Entrepreneurial Success and Low-Budget Internet Exposure : The Case of Online-Retailing

Utilization of the Internet as a retailing resourcehas increased in significance in recent years.This exploratory studyseeks a better understanding of the development and impact of low-budgetinternet exposure in order to understand its influence upon retailsuccess. Environmental dynamics, online competitiveness, and the cycle of Internetexposures are utilized as a means of examining whether small retailers can besuccessful with such internet use, and how this internet exposureevolves.A longitudinal case study of a German electronics retailer isemployed, using a semi-structured interview process to obtain data at twopoints in time.The advantages and disadvantages of utilizing a low-budgetonline advertising campaign are discussed; the motives behind and the impact ofmodifications implemented between 2000 and 2004 are also described.Eachof the propositions is analyzed based on the collected longitudinaldata. Based on the data, the findings indicate support for bothpropositions.The firm's processes and Internet marketing develop incorrespondence to the firm's evolution; low-budget Internet exposure appears toresult in successful performance if the entrepreneur has relevant industryexperience needed to manage the complications that may develop. Based on theimplications of this research, areas of future researched are proposed,including the utilization of quantitative research to examine this topicfurther. (AKP)