1

Author:
Title:

Curcio, Samuel, F.
Small Business Globalization Through the Use of the Internet

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Masters of Science in Information and Communication

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Spring 2015

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Table of Content
Chapter I: Introduction.....................................................................................................................3
Statement of the Problem.....................................................................................................3
Purpose of the Study............................................................................................................4
Definition of Terms..............................................................................................................4
Chapter II: Literature Review..........................................................................................................7
Incentives and Opportunities for Global Commerce...........................................................7
Gateway to the Global Market.............................................................................................9
Internet Technologies for Global Trade.............................................................................11
Build the website...................................................................................................12
Market the website.................................................................................................14
Summary............................................................................................................................18
Chapter III: Methodology..............................................................................................................19
Subject Selection and Description.....................................................................................19
Instrumentation..................................................................................................................20
Data Collection Procedures................................................................................................20
Data Analysis.....................................................................................................................21
Limitations.........................................................................................................................21
Summary............................................................................................................................22
References......................................................................................................................................23
Appendix: Small Business Globalization Through the Use of the Internet...................................26

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Chapter I: Introduction
The end of the Twentieth Century witnessed a turning point in the worlds economic
system. Trade barriers were broken down between countries that were once adversaries in
political ideology. Now, these once enemy nations, in particular mainland China and the United
States, have become partners in a new global economy. This globalization has assisted many
multi-national corporations to procure the benefits of open trade. Buying and selling within
foreign markets has now become a routine operation, with transactions taking place over the
Internet.
As large corporate entities take advantage of this new openness, much of which is due to
access to products lines that can be produced cheaper in Asia, many smaller businesses are
finding it difficult to remain competitive in their own backyards (Tuttle, 2014). Local retailers
are being squeezed out of business because their former customers are being drawn away by
lower priced items offered at big box companies such as Walmart, Target, and Costco.
The Federal government provides some assistance, in the form of loans and subsidies, to
business entities that desire to enter the foreign trade markets (U.S. Small Business
Administration, 2010). This could even the playing field between the big box and smaller
businesses. However, the means to get into those markets is beyond the scope of many small
business owners (Bortolan, 2013). Many find taking on such a task an overwhelming project,
filled with technicalities that are just as foreign as the markets they want to enter. Yet, without a
new customer base, some small enterprises may face an uncertain future.
Statement of the Problem
Many small business entities do not have the monetary resources or knowledge to take
their products globally. The survival of a small business may depend on the owner finding how

4
to best take advantage of foreign marketplaces, where its customer base can realistically be
doubled or tripled. Without such opportunities, some small businesses will serve a declining
customer population, as many domestic patrons choose large box stores for the items they
purchase.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of this study is to investigate solutions that will offer small businesses an
opportunity to succeed within the global marketplace. The objectives of this study are to:
1. Identify areas that prevent small businesses from capitalizing on trade outside of the
United States.
2. Research Internet applications and marketing procedures that can assist in opening
global channels to small businesses.
3. Provide information on how small businesses can apply those cost effective
applications and marketing schemes to create better visibility on the Internet.
The researcher will determine the most effective measures for small businesses to take in order to
promote their identity on the Internet. This study will utilize contemporary documentation,
reviews, and literature from leading experts in the fields of web development and digital
marketing. The results of the study will offer small businesses guidance on how to participate in
new venues of income producing opportunities that are available in Internet global trade.
Definition of Terms
This study makes use of the following terms and definitions:
Blog. A blog is, a type of web page that offers a series of posted items (short articles,
photos, diary entries, etc.). Blogs usually include a searchable archive of old postings. Blogs

