ODR as an alternative form of dispute resolution for shoppers in Ireland

Abstract

This research aims to understand better which tools people are using to solve conflict-related complications that they experience when buying goods and services online, instead of using online dispute resolution, and discover if they are willing to use ODR. The objectives of this thesis are 1. To identify alternative methods of dispute resolution that can be used to solve an online conflict. 2. To examine the differences between Online Dispute Resolution and other alternative methods of dispute resolution 3. To recommend a strategy for the companies to approach Online Dispute Resolution with their customers. The research is looking for an answer to whether customers in Ireland are willing to use Online Dispute Resolution as a mechanism to solve their online disputes involving online purchasing. This research used the epistemology philosophy with positivism and deductive approach. Its strategies were an online survey that collected 94 answers in total. The results of the survey were illustrated by graphics facilitating the understanding of it. This means that the method choice of our thesis was a quantitative one, and the time horizontal was cross-sectional. The author concluded that the result of the survey was a positive one, which helped answer the principal question of this research and the main conclusion is that people in Ireland have been using Alternative Dispute Resolution more than the other tools studied in this research to solve their conflicts involving online purchasing. Nevertheless, the second mechanism more used by customers is ODR and those who did not know what an ODR was before this study are willing to use Online Dispute Resolution after participating. Finally, the research concludes that companies can and should use ODR to increase the trust of customers and therefore encourage them to buy on their website.