BUSN20016 Project: Analyzing E-commerce Impact on Australian Business

This report explores the impact of e-commerce on the Australian business landscape, addressing the perceptions of Australian consumers towards online businesses. It begins with an introduction to the e-commerce trend, followed by a problem statement highlighting the lack of intent for e-commerce among Australian consumers, who show a preference for traditional business models. The research aims to understand why Australian customers are not as fond of e-commerce, outlining objectives such as exploring the e-commerce industry's growth, identifying reasons for the lack of preference for online products, and assessing strategies to increase online sales. The methodology includes a literature review and the use of both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, such as questionnaires and graphical analysis, to compare past and present information, ultimately aiming to provide insights for policy formulation and strategic success in the e-commerce sector.

Running head: BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Business research methodology
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author Note:

2
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Table of Contents
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Brief statement of the problem........................................................................................................4
Research Aims and Objectives........................................................................................................5
Brief Methodology...........................................................................................................................5
Literature Review............................................................................................................................5
References........................................................................................................................................7

3
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Introduction
E-Commerce is one of the most emerging trends that is currently taking over the business
world. The following business type is slowly expanding itself to the length and breadth of the
globe and large retail chains are slowly being reduced to just 10% of the market share in the
whole world. The following study has tried to figure out the perceptions of the people of
Australia on the entry of the e-commerce companies in their homeland. The study begins with an
introductory part followed by a brief overview of the problem statements related to the following
research. The aims and objectives of the research have also been discussed by the researcher.
The research ends with a brief but compact methodology section that has described the methods
used in the following research.
The Asia-Pacific Region has experienced an online boom in the last decade particularly in e-
commerce. Study shows that the largest online industry is confined to this particular part of the
world and a high level of growth in the Australian e-commerce market has a great contribution to
such factor. According to a survey conducted by an online news agency, the online market in the
island continent will increase to a whooping AU$32 billion from AU$26 billion in the coming
years. The Australian people generally buys electronics, fashion accessories, alcohol, Foods and
other beverages online (Kelsey, 2017). There are many retail stores in the market that have
transferred their business to online and have been successful to sustain themselves in the market.
The e-commerce industry made a late entry into the country and since then the country has seen
a rise in both the number of industries as well as seen many retail businesses change to online
business.

4
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Brief statement of the problem
E-Commerce is the latest trend of marketing which reduces time, money and labor in
obtaining products and services. The emergence of the online marketing has been a revolution
for the industry as it has made the functioning of the marketing and promotion of the products in
the country much smoother in nature. However the main problem with the spread of e-commerce
is the lack of intent for e-commerce among the Australian consumers. It is quite strange to hear
such a fact but the reality is that Australian consumers have a stark liking for the traditional
sources of business models and are indifferent to the innovative business perspectives that the
online model provides them (Ledbury, 2015).
The research has come up with a number of different ideas which may be the cause of
such a choice. First and foremost companies such as Woolworths have a great reputation in the
Australian market. The company is the largest retail store in Australia and sells almost
everything that is needed by the people (Turban et al. 2017). The company has also established
stores across the length and breadth of the country which makes accessible to most of the
population of the country. This has turned out to be on the main reasons for the less interest
among the Australians towards the e-commerce sector. Another main reason for the
establishment of the industry is the poor services it provides. There have been many cases in the
past where the E-Commerce Companies have failed to deliver the right products or have failed to
deliver products on time. This has turned out to be one of the negative factors against the
Companies. Therefore it is important for the e-commerce companies to formulate a robust and
dynamic marketing policy for gaining success in the future (Gordon, 2014).

5
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research Aims and Objectives
The aim of the following project is to contribute to the knowledge on why the Australian
customers are not fond of e-commerce and what is their current perception on the new business
trend. The aim of the project itself defines the idea of what the research aims to address. The
research also has a number of different objectives. They are as follows;
1. Explore the e-commerce industry in Australia
2. Explore the growth of the e-commerce industry in Australia
3. Explore the reasons on why the people of Australia does not prefer to buy online products
4. Identification of the strategies used by the e-commerce industries in Australia
5. Identify and explore the main strategies that can be taken to increase the online sales in
the country
Brief Methodology
Literature Review
The following study has aimed to determine the exact reasons behind the negative growth
of the Australian E-Commerce industry. The report will be using both primary as well as
secondary data for collecting the data and reaching to the conclusion of the report. The main
needs of considering both forms of data are that it helps to analyze the past information and
compare them with the present one.
Qualitative Approach- In this particular approach questionnaire and forms will be provided to
the participants of the sample survey and then the information collected will be analyzed in a
proper basis.

6
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Quantitative Approach- The collected data will be transformed into graphical forms using pie
charts, graphs which will help to determine the current percentage of people in favor of E-
Commerce in the country and the people who are against them. Both the data sources can also be
compared by using different comparison charts and diagrams.

7
BUSINESS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
References
Ahsan, K., & Rahman, S. (2016). An investigation into critical service determinants of customer
to business (C2B) type product returns in retail firms. International Journal of Physical
Distribution & Logistics Management, 46(6/7), 606-633.
Gordon, B. (2014). Acceptance by conduct in ecommerce transactions in Australia. Commercial
Law Quarterly: The Journal of the Commercial Law Association of Australia, 28(2), 3.
Kelsey, J. (2017). The Risks for ASEAN of New Mega-Agreements that Promote the Wrong
Model of e-Commerce.
Ledbury, S. (2015). Smart supply chain solutions for ecommerce distribution. MHD Supply
Chain Solutions, 45(3), 26.
Perera, T., & Reddy, W. (2017). Improving Australian Commercial Property Market Forecasting
by Mapping Structural Changes in Built Environment. In AUBEA 2017 (pp. 87-100).
Australasian Universities Building Education Association.
Sohaib, O., & Kang, K. (2016). Assessing Web Content Accessibility of E-Commerce Websites
for People with Disabilities.
Turban, E., Outland, J., King, D., Lee, J. K., Liang, T. P., & Turban, D. C. (2017). Electronic
Commerce 2018: A Managerial and Social Networks Perspective. Springer.