5
have become a common medium for communication in professional, political, news, trendy, and
other specialized web communities (The Regents of the University of California, 2012, para. 3).
Cascading style sheet (CSS). A CSS is used to provide instructions to web browsers on
how to position, color, and format the various elements of a web page.
Content management systems (CMS). A CMS is a service that provides the framework
to build a web presence without the need to know computer programming languages.
Globalization. Globalization is defined by BusinessDictionary.com as, the opening
of local and nationalistic perspectives to a broader outlook of an interconnected and
interdependent world with free transfer of capital, goods, and services across national frontiers
(WebFinance, Inc., 2015, para. 2).
Hypertext markup language (HTML). HTML is a computer language used to define
the structure of web pages. Some of the primary functions of HTML include defining
paragraphs and headings, providing links to other sources, and instructing screen readers how to
present content to the visually impaired.
JavaScript. JavaScript is a programming language used to create interactive features,
such as form handling and object animations on websites. It is usually included within the code
of web pages along with HTML.
Search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is the technique of using special coding and
embedded keywords in websites to assist search engines, such as Google, index the site for better
placement on a search results page.
Search engine results page (SERP). A SERP contains a list of relevant links that appear
after a user places a request for information on Google, Yahoo, and other content aggregators.

6
SPAM. SPAM is undesirable email messages that contain advertisements for products or
services. SPAM is broadcast to hundreds of thousands of addresses in hopes that recipients will
click on enclosed links that may or may not be to legitimate websites. Sometimes SPAM can
contain hidden virus attachments.
Web browser. A web browser is software that presents the content of web pages, such as
text, images, and video in a readable format to computers users. Popular browsers include
Googles Chrome, Microsofts Internet Explorer, and Mozillas Firefox (W3Schools, 2015).

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Chapter II: Literature Review
In the modern retail industry, small businesses have relied on a steady stream of domestic
customers in order to make ends meet. Without that traffic, many businesses would cease to
exist. Yet, with the advent of globalization and the Internet, once reliable customers have found
new sources of products at cheaper cost. Now, some small business may need to find sources of
revenue that will keep them from closing their doors. One of the most promising venues for
selling is the Internet, where businesses of all sizes can compete if they are capable of harnessing
the technology.
This literature review will address research and writing that relate to the operation of an
ecommerce business model. The first section will examine studies that provide evidence of
incentives and opportunities that are available for businesses. In the second section, literature
will be presented that provides information on targeting customers and the barriers that must be
overcome in international selling. In the final section, the review will focus on studies and
writing that examine the technologies that are available to small enterprises that plan to operate
an ecommerce website.
Incentives and Opportunities for Global Commerce
As the world becomes united through globalization, an opportunity presents itself to
foreign businesses to expand into overseas markets. Cheaper production operations, mostly in
labor cost, are allowing third world counties an advantage to sell on the broader market (SUNY
Levin Institute, 2015). This market includes one of the largest commerce venues in history the
Internet where billions of dollars of goods are bought and sold each day. American customers
are taking on this new source of cheap products as way to save on spending, therefore depriving
many domestic businesses a needed stream of revenue.

8
Yet, there are opportunities available for small American businesses in the global
markets. As foreign nations grow, so does the ability of their citizens purchasing power.
Jorgensen and Vu (2013) describe how increased industrialization in countries such as China and
India are creating a purchasing power never experienced before (Jorgenson & Vu, 2013). With
this newfound ability to buy products that were once off limits to most Asians, these consumers
are also looking overseas to markets that offer products not available in their localities. The
authors offer an important view on the opportunities that are developing for businesses in Asia
(Jorgenson & Vu, 2013). With this insight, a small business can better plan where to sell their
products.
A Florida Small Business Development Center article presents significant data showing
that American companies exported $2.3 trillion dollars worth of good to overseas markets in
2014 (McKowan & Rodriguez, n.d.). The data for this article was taken from a release by the
United States Department of Commerce that goes on to say that the United States trade deficit
improved due to agreement reached by trade member countries (Commerce.gov,2014). This has
led to millions of jobs being created to support such operations, and offers a motivation for small
businesses to enter the market and gain a share of potential profits.
McKowan and Rodriguez go on to say that the U.S. Department of Commerce has
developed an assistance program, the National Export Initiative, which supports businesses,
through financing, advocacy, and the elimination of tariffs, to do trade with Free Trade
Agreement partner countries (McKowan & Rodriguez, n.d.). Although not thorough, the authors
provide a view of the opportunities available to anyone willing to take the risk of marketing to
overseas customers (McKowan & Rodriguez, n.d.).

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Gateway to the Global Market
The Internet was once a communications medium available only to university and
government researchers. However, since the 1990s, the Internet has become an access point for
anyone that needs information, and to purchase goods that had been, in the past, difficult to
acquire. This medium also provides opportunities to those with the technical knowledge and
monetary resources to sell their products and services to interested consumers.
Mehta and Shah assert that small businesses are increasingly moving some, if not all, of
their operations to the Internet (Mehta & Shah, n.d.). This data is based on research conducted
and published by authors O.C. Ferrell, G.A. Hirt, and L. Ferrell (Ferrell, Hirt, & Ferrell, 2013).
In addition, the authors quote statistics from a study by the U.S. Business Internet Survey
detailing that, 56% of the small businesses online today regard the Internet as essential to the
success of their businesses (as cited in Mehta & Shah, n.d., p. 89). The information and
statistics presented by Mehta and Shah (n.d.) provide an essential overview of the direction many
businesses are headed. The Internet is becoming a priority to those enterprises looking to survive
globalization.
As Internet commerce continues to build momentum, the competition is also growing
(Mehta & Shah, n.d.). This is especially true among those businesses that offer the same
products and services to the same consumers. Finding customers is one of the greatest
challenges that face any enterprise wanting to sell in the Internet. Mehta and Shah (n.d.) suggest
several approaches that may bring more visitors to a business website. For American patrons,
incentives include: contests, coupons, and advertisements in local or national magazines (Mehta
& Shah, n.d.). However, when looking to sell overseas, there are restrictions that must be
overcome.

10
Beyond the confines of American borders, there exists a vast number of consumers
willing to spend money on items that are not available locally. A small business must get past
certain trade limitations in order to procure that audience. Sherman and Levines (2015) article
summarizes the major obstacles that face ecommerce programs that want to offer products on the
world market. These include, but are not limited to: language barriers, marketing barriers, and
government regulations (Sherman & Levine, 2015). The authors go on to point out what each of
these barriers comprise, yet do not offer in-depth knowledge on how to break through those
restrictions (Sherman & Levine, 2015).
In doing trade in other nations through Internet sales, a small business owner must be
aware of the many cultural differences that he or she may encounter (Bortolan,2013). As stated
earlier, language barriers are one of those challenges. Bortolan (2013) states that language can
be a setback for anyone new to international trade. A small business may have a properly
constructed website, with a payment system established, and a fully stocked warehouse, yet
overlooked an essential component of customer relations good communication.
Bortolan suggests that a small business owner, new to ecommerce on the international
scale, start off by selling to countries where there is no language barrier (Bortolan, 2013). For
instance, American merchants could target their products to citizens of other English-speaking
nations, such as Great Britain, Australia, and Canada. Once trade has been established in those
countries, there may be no reason to expand any further if sales are satisfactory.
An area that Sherman and Levine (2015) cover in a comprehensive manner is the topic of
United States export regulations. As there are trade limitations for imports to other countries, the
United States has certain rules for businesses and individuals wanting to export goods. Of main

11
concern is sending advanced technology to nations where those products may be used against the
U.S.
Freeman, Edwards, and Schroder provide an extensive look at how some small
businesses surmount the problems of globalizing a commerce enterprise (Freeman, Edwards, &
Schroder, 2006). These businesses have developed partnerships with resource-rich suppliers to
alleviate the cost of doing marketing campaigns overseas. Many suppliers have the experience
of trading with operations in Asia, India, and other remote locations. Along with that strategy,
the study also clearly emphasizes the need for management that are willing to commit time and
obtain proper resources (i.e. financial and knowledge assets) for internationalization (Freeman et
al, 2006). Without such dedication, a globalization program will fail long before the business
can acquire a foothold in foreign markets.
With a well-developed knowledge of export operations, adequate funding, and
partnerships with resourceful suppliers, a small business has the foundation necessary to take its
products to the international market. Having real experience in overseas trade procedures is a
valued asset to have. Nevertheless, as noted in this literature review, numerous sources of
information are available to those that have the resourcefulness to do the research.
Internet Technologies for Global Trade
After obtaining all the necessary foundational assets for global selling, a plan must be
developed and then put into action to promote the products and then fulfill the orders (Mehta &
Shah, n.d.). Mail order and paper catalogs are still in wide use today. However, shipping
publications to several countries can be a complicated operation; the real possibility is that many
catalogs will never reach their destination. Hence, businesses of all sizes have turned to the
Internet to sell their products in domestic and foreign markets. Mehta and Shah (n.d.) advocate

