The attitudes of e‐commerce channel members in the textile industry: An empirical perspective

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the research was to investigate the attitudes and perceptions of e‐markets as members of their value chain.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was developed and sent electronically to members of a textile industry e‐market.

Findings

The research showed that most of the companies participated in more than one e‐market. As indicated by the research, only 52 percent of respondents indicated that they had a positive experience with e‐markets, suggesting that there was room for improvement. However, 72 percent of respondents agreed that e‐markets increased business opportunities, 52 percent said it increased distribution channels, 60 percent noted it increased exposure of their company and 64 percent of members noted that they provided more transparent competition.

Research limitations/implications

The research was limited to a small sample of textile e‐markets which may limit the generalizability of the results. Like all e‐commerce, e‐markets need to generate enough traffic so they can generate profit through revenue streams such as advertisement, memberships, transactions, and specific services.

Practical implications

To have an effective e‐market site managers and marketers need to provide a critical mass of accurate up‐to‐date knowledgeable information. Moreover, e‐markets need to establish trust with prospective buyers and sellers. “Community message boards” are important because they provide members opportunities to exchange all kinds of information on the e‐market, thus building trust among each other.

Originality/value

Electronic commerce has revolutionized the process of creating and distributing products and services. It is now asserted that electronic transactions can take place wherever there is access to the internet, a development that technically erases the geographic borders of traditional markets.

Citation

Razzouk, N.Y., Seitz, V. and Wu, G. (2008), "The attitudes of e‐commerce channel members in the textile industry: An empirical perspective", Direct Marketing: An International Journal, Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 20-35. https://doi.org/10.1108/17505930810863617