Consumer Behavior in Virtual Shopping Environments and Consequences for Retailing

Abstract

The Internet as a medium for communication and distribution is gaining more and more importance. For the retail trade, in particular, which traditionally has very close links to the customer, the Internet offers enormous opportunities if retailers can also succeed in applying their knowhow in customer policy in way that is effective in the media. Nevertheless, the opportunities offered by the Internet also involve some risks for retail traders. The danger of manufacturers by-passing the retailers is one that is mentioned again and again in this context. The retail trade will also be faced with a new challenge if new companies appear dealing solely in virtual retail trading. This is why it is now of interest to find out what factors cause a consumer to access a company in the Internet and which factors determine whether he will access a retail trader, a manufacturer or an entirely new company. So, the purpose of the study is to analyze the consumers’ relationship with the business sector and the companies.