Monday, October 18, 2010

Chapter 9 Homework

1. Why were so many entrepreneurs drawn to start businesses in the online retail sector initially?
costs were less, they were able to quickly react to customers needs, and could personalize things.

2. What frequently makes the difference between profitable and unprofitable online businesses today?

Economic Viability

3. Which segment of the offline retail business is most like online retailing? Why?



4. Name the largest segment of U.S. retail sales. Explain why businesses in this segment have achieved and continue to dominate online retailing.

Consumer Durables. These goods have a long lifespan

5. Name two assumptions e-commerce analysts made early on about consumers and their buying behavior that turned out to be false.

6. Why were customer acquisition costs assumed early on to be lower on the Web? What was supposed to reduce those costs?

7. Explain the distinction between disintermediation and hypermediation as it relates to online retailing.

8. Compare and contrast virtual merchants and bricks-and-clicks firms. What other type of online retailer is most like the virtual merchant?

9. What is the difference between a supply-push and a demand-pull sales model? Why do most manufacturer-direct firms have difficulty switching to one of these?

10. What are five strategic issues specifically related to a firm’s capabilities? How are they different from industry-related strategic issues?

11. What are some of the difficulties in providing services in an online environment? What factors differentiate the services sector from the retail sector, for example?

12. Compare and contrast the two major types of online service industries. What two major features differentiate services from other industries?

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