Comparing to the existing literature that mainly focuses on examining consumer
online behavior on an individual level, the current study extends and enriches this area
of research by investigating the role and effects of national characteristics on B2C
e-commerce adoption and diffusion process. Knowledge in this area is crucial for
international marketers and advertisers who are using the internet or intend to
integrate it into their overall strategic planning. How e-marketing efforts interact with
a culture can determine the degree of success or failure of those efforts in a foreign
country. In particular, advertising and promotion on the internet and website design
warrant special attention because of their key role in communicating product concepts
and benefits to the target consumers.