The topic of this research project is "How Online Sales Affect the Transformation of the Traditional Bereavement Industry During the COVID-19 Pandemic". In this research paper, the researcher explores the transformation gap from the traditional bereavement service industry in Malaysia to online sales techniques during the COVID-19 pandemic. This research paper would attempt to provide an understanding of the various key elements that could influence the transformation of the traditional bereavement service industry.
This research paper examines whether online sales could support the traditional funeral services industry to achieve the transformation goal and raise awareness of this industry in the Chinese community. In addition, the transformation from traditional grief counseling to modern grief counseling may influence the behavior of the Malaysian Chinese community.
INTRODUCTION
- Introduction
- Research Overview
- Research Problem
- Research Objectives
- Research Questions
- Research Significance
Without the online system, the traditional grief counseling industry cannot provide information online during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the traditional grief counseling industry will continue to provide services through their administrative offices on limited hours. In addition, this study is designed to examine the impact of Internet sales on the traditional grief counseling industry.
To explore how online sales will affect the future of the traditional bereavement industry. Why online sales are so important to the traditional bereavement industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
LITERATURE REVIEW
- Underlying Theories
- Marketing and sales
- Online publicity
- Leadership
- Social networks
- Review of Variables
- Proposed Theoretical/ Conceptual Framework
- Proposed Theoretical
- Conceptual Framework
- Hypotheses Development
- The relationship between product and transformation of traditional
- The relationship between community and transformation of
- The relationship between site and transformation of traditional
- The relationship between sales promotion and transformation of
And if the variable is dependent, it will change in response to changes in other factors, i.e. the different phases improve or changes in the independent variables affect the transformation phase of the industry (Shukla, 2018). The same is true if the conventional bereavement industry wants to hear from customers about new products or services they are working on (Hallstedt et al., 2020). The associations can collect customer comments and opinions online and take another step in the planning process, allowing new items or services to be more closely aligned with customer satisfaction.
For example, the most recent information is displayed on the associations' websites, as shown in Figure 8 below. To take advantage of this opportunity, the associations could learn to exploit the potential for service innovation brought about by the development trend. When customers experience a service innovation in the commercial bereavement industry, they expect to see it in the traditional bereavement industry as well. Therefore, the associations must look for new ideas to beat the competition (Barrett et al., 2015).
From the study by Decker Junior et al., (2018), the research suggests that a new cremation service which is "Mobile Crematorium" can be introduced in the bereavement industry. Online data analysis tools can help associations make better decisions, provide important information and predict customers' future purchasing behavior. As more customers offer favorable digital evaluations of the associations, it shows that an increasing number of consumers are using the associations indirectly as a trusted online platform.
Also because associations can obtain direct and accurate data from these digital evaluations to improve products or services that can better retain existing customers and attract new customers, while accelerating association transformation (Kim et al., 2018). One of the most important consequences of digital transformation is the transformation of the connection between associations and customers. New technologies allow associations to collaborate and communicate with their customers in new ways, such as websites, online search, etc.
Associations can regularly incorporate coupons and discounts into their marketing tactics to increase sales conversion rates and customer loyalty. Associations can also use email to deliver personalized sales information to customers in a timely manner.
METHODOLOGY
- Research Design
- Sampling Design
- Data Collection Method
- Proposed Data Analysis Tools
- Descriptive Analysis
- Inferential Analysis
The main beneficiary group of people who would benefit after the transformation of Malaysian Chinese. The researcher adopted Google forms survey as data collection instrument to collect primary data (Appendix A). The researcher is investigating the relationship between online sales and the transformation of Malaysia's traditional loss-making industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As an example, take one of the hypotheses in this research paper, which is "The Relationship Between Product and Transformation of the Traditional Bereavement Services Industry." Since the topic mentioned the term "online sales", the most important element of that term would be "product". In this hypothesis, the dependent variable is “transformation of the traditional bereavement service industry”, while the independent variable is “product”. Based on this hypothesis and the accepted quantitative studies, the researcher designed questions that could collect respondents' answers as evidence for the hypotheses.
To gather the opinion of "online sales affecting the traditional bereavement industry of Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic" from the Malaysian Chinese community. To explore the attitudes and thoughts of respondents on the transformation of the traditional bereavement industry by adopting online sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. After the form filling link of the Google survey form is generated, the researcher sends to the relevant respondent for data collection purposes.
