Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Online distribution channels'

Distribution channel plays an important role in the operation of hotel revenue management (RM), it is a key vehicle that can facilitate effective communication of the whole RM strategy, which helps hotels to accomplish their ultimate goal of revenue maximisation. However, the importance of distribution channel management in hotel revenue management has not received much attention in academic research (Ivanov and Zhechev, 2012), and there is a lack of studies relating to distribution channel selection and optimisation (Guillet and Mohammed, 2015). In addition, with the increasing popularity of the Internet and the rapid development of information technology, online distribution channels have been intensively promoted by hotel companies in the contemporary business environment, and these have been well received by customers (Masiero and Law, 2016). Accordingly, this research is aimed at investigating the functions of hotel online distribution channels (hotel’s own website and OTA websites), and to examine customers booking intention toward each of these two distribution channels. The overall results of the present study could help hotel companies to optimise the utility of their online distribution channels, thus to achieve their ultimate goal of revenue maximisation. In this research, there were three studies were conducted to fulfil the investigation. The first study was a qualitative study with hotel experts, based upon the method of semi-structured interview, which examined the functions of hotel online distribution channels from the organisational perspective. The second study was a qualitative study with hotel customers, based upon the method of focus group interview, which examined the functions of hotel online distribution channels from the customers’ perspective. Thus, the findings could verify whether the functions that were highlighted by the companies were actually approved by the customers. The third study was a quantitative study with hotel customers, based upon the method of survey questionnaire, which provided a further insight into customers’ booking intention toward hotels’ own websites and OTAs respectively. Based upon the qualitative studies with hotel experts and customers, 6 functions of hotel online distribution channels were identified: information, communication, promotion, security, relationship building, and payment. All these identified functions were verified to exist in both hotels’ own websites and online travel agent websites, but some functions might be performed better by one of the distributors than another one. For example, hotels’ own websites provide more detailed information about an individual property, but OTAs offer easy comparisons; hotels’ own websites have better performance in personal communications, while OTAs are good at mass market communications. The results of the quantitative study shown that attitude carried the most weight in explaining the intention of customers to make bookings via hotels’ own websites. Therefore, for the distribution channel of hotels’ own websites, hotel managers need to pay more attention to the factors that contribute to the generation of favourable attitude. In the OTA group of the present study, perceived behavioural control carried the most weight in explaining the intention of customers to make bookings on OTAs, which indicted that perceived behavioural control was the most important determinant that affected the customers who used OTAs to place hotel bookings, and these OTA customers felt confident and in control of using the distribution channel. This research provides the theoretical contribution to the literature. Firstly, by taking into account the issue that distribution channel has been overlooked in the literature of RM and the trend of online distribution channel, this research contributes to the knowledge of online distribution channel in hotel RM literature. Secondly, this research has adopted the perceptions of both hotel-related companies and hotel customers in generating comprehensive knowledge about the functions of hotel online distribution channels. The results of the overall study also offer important implications for hotel companies, which enable them to clearly understand the strengths and weaknesses of their own websites and OTA websites. As a result, they can set up efficient strategies to optimise the utility of both their internal and external online distribution channels, which for the purpose of maximise their total revenue.

Although the airline industry has drastically changed since its deregulation in 1978, publically available sources of data have remained nearly the same. In the U.S., most researchers and decision-makers rely on government data that contains highly aggregated price information (e.g., average quarterly prices). However, aggregate data can hide important market behavior. With the emergence of online distribution channels, there is a new opportunity to model air travel demand using detailed price information. This dissertation uses online prices and seat maps to build a dataset of daily prices and bookings at the flight-level. Several research contributions are made, all related to leveraging online data to better understand airline pricing and product strategies, and how these strategies impact customers, as well as the industry in general. One major contribution is the finding that the recent product debundling trend in the U.S. airline industry has diluted revenues to the U.S. Airport and Airways Trust Fund by at least five percent. Additionally, several new behavioral insights are found for one debundling trend that has been widely adopted by U.S. airlines: seat reservation fees. Customers are found to be between 2 and 3.3 times more likely to purchase premium coach seats (with extra legroom and early boarding privileges) when there are no regular coach window or aisle seats that can be reserved for free, suggesting that the ability of airlines to charge seat fees is strongly tied to load factors. Model results are used to explore optimal seat fees and find that an optimal static fee could increase revenues by 8 percent, whereas optimal dynamic fees could increase revenues by 10.2 percent. Another major contribution is in modeling daily bookings and estimating price elasticities using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression without correcting for price endogeneity and two-stage least squares (2SLS) regression, which corrects for endogeneity. Results highlight the importance of correcting for price endogeneity (which is not often done in air travel applications). In particular, models that do not correct for endogeneity find inelastic demand estimates whereas models that do correct for endogeneity find elastic demand estimates. This is important, as pricing recommendations differ for inelastic and elastic models. A set of instrumental variables are found to pass validity tests and can be used to correct for price endogeneity in future models of daily flight-level demand.

The thesis analyses and evaluates a marketing strategy of the Grandhotel Pupp in comparison with its direct competitor, the Ambassador Grandhotel Narodni dum. The thesis focuses mainly on evaluating the online atributes of the marketing strategy including the online presentation of the hotel on all distribution channels the hotel uses. The main emphasis is put on current trends, because in marketing, these play the crucial role. First part of the thesis defines accommodation services, hospitality business specifics and specifics of marketing in hospitality. Second part evaluates the marketing techniques used on hotel s various distribution chanels. The second part then also compares all the activities used in marketing strategy of both above mentioned hotels.

