Open Access

Wholesale And Retail E-Commerce In Mauritius: Views Of Customers And Employees


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The internet triggered a significant rise in e-commerce as many businesses found that the advent of online business provides unparalleled opportunities for organisations to extend their operations overseas. In Mauritius, many retail and wholesale shops have decided to embark in the online experience and are contemplating to launch e-commerce websites, more specifically electronic ordering (e-ordering), where customers can then order for their products without having to move to the outlets. The aim of this study was to provide a thorough understanding of the several benefits and problems associated with the adoption of an e-commerce website by wholesale and retail shops. The following were done: an assessment of the readiness of customers to go online and an evaluation of employees’ motivation and opinion towards the implementation of e-commerce. The study mainly revealed that majority of the respondents had never purchased online and a significant number of customers were reluctant to order online despite the various guarantees provided. Moreover, 56% of the employees were against the implementation of an e-commerce website as they related it to an increased workload or a waste of resources. Consequently, relevant recommendations catering for all stakeholders were formulated for successful implementation of an e-commerce website.