Abstract

Although small local retailers have been increasingly adopting e-channels, survey-based studies on this industry sector are relatively rare. This paper examines the effect of an IT resource on e-channel performance in small brick-and-click retailers. The research model includes both the direct and indirect effects of e-IT competence on e-channel performance. Empirical data gathered from 147 North American florists who use a website as an e-channel verify these mediation effects. The results show that the direct effect of e-IT competence on e-channel performance is significant in the absence of the mediators but is eliminated by introducing mediators, which demonstrates a true mediation mechanism. The findings of this research provide important implications for managing an e-retail system, particularly for small retailers with limited resources.

摘要

尽管本地小型零售商越来越多地采用电子渠道，但对该行业的调查研究相对较少。本文研究了 IT 资源对小型实体零售商的电子渠道绩效的影响。该研究模型包括电子信息技术能力对电子渠道绩效的直接和间接影响。从使用网站作为电子渠道的 147 家北美花店收集的经验数据验证了这些中介效应。结果表明，在没有中介的情况下，e-IT 能力对电子渠道绩效的直接影响是显着的，但通过引入中介会消除，这证明了真正的中介机制。这项研究的结果为管理电子零售系统提供了重要的启示，特别是对于资源有限的小型零售商。