Value Configurations in E-Commerce: Evidence from Comparison Websites

Comparison websites have become a particularly prominent feature of e-commerce. In 2007 it was estimated that 20% of car insurance policies in the UK were obtained through such websites. Whilst some see this as a positive trend which enables greater competition, others, in contrast, question how impartial such sites actually are. However, in spite of this high profile there is no real academic research on the subject of comparison websites. This paper offers such a contribution using theoretical frameworks from the strategy literature and outlines key areas for further work in this field.