Digital Shadow Economy – Literature Review

The virtual environment is a phenomenon that has grown exponentially in recent years, changing the way the economy evolves. Through e-commerce, social media platforms, online stores, or websites, financial resources are rolled both legally and illegally. Thus, some transactions are not accounted for or taxed, and also the concept of the digital shadow economy, defined as economic shadow activities conducted in electronic space, with no physical contact is increasingly present today. This paper aims to review and systematically analyze, through bibliometric analysis, using the Web of Science scientific platform and the VOSviewer software, the notion of digital shadow economy, determining the current state of knowledge in the field. Also, a comparative research was performed between digital shadow economy and the traditional shadow economy. The main findings reveal that digital shadow economy has a novelty character that refers to an economy based on digitized services and products, which escapes the official estimates of the GDP and the main research tendencies concern the conceptualization of the term and its main activity channels, aspects that distinguish it from traditional shadow economy. Furthermore, a thematic cluster, containing links to the digital shadow economy term can be noticed to be around cybercrimes.

Fuzzy association rule mining approach to identify e-commerce product association considering sales amount

Online stores assist customers in buying the desired products online. Great competition in the e-commerce sector necessitates technology development. Many e-commerce systems not only present products but also offer similar products to increase online customer interest. Due to high product variety, analyzing products sold together similar to a recommendation system is a must. This study methodologically improves the traditional association rule mining (ARM) method by adding fuzzy set theory. Besides, it extends the ARM by considering not only items sold but also sales amounts. Fuzzy association rule mining (FARM) with the Apriori algorithm can catch the customers’ choice from historical transaction data. It discovers fuzzy association rules from an e-commerce company to display similar products to customers according to their needs in amount. The experimental result shows that the proposed FARM approach produces much information about e-commerce sales for decision-makers. Furthermore, the FARM method eliminates some traditional rules considering their sales amount and can produce some rules different from ARM.

DOCUMENTATION OF COMMODITY TRANSACTIONS

The article examines topical issues of documenting commodity transactions in the implementation of dropshipping activities, in particular, operations related to the delivery of goods by dropshippers to their end customers, carried out by suppliers (manufacturers) from whom the dropshipper purchased these goods. The features of registration of shipping documents with and without the use of motor transport of the supplier (manufacturer) are considered. Supply schemes and their documentary support are proposed, taking into account the features inherent in dropshipping activities (sale of goods to customers through online stores and online platforms, transit delivery of goods from the warehouses of the supplier (manufacturer), delivery of goods to the final buyer by the supplier himself, etc.). Concrete proposals are made to simplify the existing procedures for documenting the transit movement of goods, as well as to improve the national legislation regulating the implementation of commodity transactions in order to develop dropshipping in Belarus as an effective way of trade, actively used in many developed countries of the world.

Buying Behaviors of Polish Consumers During the Pandemic Lockdown – Research Results

Purpose: The purpose of the article is identification and evaluation of the most important changes that have occurred in the behavior of Polish consumers as a result of the pandemic lockdown introduced in 2020. The article presents the results of studies conducted during the epidemic restrictions from March 15 to May 4, 2020. Design/methodology/approach: The main aim of the research was to determine how these restrictions influenced the purchasing behavior and decisions made by consumers. In the polls, the technique of an internet survey was used, which was justified by the accepted form of remote communication imposed on the society in various spheres of activity. The subject of the research was the organization of free time, the organization of shopping in households, the frequency of purchases and the methods of shopping in stationary and online stores. Findings: The most important phenomena that have been observed include the growing importance of e-commerce and technologies supporting distance communication and online exchange. The share of FMCG in online purchases increased when compared with the pre-pandemic online purchases. Polish consumers reduced the frequency of purchases and limited their overall spending on everyday purchases. During the first wave of the pandemic, the crucial issue for consumers was time management as a result of increased professional and family responsibilities, or (a similar percentage of responses) of excess free time. Poles used information technologies – for communication, shopping, learning and entertainment, to cope with the imposed social isolation. This trend, as indicated by the results of subsequent studies, will continue. Research limitations/implications: The research was conducted at a particular moment of time, during the last 2 weeks of the first pandemic lockdown; therefore, the study cannot provide the measurement of observable effects of behavior changes during a longer time since the pandemic situation has been volatile. In the research, the snowball method of sampling, which has its own limitations, was adopted. Originality/value: The value of the article results from the outcomes of the survey conducted with the use of a research questionnaire originally designed for the purposes of this study and empirical research results obtained during the lockdown period, which allowed for observing changes in consumer behavior in real time.

