Review of Literature: E-Commerce Case Studies in Small Businesses

This report provides a comprehensive review of literature on e-commerce case studies within small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). It examines various aspects of e-commerce adoption, including marketing and selling over the Internet (e-tailing), business-to-business electronic data interchange (EDI), research and information seeking, and internal information networks. The report analyzes surveys of e-commerce practices across different industries and business types, highlighting factors that encourage or hinder e-commerce use, as well as the perceived benefits and shortcomings. Furthermore, it delves into case studies conducted by universities, public organizations, and private e-commerce service providers, offering insights into how businesses leverage e-commerce to enhance sales, reduce costs, and improve customer services. The reviewed case studies showcase a diverse range of business models, including B2C, B2B, online, storefront, and home-based businesses, providing valuable lessons and inspirational success stories for entrepreneurs and business strategists. The report emphasizes the importance of adapting to the New Economy by utilizing the Internet to access markets, information, and services, particularly for rural communities and small towns seeking to compete in the global economy. The document is contributed by a student to be published on the website Desklib, a platform which provides all the necessary AI based study tools for students.

CASE STUDIES OF E-COMMERCE IN
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES:
A REVIEW
OF THE LITERATURE
by
David L. Barkley
Professor and Co-Director
EDA University Center for Economic Development
Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
Clemson University
R. David Lamie
Associate Professor and Economic Development Specialist
Clemson Institute for Economic and Community Development
Department of Applied Economics and Statistics
Clemson University
Deborah M. Markley
Managing Director and Director of Research
RUPRI Center for Rural Entrepreneurship
Visiting Scholar
University of Missouri - Columbia
UCED Working Paper 10-2007-01, EDA University Center for Economic Development,
Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina. This work was funded through a grant from the
U.S. Department of Agriculture CSREES through the Southern Rural Development Center at
Mississippi State University.

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CASE STUDIES OF E-COMMERCE IN
SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES:
A REVIEW
OF THE LITERATURE
David L. Barkley, R. David Lamie and Deborah M. Markley
INTRODUCTION
Community economic development in the New Economy is based on a foundation of
innovative activity (development of new products and processes), entrepreneurship (converting
innovation into economic activity), and industry clusters (networks of supporting markets,
services, and skilled labor). Rural communities and small towns are at a competitive
disadvantage in the New Economy because they lack the diversity and depth of local product,
input, and service markets available in the larger metropolitan areas. The disadvantages of a
rural location may be reduced significantly if rural businesses use the Internet to enhance their
access to research, services, and markets. That is, businesses located in rural areas and small
towns can compete more effectively in the global economy if they take advantage of the
"worldwide" markets for customers, information, inputs, and services provided for them over the
Internet.
The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of case studies of firms that use
electronic commerce (e-commerce) as part of their business strategy. E-Commerce will be
defined broadly to encompass: marketing and selling over the Internet (e-tailing), business-to-
business electronic data interchange (EDI), conducting research and seeking information, e-
mailing and computer faxing, internal information networks for employees, and ensuring the
security of on-line transactions and information transfers. Business types included among the
case studies are business-to-consumer (B2C), business-to-business (B2B), on-line or virtual
businesses, storefront (bricks and mortar) businesses with Internet sales or purchases, and home-
based businesses. The diversity of case studies available gives the reader insights into alternative
applications of e-commerce and its potential to increase sales, reduce costs, and improve
customer services, supply chain management, and efficiency of operations. The reader should
note that the reviewed case studies are not a carefully selected cross-section of e-commerce
users, and thus they are not representative of typical experiences. The case studies were selected
by the studies' authors because the businesses accomplished something "interesting" in the
opinions of the authors. As such, the case studies are best viewed as inspirational success stories
and not as blueprints for strategic business planning.
The review of case studies is organized as follows. First, examples of industry-level
surveys are provided. These surveys are not case studies since the identity of the businesses and
firm-level specifics are not available. However, the surveys do provide interesting information
regarding rates of adoption, factors encouraging e-commerce use, roles of e-commerce in the
businesses, and perceptions of the benefits from and shortcomings of the businesses' e-commerce
activities. Second, case studies conducted by researchers at universities and government