Both tourism destination marketing and the characteristics of holiday travellers have recently undergone radical changes driven by the rapid progress of computer technology. In particular, the advent of the Internet has had a great impact on holiday travellers as well as on the development of tourism promotion and distribution channel strategies. While holiday travellers benefit from the characteristics of Internet use, for example, unlimited information retrieval, flexible accessibility, and direct interactivity with destination marketing organizations (DMOs), the Internet provides DMOs with the critical factor of an increase in operational costs incurred by running all possible online promotional activities and online distribution channels. This paper attempted to discover which Internet functions are popularly used by existing/potential online travellers or which ones are not by testing the Canberra Tourism & Event Corporation (CTEC) web site. As a result, this research intends to provide CTEC with a way to operate its website cost-effectively, which can also lead to increasing the usage satisfaction of CTEC web visitors. Online travellers visiting the CTEC website were surveyed through non-probability self-selected web survey by using segmentation procedure; two key online travel groups: direct and indirect online access groups. Based on the research methodology, this study has discovered several findings. Firstly, CTEC web visitors preferred to use the CTEC website for the purpose of gathering travel information rather than that of online booking or reservations for travel products on the CTEC website. Secondly, comprehensive travel information tailor-made to online individuals was found to be desirable through interactive online activities, while the multimedia, booking, and comparability function were not significant in helping the CTEC online visitors choose the travel destination. Based on their preferences for particular Internet functions, it is evident that web visitors wish to have comprehensive and tailormade online travel information and interaction with the CTEC. Finally, it was revealed that the demographics of the CTEC web visitors were very similar to Internet users identified by previous researchers. Therefore, this study provides insights into website development strategies.

La numérisation croissante de l’économie bouleverse les canaux de distribution des vendeurs et favorise l’émergence de nouveaux acteurs : les plateformes d’intermédiation. Avec elles, le modèle traditionnel de revente laisse place à un modèle d’agence et crée un terrain fertile à différents cas de restrictions verticales. La numérisation grandissante des marchés pousse les autorités de concurrence à questionner et adapter leur analyse économique des pratiques. Cette thèse se concentre sur l’industrie hôtelière qui fait l’objet de plusieurs cas d’espèces. Les pratiques contractuelles telles que les clauses de parité de prix imposées par les agences de voyages en ligne aux hôteliers ont fait l’objet de nombreuses investigations, principalement en Europe. Le premier chapitre de cette thèse développe un modèle d’estimation structurelle de la demande permettant d’évaluer le degré de substitution entre les canaux de distribution en en ligne d'une chaîne d'hôtels, élément crucial retenu dans la définition des marchés. A l’issue des différents cas de concurrence, les clauses de parité de prix ont partiellement ou totalement été interdites dans plusieurs pays. En réponse, les plateformes d’intermédiation ont développé de nouveaux programmes offrant aux hôteliers une visibilité accrue en l’échange d’une application volontaire de la clause de parité de prix. Le second chapitre de cette thèse étudie l’effet de l’adoption de ce type de programme sur les prix fixés par les hôteliers en différenciant l’effet lié à l’accroissement de la demande, permis par les gains de visibilité, de ceux liés à l’auto-application de la clause et à la hausse des commissions inhérentes au programme. Cette thèse porte également sur le lien entre les agences de voyage en ligne et un autre type de plateforme sur ce marché, les sites de comparaison de prix. Ces derniers promettent aux consommateurs l'affichage des offres les plus compétitives du marché mais les critères utilisés dans les algorithmes de classement font désormais débat. D'autre part, l'intégration verticale des certaines de ces plateformes à de plus grands groupes, en possédant déjà plusieurs, interroge leur impartialité. Le troisième chapitre de cette thèse étudie l’impact de l'intégration de Kayak et plusieurs agences de voyage en ligne (comme Booking.com) au sein du groupe Booking Holding sur les classements des hôtels et des canaux de vente affichés sur le site de comparaison de prix
The growing digitalization of the economy has been disrupting the sellers distribution channels and has been favoring the emergence of new players: intermediation platforms. Meanwhile the traditional resale model gives way to an agency model and creates fertile ground for different cases of vertical restraints. The increasing digitalization of markets therefore pushes competition authorities to question and adapt their economic analysis of practices. This thesis focuses on the hotel industry which has been the subject of several specific cases, especially in Europe. Contractual practices such as price parity clauses imposed by online travel agencies to hotels have been the subject of numerous investigations. The first chapter of this thesis develops a model of structural demand estimation, allowing to assess the degree of substitution between the online distribution channels of a hotel chain, a crucial element in the market definition. Following the various competition cases, price parity clauses were partially or completely prohibited in several countries. In response, the platforms have developed new programs offering hotels an increased visibility in exchange of the voluntary compliance of price parity clauses. The second chapter of this thesis studies the effect of the adoption of this program on the prices set by the hotels separating the effects linked to the demand increase, thanks to visibility gains, from those linked to the clause compliance and fee increase linked to the program. This thesis also deals with the link between online travel agencies and another type of platforms: price comparison websites. The latter promise consumers the display of the most competitive offers on the market but the criteria used in the ranking algorithms are now debated. Moreover, their vertical integration into larger groups, which also have online travel agencies, raises questions about their impartiality. The third chapter studies the impact of the integration of Kayak and several online travel agencies (such as Booking.com) within the Booking Holding group on the ranking of hotels and sales channels displayed on the price comparison website

