Multi-channel versus pure player online retailers
The online shopping market is shared by pure players and multi-channel retailers. Pure
players are companies that do not have an up-front store presence and sell products only
via the internet (Rao et al., 2009). Multi-channel retailers, also called “bricks and clicks”
retailers, supplement conventional stores with online services (Burt and Sparks, 2003).
With more and more adoption of the internet as an additional sales channel by retailers
and the rapid growth of pure players, a debate as to which model is more efficient and
provides better service has been initiated