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agencies are presented. These studies range from an in-depth historical analysis of the e-
commerce experience of one business (e.g., rural travel agency) to a review of the revenue
enhancing impacts of a regional e-commerce service for 163 wood products companies in
upstate New York (AdirondackWood.com). Third, case studies published by private
(commercial) e-commerce service providers are discussed. These case studies should not be
considered objective; yet, the studies do demonstrate the types of products and services available
to interested firms. A brief overview is provided for each of the publications reviewed in the
three sections. The interested reader may find the complete study by using the website address
or publication's citation that accompanies each study's summary.
SURVEYS OF E-COMMERCE PRACTICES
A large number of research publications consist of surveys of businesses to determine the
extent of participation in e-commerce and perceptions of benefits from these activities. These
studies generally focus on a specific sector of the economy (e.g., small businesses or agricultural
input suppliers) in a particular state or region. Information requested in the surveys includes:
characteristics of firms adopting e-commerce (e.g., size, age, ownership, product line); factors or
motivations supporting adoption (e.g., increase sales or reduce costs); barriers to adoption or to
more widespread usage of e-commerce (e.g., lack of access, lack of skilled staff, consumer
resistance, security concerns); stage of e-commerce development (e.g., website for marketing,
on-line catalog, on-line ordering and payment, electronic data interchange); share of sales from
e-commerce; and expectations for future sales. The studies cited below are selected because they
focus on an industry or business type representative of that found in small towns and rural areas.
Vlosky, R.P. and T. Westbrook. 2002. "e-Business Exchange Between Homecenter Buyers and
Wood Products Suppliers." Forest Products Journal 52(1): 39-43.
Holmes, T.P., R.P. Vlosky, and J. Carlson. 2004. "An Exploratory Comparison of Internet Use
by Small Wood Products Manufacturers in the North Adirondack Region of New York
and the State of Louisiana." Forest Products Journal 54(12): 277-282.
Vlosky, R.P. and T. Smith. 2003. "eBusiness in the U.S. Hardwood Lumber Industry." Forest
Products Journal 53(5): 21-29.
Henderson, J., F. Dooley, and J. Akridge. 2004. "Internet and E-Commerce Adoption by
Agricultural Input Firms." Review of Agricultural Economics 26(4): 505-520.
Abate, G. and C. Moser. 2003. "E-Commerce and Internet Use in Small Businesses: Trends
and Issues." Staff paper 2003-04, Department of Agricultural Economics, Michigan
State University, http://www.aec.msu.edu/pubs.htm
Ernst, S. and M. Tucker. 2001. "Perceptions and Adoption of Information Technologies:
Implications for Ohio's Produce Industry in the New Economy." Working Paper AEDE-

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WP-0016-01, Department of Agricultural, Environmental, and Development Economics,
The Ohio State University, http://aede.osu.edu
Berning, C., L. Stoel, S. Ernst, and N.H. Hooker. 2004. "How are Rural Retailers in Ohio Using
the Internet?" Research Report AEDE-RP-0047-04, Department of Agricultural,
Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University,
http://aede.osu.edu
Ehmke, C., S. Ernst, J. Hopkins, and L. Tweeten. 2001. "The Market for E-Commerce Services
in Agriculture." Working Paper AEDE-WP-0012-01, Department of Agricultural,
Environmental, and Development Economics, The Ohio State University,
http://aede.osu.edu
Baourakis, G., Kourgiantakis, M., and A. Migdalas. 2002. "The Impact of e-Commerce on
Agro-food Marketing: The Case of Agricultural Cooperatives, Firms, and Consumers in
Crete." British Food Journal 104(8): 580-590.
Stricker, S., R.A.E. Mueller, and D.A. Sumner. 2006. "Marketing Wine on the Web." Choices,
1st Quarter 2007, 22(1), 31-34, http://www.choicesmagazine.org/2007-1/2007-1.pdf.
SBA Office of Advocacy. 1999. "E-commerce: Small Businesses Venture Online." U.S. Small
Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, Washington, D.C.
Innovation and Information Consultants, Inc. 2004. "Trends in Electronic Procurement and
Electronic Commerce and Their Impact on Small Business." U.S. Small Business
Administration, Office of Advocacy, Washington, D.C.,
http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs240tot.pdf
Pratt, J.H. 2002. "E-Biz: Strategies for Small Business Success." U.S. Small Business
Administration, Office of Advocacy, Washington, D.C.,
http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs220tot.pdf
Barua, A., P. Konana, A. Whinston, and Fang Yin. 2000. "Making E-Business Pay: Eight Key
Drivers for Operational Success." ITPro, November/December, pp.1-10,
http://crec.mccombs.utexas.edu/works/articles/f6barua.pdf
Grandon, E.E. and J.M. Pearson. 2004. "Electronic Commerce Adoption: an Empirical Study of
Small and Medium US Businesses." Science Direct 42(1): 197-216,
http://www.sciencedirect.com
Carey, J. 2005. "Brochureware and Beyond: Case Studies of Formation Processes and Roles in
Consultant-Developed Small Business Websites."
http://www.hutchinsonsoftware.com/page/brochureware+and+beyond