PET PRODUCTS: RANGE AND CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA

Background. The market of goods for pets in Ukraine is promising and is characterized by rapid growth.The pet goods assortment is very wide and includes different subgroups. However, there is no works on the classification of the assortment of pet goods, except for food for them. The aim of the article is developing a classification of pet goods on base of the analysis of assortment. Materials and methods. General scientific methods of cognition: analysis, comparison and generalization were used during the research. Information base of the research: the range of products for animals presented in online stores. Results. According to the results of the analysis of the range of goods for animals in specialized and universal online stores, 9 types of goods for the transportation of pets have been identified.Goods for the transportation of pets can be classified according to the method of transportation and type of transport, type of goods, material from which it is made, size of the product, design features and other characteristics. The main classification features of goods for the arrangement of places of pet residence were determined: the type of goods, the type of animals for which it is intended, the material from which the product is made, the size. Additional classification features include design, equipment, the possibility of transformation, the presence of additional functions. The main classification features of goods for pet food were defined: purpose, type of animals, the material from which the product is made, type of product, size. Toilets fillers for pets can be classified by type of animals, type (material) of filler, functions (principle of action) of filler, size of fractions, the presence of flavor. The assortment of tools for dog and cat grooming includes different devices and acessories, which can be classified according to different characteristics depending on the type of product. The goods related to ammunition for dogs and cats can be classified by type of product, breed and/or size of the animal, the material from which the products are made, size, and other characteristics depending on the features of the type of product. Conclusion. The classification of goods for transportation, arrangement of accommodation and food, ammunition and toys for pets, which were developed in the work, indicates that their assortment is complex and can be classified on at least 5 signs.

The Application of the Accounting for the Online Store

This study aims to determine the cash sales accounting information system that is suitable for online store applications. Using qualitative methods with the object of research, namely the online stores. Sources of data obtained from several online stores. Data collection methods used are semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis. From the analysis and design of the buying and selling cycle information system in online business development, it was found that the development of information systems is a very important stage in the efficiency and effectiveness of the buying and selling cycle. By implementing a good and correct accounting information system design on an online store, it can facilitate the recording and minimize the occurrence of errors/loss of data. In addition, with a good information system design, the division of tasks between various sections becomes clear.

CLASSIFICATION OF WEARABLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES

Background. Today smart watches, fitness bracelets, smart rings are must-have accessory for everyone who cares about their health. It is projected that the average annual growth of the wearable device market in 2021–2026 will be 18 %, which is respectively reflected in this segment of the Ukrainian market. Well-known electronics stores use different approaches to group the range of wearable devices, as there are no single standards to classify these products. The aim of this article is to develop a classification of wearable devices and to identify the classification featuresfor smart watches and fitness bracelets based on the analysis of the assortment presented in online stores. Materials and methods. Methods of logical analysis, generalization of scientific literature, statistical data of export and import of wearable devices were applied. Data on their assortment and grouping in well-known retail chains were used to create a classification. Results. Based on the analysis of the world market of electronic goods and the assortment of well-known retail chains, the authors propose a classification of goods related to wearable devices. In particular, there is a division of wearable devices into 7 groups (wrist devices, head devices, smart clothes, smart shoes, smart jewelry, wearable devices, medical devices), these groups include subgroups, categories and subcategories. Only a few types of wearable devices are sold on the Ukrainian market – smart watches, fitness bracelets, virtual reality glasses and smart rings. However, only two retail chains allocate these products separately in the product group "Wearable Products", the others form a large product group "Gadgets…", which according to the authors is not entirely correct, as the latter differ significantly in purpose and characteristics. Since the range of smart watches and fitness bracelets is quite wide and includes hundreds of types, it is proposed to use a number of classification features that clearly distinguish them by their functionality. Conclusion. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the wearable devices market seg­ment will continue to grow. Restrictions on mobility and an individual’s desire to monitor vital signs of their health during a pandemic will be the main factors that will influence the market for these devices. The classification of goods related to wearable devices has been developed. The classification features for smart watches and fitness bracelets, the range of which includes hundreds of types, are proposed. It is established that the main difference between smart watches and a fitness bracelets is a wider functionality of the first and a much longer battery life of the latter.