Cette thèse traite de l’économie des plateformes à travers trois chapitres indépendants. Le premier développe une modélisation théorique autour des ventes exclusives, ou ventes flash. Cette pratique, très courante sur internet, consiste à proposer à des consommateurs une offre à prendre ou à laisseraujourd’hui, sans possibilité d’en bénéficier demain. Le second chapitre évalue la substituabilité des différents canaux de distribution de chambres d’hôtels en Scandinavie, notamment entre le site internet de l’hôtel, Booking,et Expedia. Nous analysons également la décision d’une chaîne d’hôtels de boycotter un canal de vente. Enfin, le troisième chapitre analyse l’implémentation d’une nouvelle stratégie par Booking auprès de ses hôteliers, et tente d’en déterminer les différentes composantes
This dissertation deals with the economics of platforms through three independent chapters. The first one develops a theoretical model around exclusive sales, or flash sales. This practice, very common on the Internet, consists in offering consumers an offer to take today, with no opportunity to benefit tomorrow. The second chapter evaluates the substitutability of hotel room distribution channels in Scandinavia, particularly between the hotel’s website, Booking, and Expedia. We also analyze the decision of a hotel chain to boycott a sales channel. Finally, the third chapter analyses the implementation of a new strategy by Booking with its suppliers

The study aims to through a qualitative case study describe how six Swedish high-end apparel companies attributed as part of “the Swedish fashion wonder” with online distribution have been affected by six chosen factors. The six factors presented are extracted from previous studies and consist of customer relationships, intermediary relationships, pricing, costs and revenue, competitors and impact on the brand. The results show that customer relationships is an important factor that most companies value and was also the factor they presented as determining when they made the decision to go online. Costs and revenue have an effect on the companies and was something the companies had to consider after going online. Intermediary relationships are important to some extent and demand continual communications, but nothing that worried the companies. Competitors and pricing were not regarded as important, where price setting was primarily seen as a valuable tool to control and maintain intermediary relationships. Impact on the brand was regarded as an important factor when engaging online, and the positive aspects of increased brand knowledge and brand awareness were appreciated.

The retail industry is in a motion of fascinating developments, it can be currently alleged that it is one of the most innovating fields within research. Online retailing in particular has experienced major changes in recent years. However, these developments are slowing down as online retailing is entering a mature state. Online fashion companies now have to consider new strategies to further evolve their businesses. Innovative Online companies have taken action towards a multi-channel sales distribution strategy, some have even gone as far as adopting an omni-channel approach. With that statement, this study attempts to add different insights to the topic by focusing on the issue of online expanding offline from a company point of view. Empirical data included company and industry specialist interviews as well as a questionnaire that was used for pre-research and developing propositions. This resulted in three findings that involved both advantages and disadvantages in Online fashion retailers evolving offline. Firstly, whether or not an Online fashion company should expand offline depends entirely on the ambition level and type of company interviewed. Secondly, it can be concluded that Online fashion companies have the desire to keep their current business model, though they cannot continue with the same strategy in the long run. Lastly, if an offline presence is established, a traditional expansion strategy cannot be used, but innovative concepts are required (mixed realities). If this strategy is taken seriously, expanding offline could be the solution to reach a higher level of online retailing and company success.
Program: Master Programme in Fashion Management

Click and Collect; Delivery; precio; canales de distribución; satisfacción del cliente; retailing; ropa; marketing Click and Collect; Delivery; price; distribution channels; customer satisfaction; retailing, clothes; marketing.
A medida que el e-Commerce ha ido creciendo, los canales de distribución mediante los cuales hacen llegar el producto final al consumidor han ido evolucionando con la finalidad de satisfacer sus necesidades respecto a conveniencia, rapidez, precio a pagar, entre otros. En consecuencia, surge el Delivery y el Click & Collect (Recojo en Tienda) como opciones de entrega para que el cliente pueda escoger cuál de las dos se adecúa a sus requerimientos. Por ello, es relevante estudiar estos canales de distribución tomando como base investigaciones previas en revistas internacionales para poder definir los conceptos y aplicaciones de cada uno para posteriormente evaluar su aplicación en el retailing peruano para poder identificar los pros y contras percibidos por el consumidor; y a su vez, considerar los beneficios o problemas que le genera al minorista al implementar dichos canales; por ejemplo, al poner en funcionamiento el Click & Collect, la tienda por departamento asume costos extra en la logística debido a la incorporación del punto de recojo específico dentro de su establecimiento. El presente trabajo de investigación permite contrastar la teoría planteada por diferentes autores y su aplicación en los retailers peruanos ya que, no existen investigaciones previas que se enfoquen específicamente en este criterio de la compra online. Finalmente, los resultados de esta investigación buscan brindarle información al minorista para que pueda satisfacer las necesidades de sus consumidores respecto al canal de distribución de su preferencia y promover una relación a largo plazo.
As e-Commerce has grown, the distribution channels through which they deliver the final product to the consumer have evolved in order to satisfy their needs regarding convenience, speed, price to pay, and others. Consequently, Delivery and Click & Collect (Pick up in Store) arise as delivery options so that the customer can choose which of the two suits their requirements. For this reason, it is relevant to study these distribution channels based on previous research in international magazines in order to define the concepts and applications of each one to later evaluate their application in Peruvian retailing in order to identify the pros and cons perceived by the consumer; and in turn, consider the benefits or problems that the retailer generates when implementing these channels. For example, by putting Click & Collect into operation, the department store assumes extra costs in logistics due to the incorporation of the specific collection point within its establishment. This research work allows us to contrast the theory put forward by different authors and its application in Peruvian retailers since there is no previous research that specifically focuses on this criterion of online shopping. Finally, the results of this research seek to provide information to the retailer so that it can satisfy the needs of its consumers regarding the distribution channel of their preference and promote a long-term relationship.
Trabajo de investigación