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E-COMMERCE CASE STUDIES CONDUCTED BY UNIVERSITIES AND
PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS
This section presents an overview of case studies of businesses and business networks
that use the Internet to improve sales, customer service, and production and supply chain
efficiencies. The case studies differ greatly in format, but they generally include introductions to
the businesses and the roles of e-commerce in the businesses' operations. Two of the
publications are in-depth analyses of the evolution and impacts of e-commerce on a single
business (a travel agency and a jewelry store). Three additional publications examine the roles
of regional e-commerce organizations, associations, and networks in enhancing e-commerce
activity among area businesses. The remaining six reports provide multiple case studies of
businesses. The individual case studies range from one to six pages in length and include an
extensive variety of business types and e-commerce experiences.
Alexander, C., J.M. Pearson, L. Crosby. 2003. "The Transition to E-Commerce: A Case
Study of a Rural-Based Travel Agency." Journal of Internet Commerce 2(1): 49-63.
Alexander, Pearson, and Crosby detail the transition of Borgsmiller Travel (Carbondale, IL)
from a traditional travel agency to an e-commerce business. The process change involves
moving from offering unspecialized services to the local market to competing in a global market
with an emphasis on travel to Malaysia. Key aspects of the change are the identification of a
niche market, investing in the technology and human resources necessary to conduct an e-
business, and providing top management support for the new strategy. Borgsmiller Travel
emphasizes the need for website maintenance and the need to continually provide new marketing
material to meet the Internet customer's expectation of fresh website content.
Cordeiro, W.P. 2003. "A Case Study: How a Retail Jewelry Store Learned to Compete in
the E-Commerce Market Place." Journal of Internet Commerce 2(1): 19-28.
The study describes how a retail jewelry store in a large city transitions from a traditional
marketing strategy (signs, print and radio advertising, aggressive sales staff) to selling over the
Internet. The implementation of an e-commerce strategy creates problems in terms of project
management (deadlines, staffing, and testing) and adaptation to a new marketing culture. The
store notes that their Internet customers are more knowledgeable buyers, and that e-sales tend to
be for different merchandise than in-store sales. The net effect of adopting e-commerce is to
reverse the decline in sales and improve staff morale. Firm profits, however, do not return to
prior levels because the store's high-margin items are not big sellers over the Internet.
Henderson, J.R. 2001. "Networking with E-Commerce in Rural America." The Main
Street Economist, September, pp 1-4, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City,
http://www.kc.frb.org/RegionalAffairs/Mainstreet/MSE_0901.pdf
Henderson demonstrates that e-commerce can be used to support business networks and help
rural firms overcome the challenges of small size and geographic remoteness. Business