A crosstab or two-way table is intended to show the ratios of components with different values for each of the two available variables, known as cell ratios. For example, the researcher could look at the gender percentage of Malaysians who are willing to support the transformation of the traditional funeral service (Susanna et al., 2017). For example, the researcher could investigate the relationship between the independent and dependent variables by applying Student's t-tests (Allua & Thompson, 2009).
DATA ANALYSIS
Descriptive Analysis
Number (N) Percentage (%) Which bereavement service brand/company/associations in Malaysia have you heard of before. What is the channel for you to know/receive the information from the bereavement service. The researcher found that there were 48 survey forms filled with repeated responses, in order to get accurate data from the survey, the researcher decided to remove the repeated data from the survey forms.
From the data generated by SPSS, the highest percentage of the categories is concluded in Table 3. Through which channel can you know/receive the information of the funeral services.
Inferential Analysis
- T-test and cross tabs results
- Reliability data
- Regression data of each hypothesis group
- Regression data of H1
- Regression data of H2
- Regression data of H3
- Regression data of H4
- Regression data of H5
Regarding H1, the researcher proposed that there is a positive relationship between the product (IV) and the transformation of the traditional mourning service industry (DV). The positive relationship is also shown by the result of 2 survey questions: "age". and "I prefer green/eco burial, without having a grave." In each age group, the largest number of respondents chose "Agree" for green/eco burial as a product/service.
As the modern bereavement service is currently not provided/developed by the traditional bereavement service industry in Malaysia, it can help the industry achieve the transformation goal. In contrast, most of the respondents chose "Disagree" for burial ground/cremation service (traditional death service) in Figure 12. In general, the degree of consistency of items related to the measurement content, and the larger value of Cronbach's alpha coefficient, the stronger of internal consistency.
From the Pearson correlation, a value of 0.64 means that there is a high degree of positive correlation between these two variables. Table 6 shows the Pearson correlation of H1 (product) is 0.318, which refers to a medium degree of correlations between IV and DV. Table 8 shows the Pearson correlation of H2 is 0.588, which means that there is a strong correlation between IV and DV.
Table 10 shows the Pearson correlation of H3 is 0.390, which refers to an average degree of correlation between IV and DV. Table 12 shows the Pearson correlation of H4 is 0.263, which refers to a small correlation between IV and DV. Table 14 shows the Pearson correlation of H5 is 0.079, which refers to a small correlation between IV and DV.
DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS
Discussions of Major Findings
Notes Correlation test and ANOVA test show a correlation between IV and DV, and strong evidence to reject H0. However, from the analyzed data, there is weak evidence that the development of digitization coupons or discounts can help the transformation of the traditional bereavement industry in Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Notes Correlation test and ANOVA test show a correlation between IV and DV, but weak evidence to reject H0.
Research Objective 1: IV from H1 to H4 are key elements of online sales, the positive relationships directly indicate that online sales could be a key element to transform the traditional bereavement service industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Objective 2: The positive correlation and evidence from H1 to H4 suggest that the traditional bereavement service industry in Malaysia could achieve more sales and gain potential customer data by adopting online sales. Research Objective 3: The positive correlation and evidence from H1 to H4 suggest that the traditional bereavement service industry could be successfully transformed by adopting new technologies and modern concepts.
Implications of the study
Limitations of the Study
Recommendations for Future Research
How online sales are transforming the traditional bereavement industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. I am conducting a survey on a study on "How online sales are transforming the traditional bereavement industry during the Covid-19 pandemic?". I think the service model of the traditional mourning industry is outdated, with complicated processes, etc.
I think the environment in the cemetery area in the traditional mourning industry is bad. I think the traditional bereavement industry could develop online platforms during the Covid 19 pandemic to allow the public in need of the service to check and compare prices, environment, etc. During the Covid 19 pandemic, the online platforms allowed me to comment or review for the traditional grief industry.
I think that the Chinese community will become the main beneficiary of the traditional mourning industry after the online transformation. I think the traditional bereavement industry should improve their products or services more, such as developing green/eco funeral services. During the period of the motion control order, I encountered difficulties in obtaining SOP information from the traditional bereavement industry.
During the Covid 19 pandemic, I faced financial difficulties so that the traditional bereavement industry could be an affordable bereavement service option. I think the traditional funeral service industry can establish a modern funeral ritual system that respects tradition and matches the trend of the times. I will have more confidence in the traditional bereavement industry after the online transformation because the products/service/operations can be transparent.