Mestrado em Marketing
O estudo teve como principais objectivos definir o perfil do comprador offline e online de viagens através da análise das variáveis psicográficas/sócio-demográficas do comprador e analisar a relação entre estas variáveis e a compra de viagens, avaliando o possível efeito moderador do canal de distribuição. Os resultados obtidos permitiram identificar que os compradores que recorreram ao canal online têm um nível de aversão ao risco inferior, são mais impulsivos, têm um nível de habilitações literárias superior, são mais novos e a prevalência de indivíduos do género masculino é inferior face aos compradores que recorreram ao canal offline para comprar viagens. Verificou-se ainda que as variáveis aversão ao risco, habilitações literárias e idade são preditores da compra de viagens. De referir também que foi possível concluir que o canal de distribuição tem um efeito moderador na relação entre o nível de habilitações literárias e a compra de viagens. Ao nível académico, este estudo irá contribuir para a caracterização do comprador offline e online de viagens e da relação entre as características psicográficas e sócio-demográficas destes compradores e a compra de viagens. Ao nível da gestão este estudo pode auxiliar as organizações no desenvolvimento de estratégias de comunicação e marketing mais eficazes face às características dos seus compradores, quer recorram ao canal online ou ao offline para comprar viagens.
The study aims to define the online and offline buyers' profile by analysing the psychographic/sociodemographic variables and to analyse the relationship between these variables and the purchase of travel products, trying at the same time to evaluate the potential moderating effects of the distribution channel. Based on the results it was possible to identify that online buyers have a lower level of risk aversion, are more impulsive, have a higher level of educational qualifications, are younger and the number of male subjects is lower compared to buyers who turn to the offline channel. It was also found that the variables risk aversion, education and ages are travel products purchase predictors. Also noted that it was possible to conclude that the distribution channel has a moderating effect on the relationship between the level of education and the purchase of travel products. At an academic level, this study will contribute for the characterization of the online and offline travel products buyer profile and for the characterization of the relationship between the psychographic/sociodemographic characteristics of these buyers and the purchase of travel products. At a management level this study can assist organizations in the development of more effective communication and marketing strategies that meet theirs buyers characteristics, who can either use the online or offline channel to purchase travel products.
N/A

This thesis outlines the structure and functionality of a selection of webseries, webshows, and eSports casting examples, in order to add to the discourse on online video. Webtelevision, or Web TV production, distribution, and financing systems will be detailed in the case studies made; and industry actors such as entrepreneurs, independents, corporations and conglomerates will be discussed and identified. Who are the producers, the advertisers, the distribution platforms, the sponsors, the rights holders, and how do they interact? In exploring the structure of some examples of Web TV, I wish to debunk the online-amateur association as an inaccurate or insufficient description which permeates much prior academic study on online video. Webshow content, business strategies, legal and copyright issues, as well as fan culture aspects will also be investigated; and in regards to eSports, the question of televised as opposed to streamcast tournaments will be examined.

Yes
The issues of channel conflict and channel power have received widespread research attention, including Geylani et al.’s (2007) work on channel relations in an asymmetric retail setting. Specifically, these authors suggest that a manufacturer can respond to a dominant retailer’s pricing pressure by raising the wholesale price for a weak retailer over that for the dominant retailer while transferring demand to the weak retailer channel via cooperative advertising. But, is online expansion another kind of strategic manufacturer’s optimal response to a dominant retailer? In this paper, we extend this work by adding a direct online selling channel to illustrate the impact of the manufacturer’s internet entry on firms’ demands, profits, and pricing strategies and on consumer welfare. Our analysis thus includes a condition in which the manufacturer can add an online channel. If such an online channel is opened, the channel-supported network externality will always benefit the manufacturer but hurt the retailers. Consumers, however, will only benefit from the network externality when a dominant retailer is present and will be hurt when both retailers are symmetric.
National Natural Science Foundation of China, Chongqing’s Natural Science Foundation, British Academy