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networks in the study consist primarily of supply networks where large firms purchase material
inputs from other firms. These networks may be open (access available to all) or closed
(membership restricted to specific suppliers or customers and information exchange provided
through Electronic Data Interchange - EDI). Five businesses are used as examples of rural e-
commerce activity and network building - Wallis Oil Co. (Cuba, MO); Printingforless.com
(Livingston, MT); eMerge Interactive, Inc. (Sebastian, FL); Woodnet Development Council, Inc.
(Orofino, ID); and AgentSecure.com. The case studies are brief (one paragraph) and focus on
network characteristics and benefits to the individual firms.
Galloway, L., R. Mochrie, and D. Deakins. 2004. "ICT-Enabled Collectivity as a Positive
Rural Business Strategy." International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior and
Research 10(4): 247-259.
This paper examines the development of Internet-based business forums and their potential for
overcoming difficulties faced by rural businesses in Scotland. The study starts with an overview
of the benefits of information and communication technologies (ICT) for rural firms and
potential reasons why e-commerce adoption among rural businesses is relatively low. The
authors interview five Internet forums to assess the make-up and dynamic processes involved in
rural Internet forums. Four of the forums have a geographic focus and the fifth forum targets a
specific industry. The study finds variable experiences for the forums and concludes that ideal
forum make-up, organization, and impacts are inseparable from the regional and business
context. In addition, long-run sustainability of the forums is problematic because the "more
effective" the forum is in enabling rural businesses in ICT, the less the forum is needed.
Adirondack North Country Association. 2005. "Final Report: Enhanced Marketing and
Sale of Special Forest Products." Saranac Lake, NY, pp. 1-17, November
[e-mail]
Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA) is a regional economic development association
that promotes economic development and quality of life in 14 New York counties. The ANCA
maintains two regional e-commerce services for area businesses: AdirondackCraft.com serves
10 craftsmen, artisans, and small manufacturers and AdirondackWood.com lists the products and
services of 163 wood products companies. The final report reviews the activities undertaken by
ANCA (e.g., promote on-line catalogs, sales, and directories) and the major accomplishments
pertaining to on-line participation by area businesses, identification of new markets, and building
the human capital required for e-commerce activities. A major finding of the study is that small
business owners value marketing and sales assistance, and a regional e-commerce service is an
efficient means of providing this assistance.
Poon, S. and Swatman, P.M.C. 1997. "Small Business Use of the Internet: Findings From
Australian Case Studies." International Marketing Review 14 (5): 385-402.
Twenty-three case studies of small businesses in Australia are conducted to determine the roles
played by the Internet among small businesses, drivers for Internet use, and benefits perceived by
the firms. The case study firms are classified by business organizations, product/services,

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employment, sales, years of Internet use, and key reasons for using the Internet. The case studies
focus on identifying patterns among participants regarding (1) the role of the Internet as a
medium for communication, (2) management's enthusiasm for Internet use in the business, (3)
perceived benefits from Internet use, (4) differences in Internet usage among industries, (5)
extent of integration between the Internet and internal management systems, and (6) the need to
be entrepreneurial in Internet applications. The authors conclude that the most crucial factors
affecting Internet use in the businesses are management commitment and perceived benefits.
Chau, S. 2003. "The Use of E-Commerce Amongst Thirty-Four Australian SMEs: An
Experiment or a Strategic Business Tool? Journal of Systems and Information Technology
7(1): 49-66.
Chau interviews 34 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Australia that are active users
of e-commerce. Interview questions cover four broad topics: business background, current use
of e-commerce, impact of e-commerce, and problems encountered using e-commerce. The case
study businesses represent a variety of industries (manufacturing, trade, fishing,
hospitality/tourism, agriculture, education, ICT, and finance); ages (1 to 80 years old); and
employment (1 to 65 full time equivalents). Analyses of the case studies reveal a wide range of
e-commerce activities that are grouped into six categories: electronic banking, communications,
customer service, sales and marketing, enhancing existing business processes, and cost
reduction. Chau concludes that the benefits derived from e-commerce increase if the firm makes
complementary changes in organizational structure and processes.
Center to Bridge the Digital Divide. 2006. "e-Work Case Studies." Washington State
University, Pullman, WA,
http://cbdd.wsu.edu/projects/rural/ruralbridges/casestudies.html
The Washington State University Center to Bridge the Digital Divide (CBDD) provides 27 case
studies of Washington businesses that (a) offer information and communication technologies and
services or (b) use e-commerce as a critical component of their business strategy. The CBDD
website includes a brief introduction to each business and a link to a one-page overview that
presents the business' history, products and services, uses and applications of ICT and e-
commerce, and plans for the future. The case studies on the website and their business types are
listed below.
HomeMovie.com (Winthrop, WA)
Preserving videos on DVD
Call Centers 24 x 7 (Port Angeles, WA)
Call Center and Business Solutions
Capacity Provisions, Inc. (Port Angeles, WA)
High Speed Communication
IBM (Curlew, WA)