12
in their article that the Internet is the one of the least expensive ways to sell globally (Mehta &
Shah, n.d.). The Internet is also a leveling field by which large and small business entities
compete on equal terms using the same technology.
Build the website. The first step in selling through an ecommerce venue is to setup a
website. In the past, anyone wanting to develop a site had to have broad knowledge of computer
technology and understand the languages of the Internet more specifically HTML, CSS, and
JavaScript. This has changed with the introduction of content management systems, or CMS. Al
Rasheed and El-Masri (2012) provide a comparative study of several CMS in their study. The
publication is an exhaustive examination of several features, comprising performance, support,
hosting, and other features sets of each CMS (Rasheed & El-Masri, 2012). Management
systems, including Ubercart, Drupal, and Magneto are located completely online, without the
need to install software on a local machine. They offer the advantage of simple layout without
the need for coding; allowing amateurs to get online in a short amount of time.
If a business owner has the time, and wants to learn the complexities of website
development, then there are numerous online programs for that purpose. Hughes provides an
extensive list of tutorial services catering to individuals that want to explore coding (Hughes,
2014). Some of the tutorials are free, while others only allow a short preview of the lessons.
Those that want to continue on after observing a preview, can proceed once establishing an ID
and arranging a method of payment for continuous viewing.
Hughes explains that the quality of online training varies from site to site (Hughes, 1924).
Several services, such as Lynda.com and Code School, require payment, and in return present
video lectures and seminars on the latest web development technologies. They also have
available for viewing topics on marketing, visual design, and customer relations. On the other

13
hand, the free to view websites content is typically composed of lessons in textual format with
very few video tutorials, if any at all.
One tutorial service that stands out among the other free services, and is recommended by
Hughes (2014), is w3schools.com. Although it does not contain flashy videos, it does offer live
practice pages, where a student can input code and see the results right away (Hughes, 2014).
This will work well form those business owners that have limited budgets, yet want to offer
training to all of the companys staff. The more individuals engaged, the more it will feel like a
group effort.
Finding a web hosting service that will store the web pages, including text, code, and
media, on a server at a remote location is the next step in getting setup for ecommerce (The
Regents of the University of California, 2012). Hosting services take care of the daily
maintenance of the sites they store at their facilities. This includes backing up the data so it is
safe from server breakdown. The Regents of the University of Californias (2012) glossary
provides a simple explanation of terms that all website owners should become familiar with so
that they can understand how the Internet works. With this basic knowledge, a business owner
will be able to communicate more easily with the administrators of hosting service centers.
Along with the coding, visual appearance, and hosting of a website, another important
component to consider is payment systems. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission suggests that a
small business consider a simple and secure method of conducting ecommerce (FTC.gov, 2000).
A simple payment system must be able to incorporate proper exchange rates for monetary
transactions (FTC.gov, 2000). And, depending on where these transaction will take place,
language translation must be used for sales in countries where the dialect is different from that of
the merchants.