The present thesis addresses the sensorial challenges between offline and online channels in the interaction with new brands’ packaging and its impact on purchase intention. Through different distribution channels, consumers’ interaction with products and consequent purchase outcome, are distinct – on online channel the individual is solely dependent on sight, whereas on offline sensorial interaction allows more dimensions. Therefore, is the online channel a good platform to launch new products? The above mentioned reasoning was applied to FMCG. Particularly, it was done through the creation of a new body care brand and products with subsequent observational study of participants’ purchase. In order to be able to study the role of senses, one of the developed packaging had multisensory features and the other was a simpler version. The study was completed on offline and online channels, in collaboration with LERNE, and purchasing settings were made to resemble real retailers. Participants conducted purchases in both offline and online channels and results were studied for significance. To understand if the paths-of-purchase “offlineàonline” and “onlineàoffline” impacted purchase intention, half of the participants were asked to follow each path. Ultimately, this thesis was able to demonstrate positive impact of sensorial interaction with packaging on purchase intention. It was also concluded that a new product, in which sensorial aspects are crucial, is more likely to achieve high purchase intention on offline channels rather than online; being that, with statistical significance, the market potential is double for the offline.
Esta dissertação aborda os desafios sensoriais entre canais offline e online na interação com embalagens de novas marcas; bem como o seu impacto na intenção de compra. Através de diferentes canais de distribuição, a interação dos consumidores com produtos e consequente resultado de compra, são distintos - no canal online o indivíduo está exclusivamente dependente da visão, enquanto a interação sensorial offline permite mais dimensões. Assim, o canal online é uma boa plataforma para lançar novos produtos? O raciocínio acima foi aplicado a bens de grande consumo através da criação de uma nova marca de creme corporal e com posterior estudo observacional do processo de compra. De forma a estudar o papel dos sentidos, um dos produtos desenvolvidos possuí características multissensoriais sendo o outro uma versão simplificada. O estudo foi concluído em canais offline e online, em colaboração com o LERNE, por forma a assemelhar retalhistas reais. Os participantes realizaram compras em canais offline e online e os resultados foram estudados. Para entender se os caminhos de compra "offlineàonline" e "onlineàoffline" impactaram intenção de compra, metade dos participantes foram convidados a seguir cada caminho. Em última instância, esta tese demonstra o impacto positivo da interação sensorial com a embalagem na intenção de compra. Concluísse também que um novo produto, no qual aspectos sensoriais são cruciais, é mais susceptível de alcançar uma intenção de compra elevada em canais offline do que online; sendo que, com significância estatística, o potencial de mercado é o dobro para o distribuidor offline.

Dissertação de mestrado em Economia Industrial e da Empresa
A indústria do turismo, mais precisamente, a do setor hoteleiro está a atrair, cada vez mais, investigadores por ser uma indústria dinâmica, competitiva e segmentada. Esta dissertação foi elaborada com vista a perceber as estratégias utilizadas pelos hotéis aquando da sua definição de preços por quarto, ao longo do ano, tendo em conta a panóplia de serviços que oferece. Além disso, foi possível desvendar de que forma e, principalmente, que impacto a discriminação de preços tem no setor e se o recurso a diferentes canais de distribuição oscila essa mesma discriminação de preços ou não. Envolvendo diversas variáveis, foi possível explorar e abordar de que forma é que se estabelecem os preços dos hotéis na cidade de Braga, se recorrem ou não à discriminação de preços, elucidando os diversos tipos de discriminação que existem e que impacto essas estratégias acarretam através de um estudo de caso longitudinal. Uma das principais conclusões a extrair deste estudo é que, de facto, os hotéis seguem uma discriminação de preços intertemporal, e tal foi demonstrada tanto a nível mensal, como quinzenal, como através da reserva em diferentes dias da semana, como em díspares momentos de antecedência pela qual a reserva é feita, como a nível do canal de distribuição utilizado. Relativamente ao canal de distribuição utilizado, chegou-se à conclusão de que, geralmente, os preços praticados pelo site oficial dos hotéis são inferiores ao preço exercido pelo Booking. Algumas outras aferições foram também enunciadas.
The tourism industry, precisely the hotel industry, is increasingly attracting researchers as it is a dynamic, competitive, and segmented industry. This dissertation was prepared with a view to understand the strategies used by hotels when defining prices per room, throughout the year, taking into account the range of services they offer. In addition, it was possible to discover how and, mainly, what impact price discrimination has on the sector and whether the use of different distribution channels oscillates this same price discrimination or not. Involving several variables, it was possible to explore and address how the prices of hotels in the city of Braga are established, whether or not they resort to price discrimination, elucidating the different types of discrimination that exist and what impact these strategies have through a longitudinal case study. One of the main conclusions to be drawn from this study is that, in fact, hotels follow an intertemporal price discrimination, and this was demonstrated both monthly and fortnightly, as well as by hotel booking on different days of the week, as well as on different days of the week, in advance by which the reservation is made, such as in the distribution channel used. Regarding the channel of distribution used, it was concluded that, in general, the prices charged by the hotels' official website are lower than the prices charged by Booking. Some other findings were also listed.