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Remote Specialist
eAcceleration (Poulsbo, WA)
Internet Security Products & Services
Mobilisa, Inc. (Port Townsend, WA)
Mobile & Wireless Software Development
NCTeleserve (Winthrop, WA)
Call Center
RFTrax (Allyn, WA)
Shipping Container Tracking Sensors
Magna Force, Inc. (Port Angeles, WA)
R&D for New Technologies
TechTell, Inc. (Satsop, WA)
Robust Outsourced Network Monitoring
Athey Consulting Services (Ritzville, WA)
Indoor Air Quality Consultation
Earth and Sky Studios (Twisp, WA)
Web Design and Development Marketing
Earthwork Services (Cosmopolis, WA)
Computer-aided Earthwork Analysis
James & Associates of the Northwest, LLC (Ritzville, WA)
Collection Agency
Kitsap Payroll Services (Poulsbo, WA)
Payroll Services
Leffel, Otis & Warwick, P.S. (Davenport, WA)
Accounting Firm
Language Line Services (Forks, WA)
Over-The-Phone Language Interpretation
Olympic Graphic Arts (Forks, WA)
Turn-key Printing Solutions, Office & Art Supplies
TextPRO Business Writing Services (Sekiu, WA)

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Business Writing Services
Inspired University (Oroville, WA)
Professional and Personal Development Training
Department of Social and Health Services (Forks, WA)
Washington State Agency
Washington Dental Service (Colville, WA)
Dental Insurance
Western Washington Rural Healthcare Collaborative (Olympic Peninsula)
Rural Health Care
Benbrook & Associates (Cathlamet, WA)
Consultancy
Kagele's Kache (Ritzville, WA)
eBay Business
Larry Burtness (Forks, WA)
Technology Entrepreneur
Dennis Company (Raymond, WA)
Hardware/Home Center & Variety
Access eCommerce. 2003. "E-Commerce Case Studies of Entrepreneur Use of the
Internet." Access eInfo, University of Minnesota, St Paul
http://www.accesse.info/CaseStudies
Access E.info is an educational outreach program of the University of Minnesota Cooperative
Extension Service that helps communities become better informed regarding ICT, the Internet,
and opportunities for using these resources in commerce, government and nonprofits. One
component of Access E.info is Access eCommerce, an educational program that "…helps small
businesses use e-commerce more effectively, encourages business growth or start-ups, and helps
businesses participate in the global economy." The Access e-commerce website includes 15 case
studies of Minnesota entrepreneurs that use the Internet in their businesses. The case studies are
based on phone interviews conducted by University of Minnesota graduate students. The studies
are three to five pages in length and generally provide a history and description of the business,
uses and impacts of e-commerce in the business, challenges in implementing an e-commerce
strategy, keys to success, and plans for the future. The case studies included on this website are
listed below.
Pro-Trainer (Alexandria, MN)
Design and Manufacture Containers for Recycling Industry

9
Rolco Inc. (Kasota, MN)
Custom Thermoplastic Molding.
RBJ's Restaurant (Crookston, MN)
Spreadable Fruit, Syrup, Whipped Honey, Jellies, Recipes
Sawbill Canoe Outfitters (Tofte, MN)
Canoe Rentals, Outfitting, and Trip Planning
Phillip Drown Companies (Morris, MN)
Consulting and Professional Writing Services
Midwest Wireless (Mankato, MNN)
High Speed Wireless Internet Services, Cellular Phones
Turtle Island Communications (Brooklyn Park, MN)
American Indian Owned Telecommunication Consulting and Engineering Company.
Hunt Utilities Group LLC (Pine River, MN)
Developing Systems that Support Ecological Living
Wildrose Farm Organics (Minneapolis, MN)
Organic Cotton Clothing and Recycled Fiber and Organic Cotton Rugs.
Tri County Hospital (Wadena County, MN)
Private, not-for-profit Health Care Corporation
Todd County e-Mall (Todd County, MN)
Web Store for Artisans of Central Minnesota
Andrej's European Pastry (Chisolm, MN)
Bakery specializing in Czechoslovakian Potica
EdVisions Cooperative (Henderson, MN)
Design and Implement Programs to Create and Sustain Great Small Schools
Helios Nutrition Ltd. (Sauk Centre, MN)
Organic Beverage ("Kefir") Targeting Health Conscious Consumers
Rural America Arts Partnership (Plainview, MN)
Nonprofit Community Arts Initiative

