Handbook of Information Security, Volume 1, Key Concepts, Infrastructure, Standards, and Protocols

Click-and-Brick Electronic Commerce

Charles Steinfield, Michigan State University

Introduction

Click-and-Brick E-Commerce Overview

Sources of Synergy between Traditional and E-Commerce Channels

Common Infrastructures

Common Operations

Common Marketing

Common Buyers

Other Complementary Assets

Managing Channel Conflict in Multichannel Firms

Goal Alignment

Coordination and Control Measures

Capability Development

Potential Benefits of an Integrated Channel Approach

Lower Costs

Differentiation through Value-Added Services

Improved Trust

Geographic and Product Market Extension

Summary of the Click-and-Brick Framework

Exploring the Framework with Several

Click-and-Brick Cases

An Electronics Retailer

A Building Material Supplier

An Automobile Manufacturer/Dealer Network

A Financial Services Provider

Click-and-Brick E-Commerce in Practice

Information Security and Click-and-Brick Retailers

Conclusion

Acknowledgment

Glossary

Cross References

References

INTRODUCTION

Despite the early fascination with dot-com companies, there is a growing recognition that the Internet is unlikely to displace traditional channels anytime soon, at least in the world of business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce. Rather, many traditional enterprises have moved to integrate e-commerce into their channel mix, using the Internet to supplement existing brick-and-mortar retail channels (Steinfield, Bouwman, & Adelaar, 2002). Electronic commerce researchers now consider the combination of physical and Web channels to be a ...