| dc.description.abstract | Since the Internet was born in 1989, human life has become more and more inseparable from it. In less than 30 years, it has overthrown people′s habit of communications, learning, consumer shopping, payment and leisure. Before the web came to rise, traditional distributors had always been the main channel of sales for various merchandise, and their physical access has always occupied the full advantage of experiential consumption.
However, with the rise of online shopping and the innovation of the retail model, a virtual shopping space comes into view, which opens 24/7 all year round and allows customers to shop without stepping out the room. In terms of suppliers, there is no longer limits of space and time. On the clients’ side, they save time and transportation costs. Furthermore, they can enjoy services and goods provided at a more reasonable price as a result of the reduction of intermediaries and channel costs. At this point, the importance of traditional physical distribution has drastically reduced. The advent of the digital technology era, with rapid increase in the number of smart phones and speed of mobile data, has made O2O (Online to Offline) and its seamless integration of online and offline marketing models the trend. Timberland, as a good example, runs stores offline in major department stores, outlets. At the same time, it also operates online on its own website and app, along with sales on Yahoo Super Mall. Online and offline are no longer two parallel market channels, but they are combined as one innovative business model. The model, through technology integration, provides consumers with the best shopping experience in both virtual space and physical storefronts.
The results of this study show that the development of online shopping platforms by brand owners has long been a matter of no delay. A company’s success lays in the ability of finding the most suitable product and the correct strategy for this new and rapidly-changing virtual business environment. The research proposes to corporations that to set up a dedicated e-commerce department is a top priority. At the same time, companies must establish a correct online and offline integration business model, and more clearly define the brand, product, and price in both physical access and network access, to avoid conflict between virtual and physical retailing. We hope that result of this research can provide as future developing reference for brands that have developed to a certain extent but have not yet established an online shopping platform. | en_US |