Calling all Canadian eBusiness and eCommerce managers
(Update: Find the results of this survey here). Would you like access to fresh insights into the secrets to eBusiness success in Canada? Would it be worth 15 minutes of your time?
That is all the time it takes participate in the Canadian eBusiness / eCommerce Management Study, ePath’s new research initiative that looks at the unique challenges that you face as an eBusiness manager in Canada.
To participate in the study, all you need to do is complete a 15 minute online survey about your experiences as an eBusiness or eCommerce manager. Your inputs will be kept confidential and in return, we will send you a copy of the report sharing the findings of the study, including the best practices used by your most successful peers and competitors.
Because we’re different, eh?
Why another eBusiness research survey? A lot has been written about eBusiness and eCommerce, but most of the research looks at the U.S. or international markets. The common assumption has been that Canada is pretty much like the U.S. (divided by 10), but in fact, the Canadian eBusiness experience is significantly different.
For one thing, the Canadian eCommerce market is not 10% the size of the U.S. market, but closer to 6% (according to eConsultancy’s “Opportunities for global e-commerce”). Why is the Canadian market proportionately smaller? It appears that both Canadian consumers and Canadian businesses have been slow to jump on the eCommerce bandwagon. The critical questions are “why” and “what can Canadian eBusinesses do about it?”
Late to the party
In May of this year, the Federal Government’s Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology released a report entitled “E-COMMERCE IN CANADA: PURSUING THE PROMISE”. The report looks at the state of eCommerce in Canada and the obstacles to eCommerce growth in the Canadian environment.
The report observes that Canada is lagging the U.S. in eCommerce adoption, despite an enviable national digital infrastructure and a high rate of Internet usage amongst Canadians. Contributing factors include higher costs for such items as Internet access, online payments and shipping, but the report also identifies that Canadian businesses have been slow to invest in eCommerce capabilities, spending 40% less on technology than their U.S. peers.
Seeking a solution
The report provides a series of recommendations, however they are primarily targeted at government (“The Committee recommends that the Government of Canada place an emphasis on e-commerce in its forthcoming digital economy strategy”). Unfortunately, the report offers little in the way of useful advice to Canadian companies trying to grow their online business. In fact, managers looking for guidance on how to succeed in eBusiness in Canada will find that useful information is in short supply.
This situation is one of the drivers for the Canadian eBusiness / eCommerce Study. At ePath, we believe that the challenges faced by Canadian eBusinesses are different and so are the solutions. We have designed our study specifically to identify the uniquely Canadian eBusiness experience and to provide practical recommendations for eBusiness managers about how to succeed in the Canadian eBusiness marketplace.
In addition to producing insights to share with study participants, the results of this research will also be used to shape the eBusiness / eCommerce Management Certificate Program offered by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. This program, designed by ePath, helps eBusiness managers and practitioners build their knowledge of the critical concepts and techniques required to run a successful eBusiness.
Join us in this exciting initiative
If you are in an eBusiness or eCommerce role with a mid-size to large company, we hope that you will join us in our quest to ensure that Canada is among the global leaders in eBusiness. Your inputs will be kept confidential and will not be attributed to you or your company, and in return you will receive a copy of our report sharing the valuable insights that can help you drive greater success for your online business.
We believe it will be 15 minutes well spent.