A Research Report on Customer Loyalty, Online Shopping, and Ebay

This report presents a comprehensive research project investigating the impact of online shopping on customer loyalty, with a specific focus on recommendations for companies like Ebay. The research explores the significance of online presence, the importance of customer service, and the role of payment methods like net banking in fostering customer loyalty. The student reflects on the research methodologies employed, including qualitative methods, descriptive research design, and survey data collection, highlighting the benefits and challenges encountered. Furthermore, the report provides an analysis of alternative research methodologies, such as quantitative methods, positivism philosophy, and experimental research designs, suggesting potential improvements and lessons learned. The conclusion emphasizes the positive relationship between online shopping and customer loyalty, underscoring the need for businesses to establish a strong online presence to enhance customer satisfaction, increase sales, and build brand image. The report also highlights the importance of providing diverse product options, easy payment methods, and responsive customer service to build and maintain customer loyalty in the competitive e-commerce landscape. References are included to support the research and findings.

RESEARCH PROJECT

TABLE OF CONTENTS
P.5 Communicate the research outcomes in an appropriate manner..........................................1
P.6 Reflection on the effectiveness of research methods applied for meeting the objectives of
business research project.............................................................................................................1
P.7. Alternate research methodologies and lessons learnt in the view of outcomes...................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................5
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

