E-commerce - Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Chapter 2: LITerature review Page 32
and logistical, and it will be possible (though perhaps expensive) to
solve it by developing new sorting and scanning equipment and by
deploying larger delivery vehicles.
• Handling retums: The problem of retums is encapsulated in an old
saying in the book business: "gone today, with which customers can
retum here tomorrow". Some companies have built their reputations
partly on the ease with which customers can retum defective or
unwanted merchandise and the graciousness with which it is received.
E-retail businesses, with emphasis on convenience and customisation, must
be able to meet the above mentioned challenges. E-customers are also
faced with a few challenges and will be discussed.
2.5.3 E-retail challenges to e-customers
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Some of the electronic channels through which customers interact with e-
retail businesses include the web, integrated voice response (IVR) systems,
e-mail, handheld digital appliances, cell phones and "smart" call centers.
(Seybold & Marshak, 1998).
Some studies have attempted to understand whether browsing on the
Intemet is correlated with purchasing on the Intemet (Lindquist &
Scarborough, 2002). It is questionable whether a perfect match is possible,
since some shoppers enjoy browsing as a separate activity, while others
purchase without browsing if their choice is clear and determined in advance.
The phenomenal growth of the e-retail sector has not been without its own
unique troubles and challenges to its customers. One of the main issues
arising repeatedly concerns the level of service provided during the course of
electronic transactions. For example, a market research suggests that one
out of every four e-shoppers perceives that there are "major" problems