14
Mintzer presents a list of several payment systems that are available to merchants for
international trade (Mintzer, 2014). PayPal and Verisign, among others, are mentioned in his
article. The author states that these transaction services provide easy setup, with instructions that
can be followed even by those not familiar with ecommerce systems (Mintzer, 2014). These
simple guidelines will alleviate the overall difficulty that faces anyone that is establishing an
ecommerce website for the first time. Logged transactions are available for review online and
funds can be transferred to a connected bank account.
Market the website. Once an ecommerce website has been created, it needs to be
promoted so that targeted audiences are aware of its existence. In the 2014 RKG Digital
Marketing Report, advertising through several services, including Google and Bing have
increased 27% and 24% respectively, year over year (RKG, 2014). The publication includes
charts and figures gathered from RKG clients, and provides a resource for understanding how
much spending is allocated to marketing on the Internet. This rise in spending is due to the
increased usage of the Internet as a source for purchasing.
Several methods are available to market a site, which fall under the broad domain of
digital marketing. These approaches consist of placing specific types of tags or code within a
websites content, using blogs to attract visitors, and connecting with potential buyers through
social media. Minskers article revels the truths behind several marketing fallacies (Minsker,
2014). Each misconception is explained in its own paragraph or two, with an opposing view
offered by the author. Minskers (2014) methodology is based on examples from actual
situations where digital marketing methods were used. Since marketing plays and important role
in ecommerce, the article is a justifiable reference source to peruse before beginning an
advertising campaign.

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Search engine optimization, or SEO, plays a major factor in getting a website placed
higher in the search engine results page (SERP) of services such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo
(Farrell, 2014). This approach, can be considered a form of digital marketing, using techniques
described earlier (i.e. specific coding of web pages, using keywords in content, etc.). For those
new to SEO, Farrells provides an ample introduction to the procedures used by digital marketing
professionals striving to place clients websites higher in the SERP (Farrell, 2014). Farrell makes
a clear statement as to why optimizing a website is important by stating that each site is, Just
one speck in the middle of billions of others (Farrell, 2014, p. 18). This short statement
provides more than enough reason for a website owner to address every aspect that could move
his site higher in the search results. Without optimization, the well planned design of an
ecommerce operation will flounder two, three, or more pages down on the list of search results.
Small business website owners must take into consideration all devices on which their
sites may appear. These can range from desktop web browsers to full featured smartphones
(Patel, 2015). Without accommodations for all visitors, a marketing program will not be
effective. Patel (2015) states in his article that mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets
are fast becoming a major accessing point for web research and social media engagement. The
data to back up this assertion can be found in a Pew Research Center fact sheet, which is
composed of research results from an October 2014 poll related to mobile technology (Pew
Research Center, 2013).
Among the findings from the Pew poll, as of October 2014, 64% of American adults
own a smartphone (Pew Research Center, 2013, para. 1). With that many adults using a mobile
device capable of interacting with the Internet, it is vital that small business websites be able to
accommodate those visitors. This suggests providing sites that are easy to access through coding

16
that adjusts the content depending on the screen size (Google, 2014). Google (2014) provides a
narrative explaining the principles of creating a website, or modifying an existing one, that will
accommodate visitors with any device. The design involves coding that adjusts web pages so
that users with either a mobile, tablet, or desktop can easily view content (Google, 2014). This
principle is aptly named responsive design, which as it seems to suggest, web pages respond to
the size of the screen and make required adjustments to fit.
Another method of marketing worth mentioning has existed for as long as the Internet has
been commercially available. The use of email campaigns to promote products and services can
be a real option for businesses. However, this strategy must be practiced in a manner so that it
does not cause more harm than good to the promoter. MailChimp (2015), a respected email
marketing service provider, offers the publication to anyone considering the use of the medium
for promotional purposes (MailChimp, 2015). This guide is among the most important, as it
details common mistakes, design principles, and performance appraisals, and is published by a
legitimate leader in its field.
One of the main concerns highlighted by MailChimp (2015) is how not to be blacklisted
as a source of unwanted emails, otherwise known as SPAM. Being designated as a SPAM
broadcaster may cause irreparable harm to a businesss reputation (MailChimp, 2015).
Furthermore, sophisticated email clients, such as Googles Gmail and Yahoos mail service, use
advanced algorithms to check for unwanted messages. The filtering systems of these clients will
mark emails from questionable sources and place them into a SPAM folder or delete them
entirely. No matter how hard a business may try to clean up its past status, being marked can be
for life.

