Electronic Surveys: Advantages and Disadvantages Over Traditional Print Surveys

The world is in the midst of an electronic communications revolution. While many people have adopted electronic communication extensively, others are very slow to change. As a result, the potential for a discontinuity between people who communicate via traditional methods and those who use electronic media has developed. The rapid evolution of computer hardware and software has provided a catalyst for businesses to redesign their products and processes. In a similar manner this technological revolution has given researchers the ability to design and collect survey data in new ways. Computer-based and Web-based surveys have been developed that make the electronic collection of data easier than ever. However, there are numerous uncertainties regarding issues such as the willingness of respondents to fill out a computerized or Web–based survey, the relative accuracy and reliability of responses, and the best methods of applying these data collection techniques. As part of a study designed to examine various aspects of online retailing of office supply products, we designed a miniexperiment to compare two data collection methods—a four-page, printed survey sent out by regular mail and a computerized version of the same survey sent to participants on a computer disk. This article examines the potential advantages and disadvantages of administering a survey via computer and reports our experiences and findings.