Classificação: M31, M10, C39
A distribuição no setor segurador está repleta de desafios. Novas tendências de consumo, a internet e a utilização de distintos canais ao longo das etapas do processo de tomada de decisão de compra, têm um impacto relevante da decisão de compra e no processo de compra de seguro automóvel. A adoção de novos comportamentos pelo consumidor, o aumento dos “clientes híbridos” e a estratégia de distribuição multicanal, apresentam desafios às seguradoras quer do ponto de vista académico, quer empresariais. A escolha ótima dos canais de distribuição depende da estratégia concreta de cada companhia. Mas é necessário ter em conta que os clientes têm uma palavra a dizer no que concerne a como querem adquirir os produtos e serviços. Os clientes esperam de uma forma crescente que os seus fornecedores estejam disponíveis a qualquer hora, que forneçam informação e têm expectativas elevadas quanto aos níveis de serviço. Da mesma forma, esperam preços competitivos, dentro dum conceito de preço justo que é difícil de medir. Todas estas questões emergem num ambiente no qual o poder da marca e o processo de recomendação não estão mais no domínio das seguradoras. É neste contexto de consumo, onde os consumidores utilizam diversos canais ao longo do processo de compra, num árduo ambiente concorrencial, que o setor segurador se tem de reinventar na distribuição. Propõe-se um modelo de procura de informação e de intenção de compra, abrangendo-se, quer a dimensão global de compra online, quer os consumidores que procuram informação online, mas concretizam a compra offline. Foi desenvolvido um modelo teórico com uma abordagem holística que combina a procura de informação online e a intenção de compra online. Obtêm-se evidências que o modelo de intenção de compra e o modelo de procura de informação online são diferentes. As variáveis com maior impacto na procura de informação são: perceção de utilidade, atratividade de preço, envolvimento e perceção de facilidade de uso. Para a intenção de compra online, as variáveis são: perceção de utilidade, atratividade de preço, confiança e lealdade. Esta investigação também analisa a experiência como variável moderadora. A vertente empírica foi aplicada em Portugal. Metodologicamente utilizaram-se modelos com equações estruturais (SEM) tendo-se obtido um poder explicativo de 52% para a procura de informação e 73% para a intenção de compra online de seguro automóvel. Como debatido na presente investigação, os resultados fornecem diversos contributos quer académicos quer empresariais. Como pretendido, a presente investigação contribui para o conhecimento do comportamento do consumidor na procura de informação e intenção de compra online, para o conhecimento do comportamento multicanal e para a investigação aplicada ao setor segurador. Também fornece ferramentas úteis que contribuem para a definição da estratégia na internet e para a estratégia de canais de distribuição, quer numa abordagem monocanal, quer numa abordagem multicanal. Os resultados podem ser utilizados como guião de variáveis instrumentais prioritárias. Pode contribuir para ajudar os gestores a definir a estratégia do canal da internet para a companhia, alocação de recursos e a lidar com o fenómeno de “research shopping”.
The distribution in the insurance industry has many challenges. New consumer trends, the internet and the use of distinct channels throughout the different stages of the purchase process have an extensive impact in the buying decision and on the auto insurance purchasing process. The adoption of new consumer behaviors, the increase of "hybrid consumers" and the multi-channel distribution strategy presents challenges both from the academic and managerial points of view. The optimal choice of distribution channels depends on the specific strategy implemented by each insurance company. But tone must consider that customers have a say regarding how they want to buy products and services. Customers increasingly expect that their suppliers to be available at any time, providing information and with high desired service level expectations. Likewise, they want more competitive prices, within a fair price concept that is hard to measure. All these questions arise in an environment in which brand power and recommendation behavior are no longer in the insurers’ domain. It is inside this context of consumption, where consumers use distinct channel throughout the stages of the purchase process, in a fiercely competitive environment, that the insurance industry has to reinvent distribution. A theoretical model is developed based on a comprehensive approach that combines online information search and online purchase intention. The findings provide evidence that the models for purchase intention and for the information search are different. Results show that the variables with the greatest impact in the information search are: perception of usefulness, price attractiveness, involvement and perception of ease of use. Similarly, the variables that explain the online purchase intention are: perception of usefulness, price attractiveness, reliability and loyalty. This study also investigates experience as a moderation variable. Empirical research was conducted in Portugal. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used, which returned an explanatory power of 52% for information search, and 73% for intention to purchase auto insurance online. As discussed in the study, the findings make several contributions both to academia and management. As intended, this research contributes to the understanding of consumer behavior as regards online information search and online purchase intention, to the knowledge of multichannel behavior and to research applied in the insurance industry. It also provides useful tools to assist managers in the definition of internet strategy and distribution channel strategy, either through a multi-channel approach, or in a direct distribution strategy. The findings can be used as a roadmap of instrumental variables. It can help managers to define company internet channel strategy, resource allocation and to deal with the “research shopping” phenomena.

