Online support for commerce processes and survivability of web retailers

Abstract

Understanding the significance of various online processes in establishing and sustaining electronic commerce (EC) is a key concern for retailers and business in general. This paper replicates and extends the Basu and Muylle [Decision Support Systems 34 (2003)] study examining the extent to which companies in various industries are supporting online processes through their retail Web sites. Using the framework of an Electronic Commerce Architecture (ECA), the same set of commercial Web sites is analyzed in order to determine how the online support for commerce processes in each industry and each type of industry has evolved. In addition, the impact of Web retailers' extent of Web technology adoption and electronic commerce practices on survivability is investigated. © 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.