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Article
Publication date: 8 August 2016

Gurjeet Kaur Sahi, Harjit Singh Sekhon and Tahira Khanam Quareshi

India’s retail sector is going through a significant transitional period with the internet as a new distribution channel becoming more common. Given the barriers to adoption, the…

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Abstract

Purpose

India’s retail sector is going through a significant transitional period with the internet as a new distribution channel becoming more common. Given the barriers to adoption, the purpose of this paper is to understand the role played by trusting beliefs when engaging with an online retailer. In the Indian market, online vending is expected to increase at a rate of 35 per cent per annum, and by understanding trusting beliefs retailers will be able to develop their market share by developing appropriate and/or innovative strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

The work is based on a sample of more than 200 internet customers in India. In understanding the data and the relationships that emerged from the modelling, the authors used a range of tools to analyse the data, including CFA and structural equation modelling. The authors also used descriptive statistics to provide a holistic overview of response profiles.

Findings

The study reveals that trusting beliefs are negatively influenced by an uncertainty avoidance culture and positively influenced by a firm’s image and a customer’s price awareness. Moreover, purchase intentions (PIs) are significantly enhanced by trusting beliefs in an online environment. Hence, it leads us to conclude that PIs can be augmented by facilitating and ensuring good quality service by placing special emphasis on timeliness, accuracy and conditions of the order, security and privacy paradigms, aftersales services, etc.

Research limitations/implications

As can be seen, the internet is an emergent tool for retailers in India. By understanding trusting beliefs, retailers will be able to better understand customers’ behaviour and thus design management strategies accordingly. Although this is likely to take more than a decade, as internet retailing becomes embedded it may have a detrimental effect on the historical channel to market, thus altering the country’s retail landscape which is currently dominated by small retailers.

Practical implications

The work’s findings are insightful for those seeking to maximize the opportunities presented by the internet as a channel to market. The works shows how the channel is influenced and thus how it can be managed. In making the contribution the authors provide guidance in terms of operational activity to engage with potential customers.

Originality/value

This paper examines trusting beliefs when using the internet as a channel to market and in doing so it makes a new contribution because it establishes links with culture and other factors. For the research venue the authors use a developing market and therefore the findings are applicable to markets with similar characteristics.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 44 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

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Article
Publication date: 9 November 2015

Gurjeet Kaur and Tahira Khanam Quareshi

The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons for not buying products through online. The study also tries to explain the relationship between intentions to trust (IT) and…

7839

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore reasons for not buying products through online. The study also tries to explain the relationship between intentions to trust (IT) and online purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through well-structured instrument, distributed to 226 students of Masters of Business Administration and Masters of Computer Applications departments of a north Indian University. Confirmatory Factor Analysis and Structural Equation Modelling were used to analyse the data and to test the formulated hypotheses.

Findings

The results of the study highlight that 90 per cent of the respondents are aware about online shopping sites but only 38 per cent are online buyers of various products. Major reasons for not shopping are lack of security, absence of physical examination and testing of products, lack of product’s complete information, unattractive visual displays and layouts, etc. However, it is observed that nearly 79 per cent respondents have positive intentions to buy products online in near future.

Research limitations/implications

There is a need to study actual online buying behaviour. Also, models like Technology Acceptance Model and Diffusion of Innovation have not been studied. As the study was confined to students only, it can be replicated to other age group consumer segments and extended to other emerging economies as well. There is a need to take into consideration some other important dimensions in the future studies, namely, predictability, familiarity, third party certification, attitude, ease of use, perceived risk, etc., for the better analysis of behaviour.

Practical implications

E-vendors must properly implement money back guarantee schemes when there is non-delivery of ordered goods, provide dispute resolution system, instil confidence in customers, highlight security, privacy policy, display contacts details, etc., to increase customers’ IT and purchase products online.

Originality/value

The paper identifies the factors that obstruct customer to purchase products online. More particularly, in Indian context the present study makes valuable contribution as the Indians have been reported to be techno phobic and uncertainty avoidant.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 27 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

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Article
Publication date: 5 March 2021

Sumit Saha and Subhasree Kar

The purpose of this research is to identify the cross-functional factors and their impact after exploratory factor analysis (EFA), especially in B2B context and constructing a…

238

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to identify the cross-functional factors and their impact after exploratory factor analysis (EFA), especially in B2B context and constructing a model to interpret and quantify the influences (sales performance score) specifically to the IT/ITES companies.

Design/methodology/approach

Getting answer for a corporate that where its current stand in the industry is important for the strategy making, especially for the sales team. Few academic researches charted direction toward cross-functional sales factors, but getting answer whether we can quantify that sales performance and identify what is the numeric benchmark value, is difficult. For the companies to understand the need to focus on which cross-functional factors and when, is also difficult.

Findings

After 1,079+ literature study, concluded with the 25 antecedents strongly used in previous studies and 8 more on after focused group study, pilot study and discussion with the industry leaders, 35 questions addressing 33 indicators collected in 10 months duration from 310 sales professionals, 90+ IT companies. Three samples were removed as outliers using “Mahalanobis Distance Test” for multivariate analysis, dropped two variables by “Missing value Not at Random” (MNAR). Final 15 determinants of cross-functional sales performance indicators forming four best factors with very high reliability after EFA to form a future formative model and sales performance score.

Research limitations/implications

(1) In this study no moderator and mediator effect are analyzed. (2) This study is the precursor to the final model construction. (3) Business down due to recession, global pandemic, terrorism, earthquake, war etc. are not considered during this analysis and study. Only the cross-functional reasons for natural business down have been considered and analyzed. (4) Exact “Sales Performance Score (SPS)” should be calculated after model forming, adjusting and confirmatory factor analysis.

Practical implications

(1) The major implication of this study would be for IT/ITES companies. It will be very easy for them to quantify the sales performance and measure that scientifically. (2) There will be a way to measure, predict and take measurable actions in case sales performance of the company downfalls. (3) Also the impact will be known to the top management of the company well in advance so that they can make the proper strategy. This will be very useful in current situation when measuring business outcome and make strategy well in advance is of any company's utmost priority.

Originality/value

Focusing on these identified factors companies can improve its sales performance. The authors contribute in creating a statistical model and computing a sales performance score, based on the final factor loading values, would be unique and unprecedented to measure the current industry performance by quantifying its standard or benchmark value for better strategic support toward the achievement of targets.

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