Dissertação de mestrado em Economia Industrial e da Empresa
Com o aparecimento do canal online e a constante digitalização, as empresas retalhistas passaram a comercializar os seus produtos através de múltiplos canais (online e offline). No entanto, os consumidores têm diferentes comportamentos de compra, ou seja, alguns utilizam exclusivamente o canal offline, outros utilizam somente o canal online e os restantes baseiam a sua decisão nos dois canais. Muitas vezes os consumidores vão ao canal online para comparar preços e pesquisar informações sobre os produtos, mas como sentem a necessidade de ver/inspecionar o produto, acabam por sair do canal online sem nada comprar. Através da incorporação de estratégias de recolha de informação dos consumidores como, por exemplo, o uso de cookies, seguimento de endereço de IP e programas de fidelização, as empresas conseguem saber quais os produtos que os consumidores pesquisaram, o seu percurso de navegação na internet e também identificar os consumidores que estiveram na sua loja online, colocaram os produtos no cesto de compra, mas não compraram. Deste modo, para tentar converter estes indivíduos em clientes, as empresas oferecem-lhes muitas vezes uma redução do preço online nos artigos pelos quais mostraram interesse. Esta dissertação pretende analisar quais as estratégias de preços que os retalhistas multicanal adotam em função da procura dos diferentes segmentos de consumidores e também avaliar o impacto que a proporção de cada segmento tem nos preços e lucros das empresas. De forma a responder a estas questões, é proposto um modelo teórico original resolvido com base na teoria dos jogos. Com a análise do modelo obtêm-se os seguintes resultados: à medida que o número de consumidores que visita o canal online aumenta o preço online diminui enquanto que o preço offline aumenta. No entanto, o comportamento dos lucros online e offline assume uma tendência contrária. Este resultado é uma consequência da concorrência intraempresa, ou seja, entre os canais da mesma empresa. No entanto, à medida que o número de consumidores cativos ao canal online (isto é, que visitam e compram sempre nesse canal) aumenta, o preço online aumenta e o preço offline diminui. Os lucros seguem a mesma tendência. É de notar ainda que quando existem apenas consumidores cativos aos dois canais, os dois canais de distribuição são independentes, as empresas escolhem o mesmo preço nos dois canais, auferindo lucros maiores. Por fim, o modelo desenvolvido revela que a existência de consumidores que visitam o canal online, mas suscetíveis de terminar a compra no canal offline, traduz-se em preços diferenciados nos dois canais e em lucros totais menores.
With the emergence of the online channel and the increasing digitalization of business models, retailers are now selling their products through multiple channels (online and offline). In spite of that, consumers have different purchase behaviors, i.e., while some consumers are captive to one of the two channels, in the sense that they only buy from one of the channels, other consumers make their decision on both channels. Often consumers go to the online channel to compare prices and research product information, but after that they feel the need to see/inspect the product. So they may end up leaving the online channel without buying. Incorporating consumer information gathering strategies, such as the use of cookies, IP address tracking, and loyalty programs, companies are able to know what products consumers have searched for, their web browsing path, and also identify consumers who have been in their online store, placed products in the shopping cart, but did not buy. Thus, to try to convert these individuals into customers, companies often offer them an online price reduction on the items they showed interest in. This dissertation aims to analyze the pricing strategies that multichannel retailers adopt according to the demand of different consumer segments (online captive, offline captive, and consumers who base their purchase decision on both channels) and also to assess the impact that the proportion of each segment has on the companies' prices and profits. In order to answer these questions, an original theoretical model solved using game theory is proposed. By analyzing the model the following results are obtained: as the number of consumers visiting the online channel increases the online price decreases while the offline price increases. However, the behavior of online and offline profits takes on an opposite direction. This result is a consequence of intracompetition (between the channels of the same company). However, as the number of consumers captive to the online channel (i.e., who always visit and buy from that channel) increases, the online price increases and the offline price decreases. Profits follow the same trend. It should also be noted that when there are only captive consumers to both channels, the two distribution channels are independent, firms choose the same price in both channels, earning higher profits. Finally, the model developed reveals that the existence of consumers who visit the online channel, but are likely to finish the purchase in the offline channel, translates into differentiated prices in the two channels and lower total profits.

Distribution channels’ strategy is important for firms’ success, since an effective distribution strategy may increase sales and, as a result, have a positive effect on firms’ overall performance. Today, with the growing importance of online channels and social networks, firms tend to define strategies combining efficiently these channels with offline channels. Therefore, this study aims to analyse which individuals’ characteristics lead consumers to choose the online channel to buy NAU Beer, as well as, the impact of this channel on firm’s indirect channels and the importance successfully integrate different channels. A survey of consumers’ willingness to use the online channel conducted to Portuguese citizens showed that consumers tend choose online channel to purchase NAU Beer if they are users of this type of channels. This fact reinforces the idea of no cannibalization of sales among physical and online channels, assuming there are costumers who are general online buyers, which will consider buy NAU Beer online, but also consumers who have a clear preference for the physical channel. Furthermore, through interviews with other craft beer brands, it is possible to conclude that the importance of online channel goes beyond its contribution to sales and its strongly related to the need of having a broad and integrated presence in todays’ trendy channels, like social networks, as a key factor for the construction of a solid relationship with customers.
A estratégia de distribuição é importante para o sucesso das empresas, considerando que, uma estratégia de distribuição efetiva poderá aumentar as vendas e ter um efeito positivo na performance geral da empresa. Atualmente, com a crescente importância dos canais online e das redes socias, as empresas têm tendência a definir estratégias que combinam de forma eficiente os diferentes canais. Desta forma, este estudo pretende analisar que características aumentam a preferência pela compra de Cerveja NAU através do canal online, bem como o impacto deste canal nos restantes canais e a importância da integração dos diferentes canais. Através de um questionário realizado junto da população portuguesa sobre a preferência pelo canal online, conclui-se que os consumidores tendem a escolher este canal para comprar Cerveja NAU se forem utilizadores habituais do mesmo. A ideia de inexistência de canibalização de vendas entre os canais físicos e os canais online é reforçada, assumindo que existem consumidores que utilizam o canal online frequentemente, tendo maior tendência a optar pelo mesmo para comprar NAU, mas existem ainda consumidores que têm preferência por comprar nos canais físicos. Através de entrevistas com outras marcas de cerveja artesanal portuguesa, é possível concluir que a importância do canal online é mais abrangente do que a simples contribuição para as vendas, sendo que este canal está relacionado com a necessidade de ter uma presença vasta e integrada nos canais relevantes no contexto atual como um fator chave para a construção de uma relação sólida com os consumidores.

