Abstract

This research is about the influence of online information search on high street stores. It is observed that with the introduction of internet, the traditional way of doing shopping is changed now. The propensity to shop online has increased and high street shops are in danger of abolishing. This research aims to examine the impact of online shopping especially the information search on the offline high street stores. This research is based on the positivism epistemological approach where quantitative research methods will be used. This research will rely on the survey research methods and questionnaire will be used for data collection. The sample of this research will be 200 individuals who have done shopping from online stores and high street shops. They will be selected on the basis of systematic sampling and SPSS will be used for data analysis.

1.Literature review

In this technological advanced world, internet has become indispensable for everyone’s lives. Due to the increased use of internet, the future of high street shopping is bleak and it is expected that this industry will end in coming years. It is reported by many research studies that internet advent is going to kill off high street shops and that time is not far away when there will be popularity of online shopping only (Ashworth et al., 2006; Passaro, Salomone and Petruzzellis, 2016). Graham and Peleg (2017) has said that breakthrough in technology and its acceptance by majority of customers is reshaping the high street shopping experience. Herhausen et al., (2015) has asserted that in coming five years, four out of ten high street shops will close. Only those high street shops will remain in the market which will adapt themselves as per the recent trend and will also start offering the online shopping facility to consumers.  Alwi and Da Silva (2007) observed that high street stores are expanding and also making strategies for developing themselves by targeting those customers as well who are more comfortable with online shopping experience. By having both online and offline stores, high street shops become able to enjoy the best of both.  The online stores provide the opportunity to search the relevant information with a click of button. Instead of searching at physical stores which is quite tiresome and time consuming process, internet allows to enhance the shopping experience through the convenience which is being offered to customers.  They do not have to leave their home for doing extensive search on the high street stores (Wolfinbarger and Gilly, 2001).

As also said by Siddiqui et al., (2003), the most relevant theory for this research will be the buyer decision process. There are five stages of the buyer decision process. The first stage is the problem/need recognition where the problem or need is identified for the particular product or service. The second stage is the information search where consumer researches the product about which they intend to purchase for satisfying their need. As said by Blázquez (2014), the third stage is about the evaluation of alternatives where the selected alternatives are evaluated. This stage is dependent on the information search stage and the information obtained through all sources is used for evaluating the alternatives. Once all alternatives are analysed and evaluated, the most appropriate option is selected and decision to purchase is made. After this, post purchase stage starts where the experience of purchasing is evaluated. As a response to this purchase experience, customers either get satisfied or dissatisfied (Rafiq and Fulford, 2005). In the present research, main focus is on the second stage which is about the information search. Using the internal and external sources, consumers get the relevant information which is about their buying decision. Though all of the stages are influenced with the advent of internet, but this stage is most significantly influenced with this change. Now, it has become easier and convenient for customers to search the relevant information. Internet has provided the data base about everything. From the product descriptions provided by the official brands and third party blogs to the reviews by the customers who have used the same product, customers can get access to every kind of information with a click of button (Hubbard, 2016). Instead of visiting various high street shops, they can open windows of various brands on their laptop, personal computer or mobile phone and they can easily compare the products’ features, quality and pricing. The comparison feature has made it more easier for customers to evaluate the available alternatives (Alwi and Da Silva, 2007). As told by Dixon and Marston (2002), information search process is quite faster when it is based on the internet. On the basis of these features of information search stage provi