Survey Method

With the application of probability sampling in the 1930s, surveys became a standard tool for empirical research in social sciences, marketing and official statistics (Vehovar and Lozar Manfreda 2008). Surveys are useful when a researcher wants to collect information from a sample of individuals by asking a set of questions (Babbie 1973; Blaxter et al. 2001). Hair et al. (2003) generally divide survey methods into three generic types: person-administered survey, telephone-administered survey and self- administered survey. First, the person-administered survey deals with significant face- to-face interaction between the interviewer and the respondent. Second, the telephone- administered survey uses a telephone to conduct the question and answer exchanges. During telephone interviews, computers are now used for management functions, data recording, and telephone number selection. Third, the self-administered survey is the way of that the respondent reads the questions and records his or her answers. Mail survey is normally included in this category. According to Bethlehem and Biffignandi (2012), these methods are now increasingly replaced by web survey, which is defined that the questionnaire designed on a web site is accessed by respondents (Bethlehem 2009), due to its advantages of major speed, cost, and flexibility although significant sampling limitations also exist.

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There is no optimal survey method in all situations. Therefore, selecting a survey method best suited to the specific marketing research is important. The appropriate criteria for selecting a survey method are related to several factors: information requirements, relevance, accuracy, budgetary constraints, such as timeliness and cost, and respondent characteristics (Malhotra and Birks 2003; Proctor 2005). Making a balance is also significant for researchers to maximise the quantity and quality of data collected while minimising the cost and time of the survey (Hair et al. 2003).

In this study, the web survey method was chosen over other survey methods because both online method and this research have in common with an online approach. Also, internet grocery shoppers are still relatively few in number and can be quite difficult to access through the traditional research methods. Thus, the online approach can be more effective not only for identifying and reaching online shoppers but also for investigating those customers who have already bought groceries online. Besides, in accordance with CustomerSat.com (1999), if the respondents are familiar with websites, they are more likely to respond and complete the online survey accurately. In this point, Ranchhod and Zhou (2001) specify that people who prefer to answer online surveys are usually those who have a better understanding of the technology and use the internet extensively as a communication medium, being concerned about the sampling limitation. However, this situation would not cause any serious sampling bias if the target population are required to be familiar with the web and do their grocery shopping online.

4.4.1 Advantages of a web-based questionnaire

Web-based questionnaires provide particular advantages compared with alternative methods such as a mail survey, random digit dialling, or mall intercept, for several reasons (Szymanski and Hise 2000).

Access

As many people are nowadays connected to the internet, an online survey is a simple means to get access to a large group of potential respondents (Bethlehem 2009; Chiu et

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al. 2009). Moreover, it provides convenient anytime and anywhere access so that it easy for people to participate.

Target population

Online survey is consistent with the context of the respondent’s target population based on online shoppers using an online approach. Therefore, consumers are in a relevant setting when completing the survey (Szymanski and Hise 2000).

Effective approach

Online approach can be more effective for identifying and reaching online shoppers. Online shoppers can be identified using a preliminary survey sent through e-mail.

Interest

It has been reported that people view online surveys as more important, interesting, and enjoyable than traditional surveys (Edmonson 1997).

Fast and efficient responses

Web page surveys are extremely fast and efficient to access. A questionnaire posted on a popular web site can gather several thousand responses within a few hours. People also can be invited to click through to the web survey by e-mail addresses.

Cost

Questionnaires can be distributed at very low costs. No interviewers are needed and there are no mailing and printing costs involved (Bethlehem 2009). In addition, there is practically no cost involved once the set-up has been completed. Large samples do not cost more than smaller ones (except for any cost to acquire the sample). Therefore, it offers an economical method for gathering empirical data (Cooper and Schindler 2002).

Attractive media use

Online surveys offer new, attractive possibilities, such as the use of multimedia (sound, picture, animation and movies) (Bethlehem 2009).

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Flexible features

Web page questionnaires can use complex question skipping logic, randomisations and other features not possible with paper questionnaires or most email surveys. These features can assure better data.

Honesty

A significant number of people may give more honest answers to questions about sensitive topics, such as drug use or disability, when giving their answers to a computer, instead of to a person or on a paper.

Useful software

Some web survey software, such as The Survey System, can combine the survey answers with pre-existing information about individuals taking a survey.

4.4.2 Disadvantages of a web-based questionnaire

Simultaneously, the limitations of an online survey should be kept in mind when interpreting findings because these may have an impact on the quality of the survey outcomes.

Length limit

Online surveys cannot be long. According to the findings by Fram and Grady (1995), consumers are unwilling to respond to lengthy surveys administered online so if online surveys become long, for example, more than 40 items, participation rates would drop dramatically.

Representative specification

The issue of respondents being representative of the population or similar groups must be addressed.

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Biased population

Current use of the internet is far from universal. Internet surveys do not reflect the population as a whole when elements of the target population do not have a

corresponding entry in the frame population (Bethlehem 2009). This is true even if a sample of internet users is selected to match the general population in terms of age, gender and other demographics.

None response rate

None response can occur in online surveys because it is based on a self-administered questionnaire: people can easily quit in the middle of a questionnaire. Furthermore, technical problems of respondents have an impact on none response rates of online survey (Couper 2000; Dillman and Bowker 2001; Fricker and Schonlau 2002; Heerwegh and Loosveldt 2002). For instance, slow modem speeds, unreliable connections, high connection costs, low-end browsers and unclear navigation instructions may frustrate respondents.

Selection error

Selection errors can occur in an online survey when the sample is based on self- selection because the survey researcher is not in control of the selection process. Consequently, selection probabilities are unknown and therefore biased estimation is possible (Bethlehem 2009).

Multiple times responding possibility

Depending on the software used, there is often no control over people responding multiple times to bias the results.