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Department of State Development, Queensland Government. 2007. "E-Commerce Case
Studies." The State of Queensland, Australia
http://www.dtrdi.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v3/guis/templates/content/gui_cue_menu.cfm?id=4538
The Queensland Government Department of State Development offers an excellent collection of
e-commerce case studies on its website. These studies include virtual and storefront businesses
located in both urban and rural locations. The case studies generally are organized to provide an
overview of the business, to present the challenges faced by the business (e.g., expand markets,
manage the supply chain), and the e-commerce or e-business solution to the challenge, and to
show how to plan for the future. Thirty-five case studies are presented on the website.
AEMS Queensland (Electronics Manufacturing Services)
Aquarius Filter Systems (Water Purification and Sanitation System)
ATA Holidays (Travel Agency)
Australian Fresh (Packing and Selling Live Seafood)
Brizcomm (Consulting and Training in Online Content)
Doree Embroidery (Embroidery Image Generation and Final Machinery)
Earthtech Consultants (Soil Testing and Eco-site Engineering)
eMOC (Electronic Products Supplier)
ePharmacy (on-line Pharmacy)
Fishing Cairns (Anglers Guide to Fishing the North Queensland Coast)
Gilletts Jewellers (Retail Jewelry Store)
Grocer-Ease (Personalized Fruit and Vegetable Orders)
Jack Purcell Meats (Wholesale and Retail Meats)
Jadin Pharmacy Group (Retail Pharmacy)
JWP Engineering (Water, Sewer, Road, and Drainage Engineering)
KH Distribution (Distributor of Computer Peripherals)
Longreach Bush Tucker (Growing and Supplying Bush Foods and Native Foods)
Miscamble Bros (Supplier of Hardware and Rural Products)
Nerada Tea (Supplier of North Queensland-Grown Tea)
North Surveys (Survey Consultancy Business)
O'Brien Milling (Flour and Specialist Baking Mixes)
Orli-Tech (e-Business Software Development)
Oxford Property Group (Residential Real Estate Agency)

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Portmann Events (Event Management Solution Consultancy)
Prime Developments (Developer of Land and Industrial and Commercial Buildings)
PrimeMovers NQ (Truck and Machinery Company)
QMW Industries (Manufacture Safety Cages for Heavy Machinery)
Queensland University Bookshop (Campus Bookstore)
Saville's Meats (Chain of Retail Butcher Shops)
Sport Supply (Sporting Goods Company)
The Nut Farmer (Growing and Selling Macadamia Nuts)
Toombul Music (Retail Music Store)
Vegweb (Wholesale Marketing for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables)
Zandella (Distributes and Retails Essential Oils and Skin Creams)
Papandrea, F. and M. Wade. 2000. E-commerce in Rural Areas: Case Studies. Rural
Industries Research and Development Corporation, RIRDC Publication No. 00/185,
RIRDC Project No. UCA-SA, Kingston, Australia
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HCC/00-185sum.html
Papandrea and Wade provide the most thorough case study analysis of e-commerce in rural
areas. The principal objective of the research is to highlight "practical and successful adoption
of e-commerce practices" in rural areas of Australia. Twenty-two businesses are selected for
detailed evaluation and follow up, and each case study summarizes the firm's background, e-
commerce activities, main benefits, and website development. The paper includes an extensive
discussion of lessons learned from the interviewed businesses. For example, the rural businesses
use the Internet for a variety of activities including communication, research, banking, product
promotion, sales, document delivery, and supply chain management. The websites are
established to complement existing businesses in most of the firms with only a small number of
business opportunities generated by the Internet. The authors note that only a few firms report a
significant increase in revenues attributable to on-line sales. Principal benefits cited are creating
an international presence, establishing contact with prospective customers, and cost savings in
document and information delivery. The businesses in the case studies are listed below.
Olives Australia (Grantham, Qld)
Olive Trees and Associated Products
Reynolds Winery (Wybong, NSW)
Wine
Easyorchids (Woodburn, NSW)
Orchids and Eco-tourism
Toorallie (Bombala, NSW and Canberra, ACT)