17
Email marketing is not only used to gain customers, it also employed to keep those
customers coming back (MailChimp, 2015). MailChimp (2015) states that full-fledged
campaigns are an ongoing process to seek out those that need products, and to convince those
that have bought to buy again. Messages should be sent out periodically to keep the interest high
and to ensure old customers do not fade away. In commerce, there can never be a contented
customer. Everyone needs something all the time. Or, at least that is what marketing is
supposed to convey to potential clients.
A source of customers that has recently opened up to marketing, and should definitely be
considered, is social media (Minsker, 2014). Minskers (2014) article details how sites such as
Facebook and Twitter have evolved and now offer businesses the tools to create marketing
projects. Digital marketers and website owners can target select groups of members that have
stated that they are interested in viewing specific advertisements. This greatly reduces the
amount of funding required to run marketing campaigns as only those interested get to see the
material.
A final marketing strategy to look into is video media. Minsker (2014) provides insight
on how web media services, in particular YouTube, have become another target for marketing
campaigns. Millions of web users visit YouTube each day to view video clips. A business owner
can draw on some of that audience by producing short segments that highlight products and/or
services. A good strategy must be built up to take advantage of what YouTube has to offer
(Minsker, 2014). Building brand awareness has changed from only using static displays to
employing moving pictures and catchy audio.

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Summary
As ecommerce continues to gain a stronger foothold in the retail industry, both in
domestic and foreign markets, it is only a matter of time before businesses of all sizes join in the
move to online selling. However, scholarly research literature on marketing and website
development remains inadequate for any small business to use as guidance. What has been
written to date comes mostly from the technology industry in the form of how-to articles and
short discussions. Some of the more tangible information is offered by individuals that have
been pioneers in ecommerce. They rely on personal experience in the form of trial and error
attempts at online marketing.
Marketing is a major initiative in gaining an audience of potential buyers. A small
business owner must develop a coherent campaign that targets the right individuals or he risks
losing great amounts of money. Since the Internet is a new source for customers, it is a medium
with quirks that need to be carefully explored. There are multitudes of ways that ecommerce
initiates can reach people around the world, yet most of them are a daunting challenges. Those
starting out will be required to do research and obtain guidance from respected leaders that have
already traversed the field.
Comprehensive research by a well-respected group, with an emphasis on ecommerce
global trade for small businesses, is lacking. Without a single source of steadfast information,
small businesses owners taking that first step into foreign markets must instead do hours and
days of research on their own. The gathered data will then be a jumble that must then be
untangled into a coherent usable form of steps and procedures. Therefore, a formal study with
guidance on issues and processes would be a well-received resource that any business could refer
to on a daily basis.

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Chapter III: Methodology
Small businesses have relied on a steady stream of domestic customers in order to make
ends meet. Without that traffic, many businesses would cease to exist. Yet, with the advent of
globalization and the Internet, once reliable customers have found new sources of products at
cheaper cost. Some small business may now need to find sources of revenue that will keep them
from closing their doors. One of the most promising venues for selling is the Internet, where
businesses of all sizes can compete if they are capable of harnessing the technology.
This study will investigate solutions that may offer small businesses an opportunity to
succeed within the global marketplace. The research questions for this study include the
following:
1. What types of marketing efforts have small businesses used to promote themselves
over the Internet?
2. Which of these marketing efforts demonstrated the greatest return on investment?
3. Is Internet marketing an operation performed by staff, or is it performed by an outside
contractor?
This chapter will describe who will be selected for this investigation, the method of
research that will be used, how the data will be analyzed, and any potential limitations.
Subject Selection and Description
For this study to succeed, it is important that the selection of subjects be limited to those
typically identified as small businesses within the retail trade, as specified by the Code of Federal
Regulations, Part 121 ("ECFRCodeofFederalRegulations,"2015). This criteria includes: no
more than $38.5 million dollars of total annual income, and a maximum of 200 employees.
Subjects cannot be chosen above those indicated measures because they may have considerable

20
more funding and other resources compared to smaller enterprises. This investigation is to
inquire on how effectively businesses with lessor resources promoted themselves and gained
income through Internet activities.
Instrumentation
This study will utilize a survey composed of ten questions that relate to the promotion
and operation of an ecommerce website by small businesses. The questions to be incorporated in
the survey are available for examination in the Appendix. The answers will be in sentence
format with the survey-takers able to provide as much information as they feel necessary to
explain their responses. A readily available survey service, such as Qualtrics or Survey Monkey,
will be used to develop and distribute the survey, collect the responses, and compile reports that
will be available for review.
Data Collection Procedures
So that this study remains impartial, small businesses will be selected randomly through a
search on ReferenceUSA.com. The filters applied during this search will include:

Business type must operate a retail ecommerce unit.

