The design of this study is to explore the emergence and influence of user portrait on e-commerce companies in the information age, and what kind of feedback this influence will provide e-commerce companies innovation. The research uses to its end Taobao as a case study, artificial int. The rise of the Internet, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are responsible for developing e-commerce in the 21^st century. Unlike the brick and motor companies, e-commerce companies’ dynamics in terms of operation, management, and marketing are solely based on technology. In this study, the focus will be on user portrait and its role in the e-commerce business. Successful e-commerce companies incorporate technology in their model, which includes user portrait. By collecting information on consumers’ daily consumption and their preferences, user portraits identify the consumers’ consumption behavior, enabling the company to tailor the user experience to the benefit of a specific customer. User portraits are used or perceived differently by both the user and e-commerce businesses, specifically Taobao and its users.

This research will use the questionnaire survey method for quantitative research; to collect first-hand data, and at the same time, carry out the initial research. It will conduct the primary and secondary research simultaneously to discuss the article in some depth. For the quantitative research, a questionnaire survey is used to provide first-hand data with the questions set at different levels, and the influence of various factors is taken into consideration, reducing the deviation as far as possible. Simultaneously, the researcher collected all the relevant literature from the University Library to gain a deeper understanding. Finally, and only after combining all the collected data and literature, a conclusion is drawn.

User portraits’ functions and responsibilities are beneficial to the Taobao Company, helping them improve customer satisfaction, increase sales through target marketing, and stabilize the customer base. However, there are some disadvantages; some consumers think that user portraits’ behavior is an infringement on their privacy and leads to a leakage of information. In this dissertation, the importance of this impact will be raised and explained in more detail, and researcher will collect feedback.

1.0.
introduction

1.1. Background

The Internet holds a massive amount of user information and behavior data, which can analyze user personality characteristics (GU, Wang, Wang, Zhuang & Su, 2018). This is how the concept of user portrait was born. Initially, it was seen as a ‘fashionable concept’ in the big data area, which extracted all the users’ relevant information into tags. These were then used tags to incorporate the user image, to provide a targeted service to the user.

In recent years, China has witnessed a rapid development led by giants in e-commerce companies such as Taobao, with the number of products of each e-commerce company growing exponentially. According to Yu, et al. (2019), user portraits represent a virtual representation of consumers’ needs, preferences, desires, and traits. The virtual representation of a customer through user portraits enables e-commerce companies to tailor the customer experience. The tailoring is done through an algorithm that suggests and recommends products and services to the customer to increase sales by improving client experience with an e-commerce platform such as Taobao.

Taobao is the leading e-commerce company in the world. The company, which is based in China, was founded in May 2003 by the Alibaba group. Today the platform is a beehive online shopping activity. Millions of users visit the online platform every day for shopping. The platform’s success arises from its consumer experience, which establishes trust and provides shoppers with a lot of options in terms of products and prices. For users to have a better experience, they are required to submit information about themselves. Such information includes, location, name, and gender. The company takes these sets of data and uses them to create a consumer profile. The more the user uses the platform, the further the system collects data on that user to a point where a user’s portrait is built inform of data that predicts what users want and offers recommendations. Taobao is a unique e-commerce platform because it incorporates social media, innovation, and business aspects, unlike Amazon. In this study, the researcher will use Taobao as a case study to identify the use of user portraits in e-commerce companies and its impact on increasing sales and improving customer experience.

1.2. Terms Used

This section will explain some of the professional terms which will be used by the author. User portrait: This refers to creating a fictional character to categorize potential users of a company. The term ‘user portrait’ is quite widely used in e-commerce and on advertising platforms and can also be regarded as a ‘persona’ (Lidwell, Holden & Butler, 2010). Unlike selling in the actual market, selling on the Internet requires organizations to further comprehend client conduct and the difficulties of new advancements’ impacts on the e-commerce model (Kumar, et al., 2013). When clients buy on the web, the fundamental information the internet appearance might be essentially founded on the client buying choices, for example, the site appearance, item data, pictures, pictures, store notoriety scores. online retail businesses understand user shopping conduct and the impacting variables of the user dynamic, they can adjust their advertising systems to fit the client needs, to change the possible clients over to the genuine ones, and hold their current clients (Kumar, et al., 2013).

User portraits can connect the companies to their users; the company can provide the relevant service and products by understanding users’ needs and requirements.

In most cases, a user portrait is a composite of data collected from the user’s behavior, such as their search history and purchase records. According to Humphrey (2017), the user’s behavior patterns, goals, skills, attitudes, and some fictional personal details will be collected and organized into a user’s portrait in these processes.

A user profile is composed of multiple features of a specific group or object, and the result is usually a specific description of the users buying characteristics. Another way to explain this is that the user profile comprises multiple tags; in fact, it is composed of multiple tag values. We will take ‘Tom’ as an example of a user profile, and his output results are: he is a male, 20 years old, has an iPhone, is from Beijing, and is interested in football. All of which is composed of specific tag values from multiple tags’.

User profile and user portrait are different in that, user profile entails data used to distinguish user accounts in the e-commerce platform, and it is general. User portrait, on the other hand, entails holistic data of specific product consumers while online. A user profile can have more than one user portrait depending on particular online behavior. For instance, a user profile can have two user portraits, one for electronic preference or product line and another on a cosmetic product line.

Tag: the abstract classification and generalization of a certain feature of a certain group or object, and its value (tag value), which can be classified. For groups of people, men and women’s characteristics can be theoretically summarised and collectively referred to as ‘gender,’ and that becomes a label(“What are user-profiles and tags?”, 2020).