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Wool Grower and Knitwear Manufacturer
McMahon Global Foods (Gordon, Vic)
Dairy Products
E-Wool (Adelaide, SA)
Electronic Wool Market
Agdealer (Sydney, NSW)
Electronic Grain and Agricultural Products Market
Freshport/BGF (Sydney, NSW)
Electronic Business Hub
Argent Agribusiness Services (Bowraville, NSW)
Grower and Supplier of Tea Tree Seeds and Seedlings
Bunny Bite Farms (Boonah, Qld)
Grower of Carrots and Vegetables
Calm Services (Sydney, NSW)
Online Auction for Livestock Marketing
Doonkuna Winery (Murrumbateman, NSW)
Wine
Hidden Valley Plantations (Beerwah, Qld)
Macadamia Nuts Grower
King Island Dairy (Richmond North, Vic)
Manufacturer, Marketer, and Distributor of Cheese
Main Camp Tea Tree Oil (Ballina, NSW)
Bulk Tea Tree Oil and Tea Tree Based Materials
Majestic Marino (Via Denmark, WA)
Wool Yarns and Other Wool Products
Pacific Seeds (Toowoomba, Qld)
Seed Research, Production, Marketing, and Distribution
Petals Network (Armidale, NSW)
Clearinghouse Service Operation for Florists
Tartrus Braham Stud (Marlborough, Qld)

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Commercial Brahman Breeders
Wamuran Co-operative Ltd. (Wamuran, Qld)
Agricultural Input Supplier
Warrnambool Orchids (Warrnambool, Vic)
Plant Nursery Specializing in Orchids
Wesfarmers Dalgety Online Store (Sydney, NSW)
Rural Services Company (Wood and Livestock Broking, Rural Merchandise, Fertilizer
Distribution, Finance, Insurance)
E-COMMERCE CASE STUDIES PUBLISHED BY PRIVATE ICT
SERVICE PROVIDERS
The following case studies were completed by private service providers to demonstrate
how their services might be useful to business owners interested in ICT services. As such, they
should be viewed as illustrative of the development of e-commerce capabilities by businesses
and not as objective case study analysis of the experience of e-commerce businesses.
Lone-Eagle Consulting. 2006. "E-Commerce Success Stores of Idaho."
http://lone-eagles.com/idaho-E-successes.htm
Lone-Eagle Consulting (Dillon, MT) provides Internet training guides, resources, and courses for
individuals/businesses/organizations desiring to enhance their resources and skills. An ongoing
collection of Idaho e-commerce success stories is funded by the USDA through the Rural
Development Council of Idaho. These success stories are maintained and updated on the Lone
Eagle website. The success stories are very brief, often consisting of only a one or two sentence
description of the business. Website addresses are provided for approximately 25 success
stories, thus the interested reader may obtain additional details on the business. The Lone Eagles
website also includes four success stories shared by the Idaho Virtual Incubator (IVI), a service
provider that assists businesses develop websites. Brief (one to two paragraphs) testimonials to
the services of IVI are provided by four businesses: New Pioneer Log Homes,
EverydayBucks.com, Clearwater Country Cakes, and AAA Precision Tool and Cutter Grinding.
Authorize.net. 2007. "Case Studies." http://www.authorize.net/resources/casestudies/
Authorize.net, a service of Lightbridge, Inc., manages the submission of payment transactions
(credit cards and electronic checks) to the processing network on behalf of its merchant
customers. Authorize.net provides seven case studies of businesses that use the company's
services (e.g., Check.net, fraud detection, automatic recurring billing, mobile payment solutions,
and virtual point of sale payments). Each case study describes the business, the challenge or
problem, the solution provided by Authorized.net, and the results. Businesses on the
Authorize.net website are listed below.

