Exploring the drivers, scope and perceived success of e-commerce strategies in the UK retail sector

Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online's data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. Purpose of this paper The purpose of this study is to develop a better understanding of the e-commerce strategies currently being deployed by the largest and most influential UK-based retailers. More specifically, our study seeks to empirically explore the scope of retailers' on-line strategies, the drivers for their adoption and perhaps most importantly the degree to which they are perceived to be successful. Design/methodology/approach The objectives of this research were addressed by using a quantitative research strategy, based upon a postal questionnaire survey of the UK's largest retailers. The research strategy produced a wealth of primary data, which was thoroughly analysed using a variety of multivariate, statistical techniques. Findings The study's findings suggest that retailers' level of Internet adoption is primarily influenced by the strength of management support behind the strategy and the perceived strategic fit of the initiative. By contrast, the key driver of perceived success is the degree to which the retailer has a portfolio of resources and capabilities that are well-suited to the ongoing operation and effective management of a web-site. Research limitations/implications The major limitation associated with this study is with respect to the rather disappointing response rate of 10.0%. However, this level of response is similar to many previous surveys in this domain, and it is probably not surprising, given the highly sensitive nature of the data that we were seeking to collect. Practical implications The findings highlight that despite their close relationship, Internet adoption and e-commerce success are very different entities, and therefore the drivers of Internet adoption cannot be relied upon to deliver success. In particular, retailer managers must recognise that whilst their support and commitment may well be the impetus necessary to drive Internet adoption, success will only be achieved if they are able to invest in, and deploy, a suitable portfolio of resources and capabilities. What is original/value of paper This study makes a major contribution in a number of ways. Firstly, it provides an important update into the e-commerce strategies of UK-based retailers. More importantly, perhaps, it provides one of the first attempts to measure the perceived success of such e-commerce strategies, and the determinants of success. Finally, this paper provides the …