Using key informant insights as a foundation for e-tailing theory development

Retailers are experiencing varying degrees of success as they strive to incorporate Internet technology into traditional retail formats. Although a variety of explanations for uncertainty surrounding electronic retailing have been offered, the lack of a sound theoretical framework for driving e-retailing decisions is at the heart of challenges facing Internet retailers. This paper argues that the Internet represents a sufficiently unique retail environment that practitioners and academicians alike should approach the development of knowledge and understanding in a mode of "discovery." As such, qualitative and exploratory research methods can contribute significantly to e-retailing theory and decision-making frameworks.