The Influence of E-Commerce on Traditional Retailers Within the Clothing Industry in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

With the current world technological advancement, the emergence of e-commerce has been constant. The constant growth of e-commerce has impacted the traditional retail market. In this study the researcher explains the key components that influence a consumer’s preferred shopping method. This research has found that consumers are influenced by price, variety, access and knowledge of the Internet and convenience when choosing a shopping method. Furthermore, this study found that all participants concluded that e-commerce retailers offer better pricing, a larger variety and is a more convenient method of shopping, therefore prefer to engage in e-commerce shopping. The data collection method used was a semi-structured interview approach. This method enabled the researcher to explore the participants personal opinions and previous experiences which provided the researcher with a deeper understanding of the phenomenon. Recommendations for future researchers were proposed. Researchers can increase the population size and location barrier to gain rigorous data. A further recommendation was made for researchers to study ways in which traditional retailers can expand their business into e-commerce retailing.