Sales volume must be below $38.5 million dollars annually.
Employee size no more than 200.

ReferenceUSA.com was selected as a reliable source of data due to its association with
parent company, Infogroup, which provides directory services for large traffic websites such as
Yahoo! and Microsoft (ReferenceUSA.com,2015). The data collected by ReferenceUSA.com is
screened for accuracy by its staff of database specialists. Each business listing is also verified
through phone contacts on a yearly basis.

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Data Analysis
The collected data from the survey will be analyzed for completeness and usability within
the theme of this study. As each answer from the survey can be formatted as a single sentence or
more, quotations will be selected that provide the most informative details for this investigation.
The results, with a summary, will then be compiled from each answer. Specific answers will be
used to match the research questions that are a major theme of this study. Along with the
information that each answer provides, a conclusive statement of the entire survey will be offered
for review.
Limitations
Studies may have limitations that could influence the outcome of the research. In this
investigation, the limiting factors in the methodology that must be considered are:

Too small a number of respondents could result in an indecisive study.

The quality of the answers may not provide informative data.
The answers to the survey may not be truthful.

With each of these limiting factors, alternatives should explored as a backup. If the
number of responses is too small to gain any conclusive findings, then perhaps another selection
process may provide a quantity of subjects willing to take the survey. This holds true for the
other two factors as well. A survey may need to be implemented several times before any
meaningful data is acquired. With each inception, a larger number of quality responses should
add up for a viable conclusion.
Other factors that may place a limitation on this study are a shortage of time, funding,
and/or staff. This is especially true if a survey must be launched several times to gain usable
data. The undertaking could be terminated if any of these resources are exhausted.

22
Summary
The methodology used in this research is being developed in order to ascertain what
marketing approaches are effective in small business ecommerce operations. Many enterprises
are moving forward with Internet sales to offset their loss of customers to inexpensive overseas
and big box competitors. The information available from this study may assist those companies
in making the right decisions on marketing and retailing processes. Although many questions
may remain to be answered, the survey utilized in this research will provide data that can be
reviewed and employed as a foundation in small business ecommerce programs.

23
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Appendix: Small Business Globalization Through the Use of the Internet

Q1 What factors were considered when deciding whether or not to sell on the Internet? (Please
select all that apply.)
Difficulty in setting up a website
Financing the project
Return on investment
Q2 What percentage of your overall marketing funds is assigned to Internet promotion?

0 to 5%
6 to 10%
11 to 15%
16 to 20%
21% or more

Q3 What type of marketing brings the most traffic to your website?

Print advertisement (newspaper, business cards, brochures)

email campaigns
Ads on social media sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Pay per click (i.e. Google Adwords, etc.)
Website banners

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Q4 What marketing process have you found to be less than satisfactory?

Print advertisement (newspaper, business cards, brochures)

email campaigns
Ads on social media sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Pay per click (i.e. Google Adwords, etc.)
Website banners

Q5 Do you employ an in-house team or an outside contractor to maintain your website?

In-house team
Outside contractor
Q6 Do you have a mobile website for small devices, such as smartphones and tablets?
Yes
No
Q7 What type of marketing, which you have not yet tried, are investigating for future use?
(Please select all that apply)

Print advertisement (newspaper, business cards, brochures)

email campaigns
Ads on social media sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.)
Pay per click (i.e. Google Adwords, etc.)
Website banners

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Q8 Overall, how satisfied are you with Google Adwords?

Very Satisfied
Satisfied
Neutral
Dissatisfied
Very Dissatisfied
Never used it

Q9 Have you been successful in acquiring overseas customers through your website?
Yes
No
Q10 What barriers did you have to overcome in selling overseas? (Please select all that apply)

Language
Government trade restrictions
Monetary transactions
Shipping
Have never sold overseas