Online Shopping in Thailand Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Online Shopping in Thailand - Research Proposal Example Therefore it has become necessary to conceptualize a online shopping mode that suits the Thai culture and satisfies most of the needs of the consumers. The present study intends to do so through quantitative methodology by undertaking survey through questionnaires and perform parallel research so as to collect information regarding their problems and requirements in the online shopping that may encourage them to make online purchases. The collected data further will be compiled and analyzed in tabulated format to arrive at a formidable conclusion and recommendations for conceptualizing online shopping in Thailand. The use of internet has increased to such an extent that most of the activities are performed online. Ho and Wu (1999) mentioned that the World Wide Web (WWW) users have been multiplying rapidly and have widely spread into all walks of life.1 Hsi -Jui Wu and Li (n.d.) also mentions that the progress and popularization of information technology and internet has led to enormous growth in the global ecommerce market. It is further stated that volume of B2C e-commerce sales will increase 23.3% annually in Asia Pacific Region and will reach $16.87 billion in 2011. Countries like Japan and Korea, who are having experience in B2C ecommerce markets, are facing stiff challenges from developing countries like India, China, Thailand, the Philippines and Malaysia.2 Orton and Windham (2000) pointed out that Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan are the broad regions in Asia and the Pacific where 94 percent of the online sales are through Japan, Korea and Australia which suggests that the people in the other parts are not so user friendly and do not trust in online shopping.3 According to National Statistical Office, there were about 928,000 computers in use in Thai households during 2001 which is equivalent to 5.75 computers per 100 households and it was also found that there were an about 3.54 million internet user which is 3.83 times the number of computer owners which means that most users access internet through homes, offices, caf, etc.4 Laosethakul and Boulton (2005) stated that Thailand with a population of 66 million had seen a steady growth in the number of internet users from 4.8 million in 2002 to 7 million in 2004 which propelled the volume of ecommerce sales in Thailand to US$ 500 million in 2003 and US $750 million in 2004. However, the Thailand Internet User Profile 2004 Survey reported top four reasons stopping the consumers to shop online which were the trust as they cannot see/feel the products, distrust for online merchandisers, unwillingness to reveal the details of credit card, and slow processes along with computer viruses and slow internet speed.5 So in future any companies planning to develop an online shopping portal for the Thai consumers, the above problems need to be addressed. Laosethakul et al (2007) states that Thai consumers are still practicing the traditional shopping due its convenience associated