E-commerce — An Invisible Giant Competitor in Retailing in Emerging Countries
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to show how E-commerce is rising and is the main competitor of the shopping markets and mall, while being invisible. Its giant stature is covering many shopping arcades and changing its customers way of shopping. More and more customers are becoming loyal to the shops which are not visible and shopping from the shopkeepers who are not physically present. Findings: It was found that the online companies are grabbing more and more of customers. Online shopping is becoming a leading trend in many emerging countries. This is becoming a threat to the physical shops which they cannot even see. Research Limitations/Implications: Confirmatory research needs to be conducted to establish the stability of these factors. More surveys need to be conducted by the brick and mortar companies to understand the need of today’s customers and in turn format a business model where they can compete with the online invisible giants. Practical Implications: The online companies are expanding rapidly both in the remote as well as developed cities. The brick and mortar companies need to identify their invisible competitor and try to build a model which is giving an equal and opposite competition to them. The need of the hour is to shake and wake up the customer and force them to drive into the physically present shop rather than changing them to lazy customers shopping online without the feel and touch of the product. Originality/Value: Earlier studies have not shown the threats of the online companies to the brick and mortar companies. It is rising and expanding in emerging companies but does not show that it is rising in the remote areas more rapidly than in the developed cities. Also it shows that it can be a big and huge threat, not only to the small shops but also to huge giants.
Authors
Nishu Ayedee