網路團購網站競爭策略行為之探討：「愛合購」個案研究

Abstract

網際網路的興起，帶動了網路購物快速蓬勃發展，經濟不景氣與宅經濟興起，讓許多以消費者採購為主體的創新商業模式應運而生，消費者的角色從以往只能被動式的接受價格，轉變成可主動參與價格的決定，更透過網路團購平台，打破過去地域的限制，集結有相同需求產品及服務的消費者，發揮集體採購的力量，以獲得價格上優惠與折扣並提高交易機會。

網路團購是目前台灣電子商務重要趨勢之一，不僅消費者積極參與、供應商也希望能尋求新的獲利來源。國內外有不少廠商也積極投入團購網站的競爭。目前台灣的電子商務市場興起不少團購網站，但仔細分析，卻僅有少數C-to-C 的團購網站能夠經營並持續成長，電子商務強調使用者主動參與，顧客之間的互動越高，網站內容將更豐富並有效地吸引顧客持續使用。

本研究採用質性研究之個案研究方法，深入分析團購產業，運用文獻探討中之商業模式及競爭策略行為研究團購網站「愛合購」。研究發現「愛合購」的成功奠基於選擇正確的企業競爭策略，利用其擁有的資源及運用資源的能力的獨特能力，將團購網站重新以服務包裝，產生了卓越的效率、品質、創新和顧客回應等競爭優勢，更藉由免費團購平台、低成本和差異化，吸引了三萬多家的商店進駐，為客戶及商家創造新價值，為網站帶來了卓越的獲利力。

最後根據分析結果，提出建議，幫助「愛合購」調整企業經營策略及方向，以利其持續創新營利模式，產生最大的利潤。

The advent of internet have brought the on-line shopping to its popularity. The economic downturn and the emergence of the “stay-at-home” economy create innovative business models for helping shoppers shop. The role of shoppers has deviated from that of traditional websites that only allow shoppers accept prices passively. In these innovative business models, these new web-site allow shoppers proactively participate in the process of price setting. By leveraging the on-line shopping platform, the locality limitation is no longer an issue any more. The new websites can pool a group of consumers that share the same interest for the product or service, and by leveraging the purchase power of “group-buying”, the consumers can receive a better pricing and as a result, these websites increase the probability of making the transaction.

The on-line group-buying websites are now the most dynamic trend of Taiwan e-commerce. They not only invite consumers to participate proactively in the transaction, but also help the vendors to generate a new source of profit. There are several domestic and international companies that have invested to create on-line group-buying websites. Out of these new websites, only a handful of them focus on the C-to-C group buying and have shown a sustainable growth trend. The advantages of e-commerce emphasize the user participation, the consumer peer-interaction and the contents have become richer over the time to attract and retain a substantial amount of loyal users.

In this research, a case study approach is adopted to analyze the “group-buying” industry. And this research focuses on the group-buying website “ihergo” to study its business model and competitive strategy behavior. According to the competitive strategy analysis, we found that the success of “ihergo” is founded on the right competitive strategy to create its unique strength in utilizing its own resources to create excellent efficiency, quality of service, innovation and customer positive feedbacks. In addition, “ihergo” with its free group-buying platform, low service charge and differentiation, attracts more than 30,000 vendors to participate; as a result, “ihergo” is able to create a new value proposition for the consumers and the vendors, and an excellent capability to generate profits.

In summary, several recommendations have been proposed to help “ihergo” to adjust its competitive strategy for continuous business model innovation to maximize profits.