Businesses and Consumers as Online Customers

Abstract

The emergence of e-commerce as a way of doing business has created an environment in which the needs and expectations of businesses and consumers are rapidly evolving. Marketing managers must decide how often and how radically to adapt to the dynamics of the marketplace. Firms may simply offer a Web site, or they may embrace change as evidenced by frequent and/or major updates to obtain the maximum potential from e-commerce activities. Managers need to continuously evaluate their marketplaces to assess how much adaptation makes sense. The more managers know about customers’ expectations and their likely reactions to e-commerce activities, the better they will be able to attract, satisfy, and retain online buyers.