Internationalization of German online retailers

 

E-commerce is in a very exciting and changing phase. Influenced by new technologies (information, communication, transport) and strong internationalization tendencies in trade, the opportunities and framework conditions have changed significantly in recent years and opened up new opportunities for online retailers. In the current internationalization, many traditional traders initially focus on geographical and psychic close countries – according to the learning theory of internationalization by Johansond and Vahlne. In the course of digitalization and the efforts to promote cross-border e-commerce, theoretically this spatial and psychic distance in online trading should become less relevant, which could result in limitless market development by many online retailers.

As part oft he research project, the question is answered, wether the learning theory of internationalization ba Johanson and Vahlne has an explanatory content for the internationalization process of german online retailers. Based on the current expansion pattern of german online retailers, influencing factors for the market choice are to be derived and their psychic distance chain investigated. In addition, forms of online internationalization are to be analyzed and the establishment chain researched.