Online Consumer Behaviors Trigger Drastic Distribution Changes

Abstract

In this chapter, the author investigated the characteristics of online consumer behavior regarding the grocery retail market and their impact on retailers' distribution channel strategies. It examined the impact of recent innovations and the globalization of online technology on retail strategy. To achieve these goals, this study analyzed case studies of online consumer behavior in the Japanese online grocery market. Not only has there been a dramatic increase in sales over the last decade, but there have also been significant changes in both online technology and distribution channel strategy in this market. Underlying this transformation is the influence of Japan's characteristic online consumer behavior. Based on an empirical analysis of Japanese consumers and several case studies, this chapter predicts the future features of the online grocery market.