by Lam Shiu Ying Sati. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 56-57). / Questionnaire also in Chinese. / Chapter I. --- introduction --- p.1 / Definition of Aromatherapy --- p.1 / Uses of Aromatherapy --- p.2 / Aromatherapy as Alternative Natural Healing --- p.3 / Aromatherapy in Hong Kong --- p.4 / Objective of the Project --- p.5 / Chapter II. --- ENVIRONMENT --- p.7 / brief History of Aromatherapy --- p.7 / Social and Legal Environment on Aromatherapy in the World and Hong Kong --- p.8 / Social Issues --- p.9 / Legal Issues on Selling Essential Oils --- p.11 / Qualification of Aromatherapists --- p.13 / Chapter III. --- INDUSTRY --- p.15 / Aromatherapy Related Products --- p.15 / Market Players in Hong Kong --- p.17 / Chapter IV. --- MARKETING STRATEGIES --- p.26 / The Company --- p.26 / Market Opportunities --- p.28 / Marketing Strategies of Company ABC --- p.29 / Position of Company ABC --- p.29 / Product and Price Considerations --- p.30 / Promotion and Channel Considerations --- p.31 / Potential Problems and Constraints --- p.34 / Chapter V. --- MARKET SURVEY --- p.35 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION --- p.42 / APPENDIX --- p.46 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.56

Eastern Cape Province farmers in the natural essential oils industry are yet to fully realise the use of electronic commerce (e-commerce) platforms, such as electronic marketplaces (e-marketplaces) for business purposes. This is due to the issues that include lack of awareness, poor product quality, untrusted payment gateways and unsuccessful delivery that are associated with e-marketplaces. As a result, farmers do not trust e-marketplaces and therefore hesitate to engage in e-marketplaces for business purposes. This is further complicated by natural essential oils buyers‟ tendency of preferring face-to-face interaction with a supplier rather than online interaction as they need quality assurance. As such, this research proposes a model to enhance the perceived trustworthiness of natural essential oil producers in the Eastern Cape Province selling through e-marketplaces. The model constitutes the factors that could be considered in assisting essential oil producers to create a perception of trustworthiness to buyers in e-marketplaces. These factors were evaluated amongst five organisations involved in the production, retail or processing of essential oils using a multiple-case study methodology. The study‟s use of multiple-case study was applied within the interpretivist paradigm and five cases were considered. Interviews, document analysis and observations were used for data collection. Data analysis was done using within-case analysis followed by cross-case analysis to establish factors of trust. The essential oil producers based in the Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and Western Cape provinces were cases that had been successfully using e-marketplaces for a notable period of time. Accordingly, factors that contributed to the successful use of e-marketplaces informed the proposed model of this research. The model proposes that perceived trustworthiness of enterprises in e-marketplaces can be achieved through following the uncertainty reduction stages (Entry, Personal and Exit) and applying uncertainty reduction strategies (passive, active and interactive).