Understanding Online Retail: A Classification of Online Retailers
This paper attempts to improve understanding of online retail through the classification and description of online retailers based on their corporate origin. These origins may provide insights into the strategic and operational advantages these company types may enjoy. The five categories include online retailers which started as (1) pure Internet startups, (2) traditional store-based retailers, (3) catalog retailers, including both mail- and telephone-order companies, (4) combination retailers who have traditionally used both stores and catalogs, and (5) wholesale suppliers. Based on findings in literature and news reports, advantages, challenges, and other insights are found for each online retailer type.