碩士
國立臺灣大學
商學研究所
100
Bernard Arnault , Chief Executive Officer of LVMH , once said ,“Control the channel , control the image ”. With the introduction of World Wide Web and the dot com boom, the rise of internet over the past twenty years has not only affect consumers’ lifestyle but also shape up a new e-commerce channel on the web.Digital media should be treated as a new channel in promoting products and/or services. Before the adaption of digital media, cosmetic brands in Taiwan rely mostly on physical store channels and devise strategies focusing on brand image and brand positioning accordingly.As e-commerce and digital service matures today, most cosmetic brands have learned to adapt to use digital media as their new model in channeling. A topic of interest arises as to how the traditional channel would affect brands’ decision in planning, regulating and differentiating its online selling channels. Through investigating common cosmetic brands in Taiwan and interviewing over ten international and regional brands in Taiwan for their online promotion and operation schemes, this research is to devise an optimal online marketing strategy in brand positioning and channeling for local cosmetic products. The results of analysis are as follows: Regardless international or domestic cosmetic brands, online channel should be yield non-conflict and coexisting models to the traditional channels in Taiwan. For brands that utilizes department stores shelf, they should maintain their own online shopping sites. Whereas brands that utilizes open-racket may cooperate with wholesaler to host independent online platform.

碩士
大葉大學
國際企業管理學系碩士班
104
An online vendor is known by its interface. In Mongolia, the main websites, Amazon and Alibaba, differ in terms of language, the currency in which goods are priced, and “look and feel.” For this reason, consumers identify the vendors by nationality: Amazon is “American” and Alibaba is “Chinese.” When identical products are sold at both sites, customers must choose between Amazon and Alibaba, and country animosity may influence their purchasing decisions. This paper investigates the factors that influence Mongolian consumers’ choice of online distribution channel in the purchase of international brand name products. Using a Likert questionnaire, we collect data from 302 respondents in the capital city, Ulaanbataar. The data are incorporated into a probit model, with the dependent variable representing willingness to buy from a particular online site. We use two measures of the dependent variable: “absolute” willingness to buy (e.g., to buy from Alibaba, where no alternative shopping channel is specified) and “relative” willingness to buy (e.g., willingness to buy from Alibaba, where the alternative is to buy from Amazon). To accurately assess animosity effects, we incorporate other variables known to influence purchasing decisions, including the perceived usefulness of the interface and the user’s level of trust, and numerous demographic measures. Our output shows that for Mongolian consumers, animosity towards the USA does not affect willingness to buy from Amazon. On the other hand, animosity towards China depresses willingness to buy from Alibaba, an effect that is counteracted by practical incentives such as lower prices and quicker delivery times. Demographic factors such as age and income level also exert a powerful influence. Keywords: cross-border sales, country animosity, distribution channel, online sales, technology acceptance

碩士
大葉大學
國際企業管理學系碩士班
104
Online sales can be transacted at varying distances from the consumer. The most distant are cross-border transactions carried out entirely over the internet, with all product information conveyed electronically, and no face-to-face contact between customers and sales staff. A closer option is “click and mortar” shops, domestic businesses that allow consumers to buy products either on the internet or from an associated brick-and-mortar store. When a desired product is available from both a cross-border vendor and a click-and-mortar shop, the customer faces a choice of distribution channel. The customer then decides not what to buy but how to buy what they want. In developing countries such as Mongolia, this choice of distribution channel poses interesting tradeoffs for consumers. In Mongolia, the large purely online shopping sites, such as Amazon, are all foreign. The most popular domestic online sites are click-and-mortar shops, which have features of both online and brick-and-mortar shops. This study investigates the factors that influence Mongolian consumers’ choice of online distribution channel in the purchase of international brand name products. Using a Likert questionnaire, we obtain data from 302 respondents in the capital city, Ulaan Bataar. The survey assesses respondents’ willingness to purchase goods through two channels at differing distance from the consumer: MMARKET and Amazon. The data are incorporated into a probit model in which the dependent variable is channel choice and the independent variables represent the consumer’s need for a “close-up” shopping experience, characterized by “face to face” contact with sales staff and physical/tactile handling of products to gain haptic information. The dependent variable is represented by either absolute willingness to shop (e.g., at MMARKET, when no alternative channel has been specified) or relative willingness to shop (e.g., at Amazon, when the alternative is MMARKET). Since click-and-mortar shops are the most proximate to the user and foreign online shops are the most distant, the latter measure represents the consumer’s preference for the more distant sales channel. The control variables include customer demographics, technological experience, and other factors known to influence online shopping behavior. The models output shows that trust is the most important factor influence willingness to shop when Mongolians favor both distant and closer shopping channels while they also assume usefulness with ease of use is determinant. Our result indicates that Mongolians consider haptic is important they prefer closer domestic option while they assume haptic is unnecessary distant option is their choice. Furthermore, higher face-to-face preference leads Mongolians to shop at Amazon. Demographic factors such as income, education, professional area also exert a powerful influence.

The nature tourism experienced a great expansion of its market with the appearance of different lifestyles. In this Work Project a study regarding the website direct sales of Rota Vicentina was developed. Its website shows the idea of being solely an information structure and not a purchase one, leading to a current absence of online sales. Hence, it is suggested the modification of its business model, using different instruments and channels. Some digital marketing recommendations were developed in order to boost website sales, such as a platform for online reviews, remarketing campaigns and social media activity.