A Theoretical Evaluation of the Internet's Potential as a Shopping Channel

The use of the Internet as a shopping channel is becoming very important in the world of business. Marketers are incorporating the online channel to their set of traditional offline channels to reach new customers and improve the services offered to current ones. Consumers are discovering the Internet's possibilities and are starting to shop outside the physical world.From a theoretical approach, this paper presents a critical review of the Internet as a shopping channel by comparing its characteristics and feasibilities to market products with those of traditional stores. This allows determining the unique characteristics of the online channel and how these features affect who shop online and their behavior. The profile of the typical online shopper is analyzed in terms of the shopper's demographic characteristics, personality traits, and experience with and attitude towards the Internet.In addition, the paper includes an empirical application to a Spanish grocery retailer that provides support to some of the theoretical arguments discussed