GVU's Opinions on Internet Commerce Questionnaire


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Listed below are some of the alternative manners in which you might purchase from Web vendors. For each scenario, please indicate how likely you are to buy a competitively priced product/service that you really wanted. (In each case assume that you are providing the needed information, and receiving the product/service directly from the vendor.)

You provide credit card and purchase information through a toll call/fax


You provide credit card and purchase information through a toll-free call/fax


You set up an account with the vendor offline once, then provide a vendor-specific account number and purchase information each time you want to make a purchase on the Web


You provide credit card and purchase information through electronic mail


Your credit card and purchase information would be scrambled and transmitted over the Internet to the vendor. Any subsequent transmissions from the vendor would also be scrambled.



Please indicate your agreement/disagreement with each of the following statements.

Providing credit card information through the Web:

is just plain foolish


is the single most important reason I don't buy through the Web more often


is riskier than providing it over the phone to an offline vendor


is riskier than providing it to some unknown store when traveling away from home


is riskier than faxing it to an offline vendor


would not matter much if the prices were considerably lower


would not matter much if the products/services were of a higher quality


would not matter much if the Web vendor was well known and reliable



How important is each of the following when you consider ordering a product/ service over the web (even if you have never done so).
(Please check all that apply.)

That the site provides an explicit privacy policy about the data it collected about me and how it would be used


That the site had its privacy practices audited by a third party to make sure they were following their privacy policy
That the site would allow me to access all of the information it had stored about me to ensure accuracy
That the site would let me choose how they used the information they collected about me
That the site has an offline presence (mail order, retail store, etc.) in addition to its web site
That the company and/or products have a well-known brand name
That the site maintained a customer profile about me to make future ordering easier
On the whole, how well do each of the following statements characterize your opinion of commercial vendors on the Web compared to other, more traditional vendors?

Returns and refunds are easier with WWW vendors


WWW vendors offer more useful information about the choices available


It is easier to place orders with WWW vendors


It is easier to cancel orders placed with WWW vendors


WWW vendors are more reliable


WWW vendors have simpler payment procedures


WWW vendors provide better customer service and after-sales support


It is safer to use credit cards when making purchases from WWW vendors


WWW vendors deliver orders/services in a more timely manner


WWW vendors offer better prices


It is easier to contact WWW vendors


On the whole, I would prefer to gather purchase-related information through WWW vendors


On the whole, I would prefer to purchase products and services through WWW vendors



Now, please indicate how IMPORTANT each of the following features is to you personally, when shopping, or considering shopping, on the Web

Variety of choices


Easy handling of returns or refunds


Quality of information about purchase choices


Ease of placing orders


Ease of canceling orders


Internet vendor's reliability


Easy payment procedures


Customer service and after-sales support


Security of sensitive information


Getting orders/services in a timely manner


Lowest price


Satisfaction with being on the cutting edge


Ease of contacting the vendor


Please add any comments here.

This questionnaire was developed by:
Sunil Gupta, Michigan Business School, University of Michigan & GVU's Survey Team