with suppliers, existing distribution infrastructure, and a physical shopping experience, they also face drawbacks, such as high investment in physical infrastructure, limited opening hours and days, and government and union regulations.…”

“…While traditional startups have advantages over online competitors, such as an established brand name, a large customer base, strong bargaining power with suppliers, existing distribution infrastructure, and a physical shopping experience, they also face drawbacks, such as high investment in physical infrastructure, limited opening hours and days, and government and union regulations. However, customers often prefer brick-and-mortar retailers over online stores due to ease of access, immediacy, and the chance for personal interaction (Herhausen et al, 2015 ;Afiqah et al, 2018 ;Andrea Payaro & Anna Rita Papa, 2017;Bejleri & Fishta, 2017). The retail industry has undergone a significant digital transformation in recent years, with the emergence of e-commerce, online shopping, and innovative technologies (Afiqah et al, 2018 ;Ioniţă et al, 2016).…”

“…Such businesses may have a physical storefront and an online store and face challenges related to inventory management, logistics, and customer service. Managing physical and digital inventory and maintaining consistency across different sales channels is also a challenge for hybrid startups (Berman & Thelen, 2018;Andrea Payaro & Anna Rita Papa, 2017;Fornari et al, 2018 ;Verhoef et al, 2015) The definition of Startup Failure The definition of startup failure in entrepreneurship research has generated diverse interpretations. It signifies an entrepreneur's inability to attain desired outcomes, characterized by declining revenues and escalating operational costs (Kalyanasundaram et al, 2021;Jenkins & McKelvie, 2016).…”