Title: Improving B2C business for online store – the case study of agriculture products e-market shop in Taiwan

Authors: Chang-Han Wang; Tzong-Ru Lee; Wen-Shan Lin; Nirote Sinnarong; Agnieszka M. Dadura; Jan-Mou Li

Addresses: Department of Marketing, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Rd., 402 Taichung City, Taiwan ' Department of Marketing, National Chung Hsing University, 250 Kuo Kuang Rd., 402 Taichung City, Taiwan ' Department of Management of Information Systems, National Chiayi University, No. 580 Sin-Min Rd., 600 Chiayi City, Taiwan ' Department of Applied Economics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan ' Institute of Electronic Commerce, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan ' Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, USA

Abstract: In this paper, we propose a framework for continuous improvement of business to consumer applications, especially the customer-oriented marketing mix emphasising the viewpoint of customer. Incorporating strategic guidance together with the customer-oriented marketing mix, the proposed framework suggests identifying latent issues within the purchasing processes first, asking customers’ opinion about the issues and then locating critical concerns of these issues using grey relational analysis. As a consequence of coping with these concerns, the connected processes can be reengineered to increase customers’ satisfaction. This study can be used as a reference by other researchers studying different kind of e-commerce business models as well as by the practitioners who are looking for ways to improve their online marketplaces.

Keywords: online stores; e-markets; Taiwan; electronic markets; internet; world wide web; B2C; business-to-consumer; agriculture; continuous improvement; customer-oriented marketing; marketing mix; strategic guidance; latent issues; purchasing processes; customer opinions; critical concerns; grey relational analysis; connected processes; customer satisfaction; business models; online marketplaces; electronic commerce; e-commerce; Taipei County Farmers Association; farming; Zhen Qin Food Market; services; standards.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSS.2011.043632

International Journal of Services and Standards, 2011 Vol.7 No.2, pp.95 - 118

Published online: 27 Feb 2015 *

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