P.5 Communicate the research outcomes in an appropriate manner.
From the above analysis conducted by researcher and researcher has identified the
outcomes of the research in a systematic and designated manner to Ebay company for building
loyal customers through online presence of the company.
Here are the recommendations:
Researcher recommended that Ebay company should focus on building its presence on
online platform it is because customers are now getting highly attracted through online shopping.
In addition to this, online shopping from customer increases the sales, building brand image and
increases customer base of the company.
Further, researcher also suggested that, Ebay should have special staff members who
handle the website and pages of the company as it is very important because if proper online
system is not manages it affects negatively to the customers (Bilgihan, 2016). To maintain the
popularity of Ebay, managers should be aware in giving response to the customers as soon as
possible.
Moreover, scholar also suggested that net banking is also becoming one of the most
preferable online payment methods of customer nowadays, so Ebay should also provide net
banking to its customers in order to build customer loyalty.
Researcher has also recommended Ebay to provide easy and reasonable prices and
provide ore varieties to customers in order to build customer loyalty.
P.6 Reflection on the effectiveness of research methods applied for meeting the objectives of
business research project.
While I have completed a number of research projects during my studies but this research
is one of the best ones ever. From the above research project, I have got excellent opportunities
to acquire knowledge and understanding of conducting research or study on particular topic. The
topic of the research is very interesting and it is current issues of the companies- to investigate
the effect of online shopping on customer loyalty (Voss and et.al., 2016). Customer loyalty is
now become very important for all the companies because of high competition in the market
place. However, from this research, I have learned the significance of customer loyalty for the
success and survival of the companies. Further, I have also learned and understand the concept
of online shopping by conducting research on electronic commerce in which a customer is able
to buy the products and services online with the help of a browser and application. The trend of
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online shopping has increased in a number of years globally. Moreover, I gave also learned about
the impact of online shopping on customer loyalty and from the survey, the impact tends to have
positive impact on the customers. I have found the online shopping is very interesting topic for
me as I have get information about the recent rends in the market.
In conducting the research, I have prepared the aims and objectives of the research which
is one of the most significant part of the study because the who study roam around it. I have
found some difficulties in formulating aims and objectives to narrow our focus. But I have take
guidance from my tutor and peers and prepared them effectively. On the basis of research
objectives, I have prepared the research questions. Further, I have also collected information
from secondary research for writing literature review section and I have found that it is one of
the best interesting part as I have acquired lots of information about the online shopping and its
impact on customer loyalty. I have collected information from internet and make them critics
with some authors. Knowledge plays an important role in solving any type of issues whether it is
research issues or any other (Izogo and Jayawardhena, 2018). Thus, from collecting information
through secondary sources I have gained deep knowledge about the research topic.
In addition to these, the most crucial part of the research or we can say backbone of the
study is one of the strongest part of the study is Research methodologies. In the beginning, I have
found the selection of research methodologies to be a very challenging part but after evaluating
one by one, this section becomes one of the interesting part. The outcomes of the research is
based on the methods selected by the researcher in data collection, analysis and its evaluation. In
comparison to all the research part, research methodologies is one of the most valuable part of
my studies and future career. By selecting the most suitable and appropriate part of the research,
I have developed a good decision making. Firstly, I have decided to carry the entire study by
using qualitative methods as it seems more better and simple way to reach the objectives of the
research as well as to solve the research questions in a logical and reasoning way. Qualitative
analysis also study the research in more deeply so from this I have get to know the research more
deeply. Further, I have also understood the descriptive research design as with this I have
presented the data in a logical manner. I have found more descriptive research design more
effective as it is suitable for the qualitative research methods and by applying I have carried out
conclusion more effectively.
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Moreover, I have conducted survey to collect the real information as I feel only
secondary information is not enough to solve the research questions as well as to reach end
conclusion. I have also used Interpretivism philosophy as my sample size is small and by
applying this philosophy I can evaluate the outcomes more deeply. Further, I have conducted
from the 30 respondents is one of the amazing part of the study and I truly say I have enjoyed
this process. I have gained the deep understanding and knowledge about the views and opinion
of participants on online shopping. The survey I have conducted is done by a systematic
procedure and techniques and I am very confident that the information collected is free from any
personal bias and interest. Thus, my data collection process is very effective and interesting as I
information collected from both the methods are very useful and effective for my entire research.
From the secondary sources, I have collected information which includes books,
magazines and journals will be used to get suitable information over an impact of online
shopping on customer loyalty (Carlson, O’Cass and Ahrholdt, 2015). On the other hand, on the
basis of survey, I have prepared themes for presenting the responders of the responders and from
that tables I have prepared the tables to present the data in more defined manner. Additionally, I
have abided all the norms and standards of the research after and during the study in order to
maintain the viability and reliability of the research. I have learned from research ethics that if
these are not considered in the research than research conducted in useless and meaningless for
users and readers. Research ethics are also one of the most crucial part of research
methodologies. It is because it helps in maintaining the research viability and authenticity.
Thus, this entire research has been the most valuable part of my career. I believe the skills
and knowledge I have gained through this research will carry ion into any filed I wish to pursue
in my graduate or professional career. I am very confident that I can carry out further more
research on any topics. Moreover, from this research, now I am feeling highly excited to
prepared and write a graduate thesis in the upcoming years.
P.7. Alternate research methodologies and lessons learnt in the view of outcomes.
Research Methodologies Current Methodologies Alternative Methodologies
Research Methods
Qualitative/ Quantitative
Qualitative Quantitative
Research Design Descriptive Experimental
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Descriptive, Experimental/
exploratory
Data Collection
Primary and Secondary
Primary via Survey through
Questionnaire
Primary via Interview through
checklist
Data Analysis
Qualitative/Quantitative
Qualitative through thematic
analysis
Quantitative through
descriptive analysis tools like
SPPS or Spread sheet.
Research methodologies are the process and techniques that is used to collect the
information for the purpose of making the business decisions. The methodology may include
interview, publication research, survey and other techniques as well as it may include both
present and historical information (Emerson, 2015). Researcher has selected various research
methods to conduct the research as well as to collect the data or information for the study and
scholar has successfully solved the research problems and achieve the aim & objectives of the
research. But researcher can use some alternative research methodologies to achieve more better
outcomes. Firstly researcher has taken qualitative research as research methods to begin the
study. Researcher can take quantitative methods as by this method research can get more reliable
and valid outcomes because it establishes cause and effect relationship (In and Posner, 2015).
The research which is conducted by using quantitative methods and the result are very less
arguable as compared to qualitative methods because qualitative techniques are not based on
observation and are less quantifiable. However, the methods without quantifiable features faced
huge argues and questions but quantifiable researcher are free from all these arguments and
question because of cause and effect relationship.
Further, researcher has carried by the study by using Interpretivism philosophy but
researcher can apply positivism philosophy as it relied on quantitative data and it is more
scientific as compare to Interpretivism. Scholar can also study the large sample by applying
positivism philosophy. However, positivism is highly inflexible but still it is said to be highly
structured research. On the other hand, investigator has opted descriptive research design to
carry out the research but for more better outcomes, scholar can also opt experimental research
as through this, researcher can establish cause and effect relationship between online shopping
and customer loyalty. The outcomes can be more realistic. In addition to this, researcher has
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collected the data from survey through questionnaire but researcher can also collect the
information from conducting interview and prepare checklist instead of questionnaire. More deep
information can be collected from interview (Zainuddin and Halili, 2016). On the other hand,
researcher has use qualitative methods for analysing the data but researcher can evaluate the data
by using descriptive analysis tools such as SPSS or spread sheet as it is totally free from personal
interest and bias. Research looks more reliable and authentic by using quantitative analysis of
data.
Thus, by using alternative research methodologies researcher can obtained more realistic
and reliable outcomes of the study.
CONCLUSION
From the above research, it has been concluded that online shopping is one of the best
way to build customer loyalty as there is positive relationship between online shopping and
customer loyalty. The trend of online shopping has raised in a number of years globally and it is
more convenient for customers in comparison to offline or traditional shopping. The expansion
of online shopping has increased a trust among its customers. The reliability of customers
through online shopping has increased. Further, the research also summarised that, online
payment system is also now very important for companies to provide to customers as especially
net banking as customers are highly demanding. Further, the sales, customer based and profit
margin of the companies are also increasing by building online platform in the marketplace.
Research has identified that online platform is not only helping customer but it also helps
employer to develop the business at global level. Moreover, the findings from the research
extracted that if a company is not providing thus service than it would be a huge loss to its
bonding with customers. So, it is very important for businesses to build the online platform and
provide online shopping to customer as it aids in building customer loyalty.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals:
Bilgihan, A., 2016. Gen Y customer loyalty in online shopping: An integrated model of trust,
user experience and branding. Computers in Human Behavior, 61, pp.103-113.
Carlson, J., O’Cass, A. and Ahrholdt, D., 2015. Assessing customers’ perceived value of the
online channel of multichannel retailers: A two country examination. Journal of Retailing
and Consumer Services, 27, pp.90-102.
Emerson, R.W., 2015. Convenience sampling, random sampling, and snowball sampling: How
does sampling affect the validity of research?. Journal of Visual Impairment &
Blindness, 109(2), pp.164-168.
In, H. and Posner, M.C., 2015. Research Gaps in Pancreatic Cancer Research and Comparative
Effectiveness Research Methodologies. In Comparative Effectiveness in Surgical
Oncology (pp. 165-194). Springer, Cham.
Izogo, E.E. and Jayawardhena, C., 2018. Online shopping experience in an emerging e-retailing
market. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 12(2), pp.193-214.
Voss, C and et.al., 2016. Reflections on context in service research. Journal of Service
Management, 27(1), pp.30-36.
Zainuddin, Z. and Halili, S.H., 2016. Flipped classroom research and trends from different fields
of study. The international review of research in open and distributed learning, 17(3).
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