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Northwest Rural Electric (Cambridge Springs, PA)
Electric Transmissions Company
Sunflower Wrestling (Des Moines, IA)
Retail Supplier of Athletic Shoes and Gear
Pattern Review.com (American Fork, UT)
On-line Forum for Discussions and Reviews of Sewing Patterns, Techniques, and Machinery
plus On-Line Instructional Classes
PressReady Marketing (South Hero, VT)
Advertising and Design Agency
Orem Owlz (Orem, UT)
Minor League Baseball Team
Showcase Business Centers (Torrence, CA)
Pay-per-use Business Service Centers for Luxury Hotels
Thomas Baker (Bainbridge Island, WA)
Online Retailer of Premium Teak Patio Furniture
Vinyl Renaissance (Shawnee, KS)
Online Distributor of LP Records
Channel Advisors. 2007. "Case Studies"
http://www.channeladvisor.com/products/stores/case_studies.html
Channel Advisors (formerly Marketworks) is a technology and marketing services company that
assists businesses to implement a multi-channel online business. Services include web design,
search marketing, and educational and training programs. The principal goal of Channel
Advisors is to maximize exposure for its clients' products through marketplaces (e.g., eBay,
Yahoo); web stores; search engines (e.g., Google, MSN); and comparison sites (e.g., Shopzilla,
NexTag). Channel Advisors provides case studies of select businesses that use their services.
Each study includes company background, business challenge, and results from using their
services.
Bitwiselogic. 2006. "Portfolio and Case Studies."
http://www.bitwiselogic.com/Portfolio/Portfolio.aspx
Bitwise Logic is an information technology service provider that focuses on website design and
development, enhancing e-commerce capabilities, and providing database solutions and search
engine services. Bitwise Logic's goal is to increase the efficiency and profitability of e-
commerce businesses. The Bitwise Logic website includes seven case studies of firms that use

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their services. Each case study presents a short introduction to the client firm, the project
objectives and solutions, and a list of services acquired from Bitwise Logic.
The Design Doctors
Interior Design Company
ListedLocal.com
Free Classified Ads to Members of Local Communities throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin
Wiring Harness Manufacturers Association
Association of 150 Industry Manufacturers, Assemblers, and Suppliers
Fantasy Football Commish
Online Fantasy Football League Management Service
Scholarship Learning Company
Educational Programs for Parents and College Students Seeking Scholarships
Nesbit Agencies
Independent Insurance Broker
Fleet Advisors
Management and Administration of Fleets of Vehicles
Orchard Village
Real Estate Development
CONCLUSION
While this Literature Review has identified a body of research that provides insights into
the use of e-commerce by rural businesses, three deficiencies in the literature are apparent. One,
there are relatively few thorough case studies of rural businesses actively using e-commerce in a
variety of ways. Given the diverse ways in which businesses use the Internet as part of their
overall business strategy, expanding the case study literature to include more diverse rural case
studies would be advantageous. Two, given the diversity that exists in the literature in terms of
the type and quality of case studies, a curriculum guide to using e-commerce case studies as part
of extension or other training programs would be useful. Finally, solid examples of case studies
that deliver information necessary to accelerate the adoption of useful e-commerce strategies and
to decrease the occurrence and magnitude of mistakes are needed to support additional applied
research on strategic e-commerce adoption by rural businesses.

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OTHER REPORTS IN THIS SERIES
This report is one of four produced as part of this project. Others in the series include:
David L. Barkley, Deborah M. Markley and R. David Lamie, E-COMMERCE AS A
BUSINESS STRATEGY: LESSONS LEARNED FROM CASE STUDIES OF RURAL AND
SMALL TOWN BUSINESSES, October 2007.
Deborah M. Markley, David L. Barkley and R. David Lamie, CASE STUDIES OF E-
COMMERCE ACTIVITY IN RURAL AND SMALL TOWN BUSINESSES, October 2007.
R. David Lamie, Deborah M. Markley and David L. Barkley, E-COMMERCE CASE
STUDIES GUIDEBOOK AND PROGRAM DELIVERY MANUAL, October 2007.