Clicks-and-bricks: a case study of the Amaro brand

The rise of e-commerce has dematerialized retail shopping locations, transposing them to the digital layer in the so-called 'brick-to-click' movement. However, the opposite path, 'click-and-brick', arouses curiosity for the re-association of the physical store with e-commerce, directing attention to new meanings of materiality in fashion retail. In this context, this paper discusses the multidimensional materiality of fashion retail within the e-commerce theme from two main movements: the emergence of physical spaces that complement online stores and the orientation of e-commerce operations towards big data. To illustrate the concepts and reflection on these themes, the authors carry out a case study on the omnichannel operations of a brazilian fashion brand called AMARO.

Marketing relations in online advertising

Introduction. The relevance of the research is due to the fact that the model of communication between customers and suppliers within the online space has long influenced all marketing stages in the introduction of goods and services, starting with customer awareness, attitudes towards customers, soliciting potential customers to testing new products, sales, and customer retention. The purpose of the research is to identify features of the Internet as a space of marketing relationships and formulate the principles of interaction with users. Materials and methods. The reviewed sources included contemporary periodicals: Journal of Targeting Measurement and Analysis for Marketing, Electronic Markets, Marketing, etc. The study of Internet resources was based on the authors’ own data received by analysing the portals WebCanape, WebsiteSetup, Statista, etc. Results. There are nearly half a billion new users on social media; trillions of dollars have been spent in online stores, according to the annual Global Digital 2021 report. As of October 2021, the most popular social networks in the world by the number of active users (in millions) are Facebook (2,894), YouTube (2,291), WhatsApp (2,000), Instagram (1,393), Facebook Messenger (1,300), Weixin/WeChat (1,251), TikTok (1,000), etc. The Internet as a new business environment differs from traditional economic sectors by a higher level of heterogeneity. From the standpoint of marketing, the Internet makes it possible to simultaneously bring a message to a large number of users (mass communication is ensured), on the other hand, to customise the offer for specific consumers according to their needs. Conclusion. Contemporary marketing follows the consumer, i.e. uses the online environment as a point of contact with the consumer to promote and distribute products. Relationship marketing theories are based on the need for companies to invest in relationships between themselves and consumers. Relationship marketing focuses on taking relationships between the company and the consumer from a state of engagement to that of loyalty. Each customer has a personality and his/her relationship with a particular brand becomes the dominant factor influencing his/her decision regarding purchase or service.

Forecasting Aggregate Retail Sales with Google Trends

As the internet grows in popularity, many purchases are being made in online stores. Google Trends is an online tool that collects data on user queries and forms categories from them. We forecast the dynamics of both aggregate retail sales and individual categories of food and non-food products using macroeconomic variables and Google Trends categories that correspond to various product groups. For each type of retail, we consider the best forecasting models from macroeconomic variables and try to improve them by adding trends. For these purposes, we use pseudo-out-of-sample nowcasting as well as recursive forecasting several months ahead. We conclude that forecasts for food and non-food products can improve significantly once trends are added to the models.