Cyber Solutions to Remote Problems? Online Trading in British Overseas Territories – A Review and Research Agenda

Abstract

Online retailing has the potential to offer remote areas a wider marketplace for their retail products and also a concomitant increase in income. Drawing on secondary Internet-based research, this paper considers the fortunes and future of online retailing in a number of the remote British Overseas Territories. It will become apparent that Internet retailing is an important strategic option for retailers in such isolated locations, but greater attention needs to be paid to issues surrounding operations and logistics, payment systems and merchandising. It is also seen how, despite its apparent ‘placelessness’, the Internet and associated online selling cannot escape the realities of space and distance.

Keywords:

• Online retailing
• British overseas territories
• remoteness

Notes

In addition, Britain also retains the sovereign base areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus.