Towards Improved Decision Support for Online Shopping

The problem area of interest is shopping on the internet. We are investigating how online shopping can be improved. The rapid growth of internet and electronic commerce, the increasing demand of consumers for improved services, the need of the suppliers to find new avenues and opportunities, and the need of suppliers to identify and measure consumer preferences and patterns in a more efficient and cost effective manner are the main underlying reasons for our research.

We have identified several problems in the area of online shopping. In summary the problems are categorised as: non-sensory merchandising (cannot feel or touch or ask questions), unsatisfactory search facilities, lack of decision support (poor product/service description), lack of relationship service (no customer loyalty) and settlement-related problems (shipping cost, credit card safety). The solution to these problems should enable a buyer to makes more informed choices while buying products or services from electronic commerce sites. Our approach is to improve the ways in which products and services are described and to improve the means by which consumers make informed choices.

Status: Expected Completed Q2/2005