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In the wake of some fairly spectacular “dot.com” crashes in the recent past, it is appropriate to open debate on the success (or otherwise) of new Internet “start‐ups” versus large incumbent conventional industry players (in retailing) starting their own Internet activities as separate “bolt‐on” businesses (and new distribution/communication channels.) This paper examines exploratory interviews with senior managers from a selection of “established” organisations in contrasting retailing sectors. Its purpose is to explore the challenges and issues faced by these large retailing organisations in establishing competitive Internet businesses. Insights and reflections are provided for other managers who are also following this line of business expansion. Some of the companies that participated in the research include Dell Corporation, IBM, Tesco Direct, Lotus Notes, Interflora, Flying Flowers, Virgin, Charles Schwab, Waterstones and Thomas Cook.

Managing potential customers' perception of risk is essential to successful Internet wine retailing. If on‐line providers can minimise risk thus instilling a level of trust, then the initiation of an on‐line purchasing relationship can commence. This paper reviews the literature surrounding trust and risk and describes early findings of the elements of trust based on recent primary research. In addition, the paper develops an illustrative framework showing the links between the elements of trust and the parameters of risk for on‐line wine purchasing. Finally, the paper offers recommendations to on‐line wine providers to encourage trust, and these are outlined under the three discrete functions of an on‐line provider: site design, marketing and the e‐tailing function, on‐line wine purchasing. Finally, the paper offers recommendations to on‐line wine providers to encourage trust, and these are outlined under the three discrete functions of an on‐line provider: site design, marketing and the e‐tailing function.

To date, most of the commentary on the impact of the Internet on retail marketing has been anecdotal, offering exaggerated speculative forecasts of its future potential. One view contends that the Internet will become a major new retail format, replacing the traditional dominance of fixed location stores. However, little academic research exists to either disprove or support the claims of Internet penetration by retailers. Seeks to redress the balance by presenting a comprehensive and rigorous review of UK retailer Internet activities. A sampling frame of 1,099 UK retail multiples was used, and each Web site individually inspected to categorise the range of marketing functions and services offered. The findings indicated that, despite the hype, the majority of retail organisations surveyed have not yet registered a Web site address. Moreover, of those retail organisations that have developed a Web site, the vast majority are using it primarily as a communication tool to promote corporate or product information to Internet users, rather than to support direct sales. In conclusion, summarises the implications of these current levels of Internet activity for the future of retail marketing.

Chronicles the launch of a new e‐commerce business. Reviews the implications and considerations of such a venture and documents the critical lessons learned. Concludes that the Internet provides an effective place for the development of a new business.

The article provides an introduction to obtaining and using Web‐based retail data for countries outwith the UK. The potential and accessibility of such data are reviewed and assessed. The article is a rough guide to data sources and is pragmatic in nature. A summary table provides a ready guide by country. Worked examples are included for Brazil, Japan, Spain, Australia and the USA.

All the evidence from retail companies who have invested in recent years in the computer field is that it is the inventory‐intensive businesses that can benefit the most. This article summarises what management's attitude should be to the potentialities of the computer, and includes three case studies of American companies. Gamma Telecommunications is a recently formed company which developed out of Gamma Associates, an established British consultancy specialising in minicomputers, and AW Consultants, an American company.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between an organization’s human resource management (HRM) image and its customer-based brand equity. Research into HRM in relation to branding has mostly dealt with how to attract and maintain employees through employer branding. The present study attempts to link HRM directly to marketing and branding aimed at customers as an altruistic dimension of the brand image and as something that applies to customers’ sociological needs.

The study is based on a survey of Swedish customers in two different retail categories: groceries and home decoration.

The results show that HRM image is distinct from a more traditional service image and that there is a significant relationship between favourable customer perceptions of an organization’s HRM and customers’ willingness to buy and pay a premium for products provided by the retail chain. This finding leads to the conclusion that HRM is not only relevant for employer branding, internal branding and operations management but also plays a significant role in building customer-based brand equity. The results show that further integration of HRM and brand management is needed, both in theory and practice.

This study takes a holistic approach to marketing and is one of the first attempts to incorporate HRM and employer branding into the customer-based brand equity framework. Implications for future research, retailing and other businesses are discussed in the conclusion.

A model of the relationships between individuals' perceptions of internet use and internet usage behaviors is presented and tested. The purpose of this paper is to propose that a lack of perceived responsiveness to on‐line communication is positively related to individuals' general resistance to use the internet as a communication information exchange medium, termed general internet apprehensiveness (GIA). Perceptions of GIA are negatively associated with on‐line information‐seeking behavior, and positively associated with individuals' resistance to or fear of using the internet for on‐line retail transactions, termed transactional internet apprehensiveness (TIA).

College‐aged students reported their attitudes about on‐line information seeking, on‐line purchasing, and their on‐line information seeking and purchasing behaviors. The model presented is tested with path analysis to assess the variables' interrelationships.

Ultimately, lack of responsiveness is positively related to GIA, GIA is negatively related to information‐seeking behavior, and TIA is negatively related to consumers' on‐line purchasing of goods and services.

The student sample used in this study prevents us from making broad‐based generalizations. While students represent a large base of internet users and have been presented as a viable population to study in investigations for both academic audiences and marketing practitioners, future research will continue to benefit from more diverse samples of internet users.

This study offers hospitality professionals a better understanding of the elements that inhibit or encourage on‐line information seeking and purchasing behaviors.

This paper further defines the socio‐demographic factors that inhibit consumers from using the internet as both an information‐sharing tool and purchasing medium.

The rapid adoption of the Web as a commercial medium has caused firms to experiment with innovative ways of doing business. Those firms that effectively market themselves on the Web have a distinct advantage. This paper presents two e‐commerce Web site design strategies and 12 e‐commerce models for gaining that advantage.