User portraits are essential in creating a customer persona that enables e-commerce companies to provide precise recommendations to visitors. A user portrait is more detailed than a user profile since it incorporates both personalities, physical attributes, and social characteristics. For this reason, user portrait in this study will be used to imply the detailed information of customers using e-commerce platforms such as Taobao.

Taobao is a network shopping site within Alibaba, founded by Jack Ma in 2003, and it has become a major C2C shopping web site for customers from mainland China (B2C website – Tmall lending). Whether it is an individual or an enterprise, they can open their online shop in Taobao. Taobao has also included an auction platform, where land, motor vehicles, engineering, and even intangible assets can be traded.

1.3. Problem statement

1.3.1. Overview

In internet business, the nature of coordinated promoting develops with additional advancements in data innovation, which assists with improving the nature of client information and fabricating enduring associations with its clients. The Internet permits advertisers to acquire definite client-related data and empowers dealers to individualize their promoting instruments for a huge scope and progressively. Since the information is produced naturally, information assortment and handling can be generally programmed also. Subsequently, buyer profiles can be delivered at essentially no additional expense and exertion. This is cultivated with the assistance of reasonable profiling devices that naturally gather and investigate information and make them accessible for showcasing purposes. A significant part of the client-related information accessible in web-based business is in a structure that is not helpful for productive investigation and understanding. This is because of specialized elements and those relating straightforwardly to the information assortment strategies themselves. Then again, different client conduct elements can frequently deliver gathered information inadmissible for the immediate creation of client profiles. Many e-commerce companies have adopted phenomena such as Big data and artificial intelligence, which helps in creating consumer portraits. Taobao is an example of a successful e-commerce company that utilizes technology birthed from Big Data, Machine Learning, and Artificial intelligence in creating ‘user portraits.’ The is a literature gap on the potential of user portraits in e-commerce companies such as Taobao and its application in other fields.

1.4. Research Question/Hypothesis

Research Question 1: Does user portrait enhance the customer experience in e-commerce?

Hypothesis 1: User portrait improves customer experience significantly

Hypothesis 2: The absence of user portrait reduces the probability of algorithmic recommendations, thus hindering precise target marketing

Research Question 2: How does user portrait benefit e-commerce companies?

Hypothesis 1: E-commerce companies cut marketing costs by using user portraits

Hypothesis 2: Better customer experiences due to customer portrait expands and retains consumer base

Research Question 3: What are the challenges of implementing user portraits by e-commerce companies?

Hypothesis 1: User privacy concerns is the biggest challenge in the effective implementation of user portraits

Research Question 4: What are the potential uses of user’ portraits in e-commerce

Hypothesis 1: User portrait is only applicable to target marketing

Hypothesis 2: User portraits can be used to develop new products in the cyberspace

Research Question 5: How are user portraits efficient in playing the role of virtual assistants in e-commerce?

Hypothesis: User portraits help the user spend less time on online shopping

Research question 6: Does a user portrait contribute to impulsive consumer spending?

Hypothesis: A user profile can tell a user with an impulsive disorder and exploit the user.

1.5. Objectives and Aims

Overall Objective

E-commerce business has evolved into a dynamic phenomenon, and this research aims at finding the potential of user portraits as applied by Taobao.

Specific Aims

Determine the potential of user portrait in e-commerce companies
Find out how user portrait affects Taobao’s users negatively.
Find out the positive effect of user portrait on Taobao’s users.

1.6. Purpose of the Study

The uniqueness of Taobao from other e-commerce companies and its preference in China makes it an interesting company to study. Since there are many aspects attributed to Taobao’s success, one unique aspect of Taobao that makes it stand out in its niche is the social media aspect. Taobao, in a way, resembles social media platforms. Users in social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have user-profiles and pictures on their accounts. The profiles are meant for easier connection among users. In Big data and e-commerce context, user data is used by specialized algorithms to create user portraits. In this dissertation, the researcher intends to study the principle and function of user portrait, and to tap into the value it contains, to use it in a wide range of fields.

Secondly, the researcher aims to research and analyses how the user portrait function connects the company and users, and analyses why the user portrait can be used to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. We can also distinguish the impact that user portraits have on corporate development, and elaborate on its advantages and disadvantages. Thirdly the research aims to establish the perception of user portraits by Taobao.

The fulfillment of the study’s purpose will be essential in filling the gap in the literature on the essence of user portrait in target marketing, privacy concerns in the use of portrait by e-commerce companies, and the potential of ideal user portrait in improving customer experience while conducting e-commerce.

The rationale of the study

User portrait provides companies with the necessary data basis for further accurate and rapid analysis of the users’ behavior, consumption habits, and other necessary business information. It can perfectly isolate the full picture of user information, which can be regarded as the foundation of enterprise application of big data (Guo, Zhao & Feng, 2019). These days, user portraits are used quite extensively in many fields of commerce.

User portrait helps to make the service of a product more focused; this kind of service to a specific group of people would yield more success as opposed to providing mediocre service to a large group of people. Also, user profiling can improve efficiency decision-making efficiency. From the perspective of the era of data, the network is inundated with user information, separating each specific user’s information into tags (Guo, Zhao & Feng, 2019). These tags are used to represent the user’s portrait, thereby enabling the seller to provide a targeted service for users.

This research can assist to a certain degree in developing a user portrait system for e-commerce companies such as Taobao. Conversely, from a customer’s perspective, this research can improve their understanding of the function and principles of the user portrait and avoid any potential risks. User portraits are products of the information age, and with the progression of time, they will evolve even more. This research can record the current user portrait system level.

1.7. Structure of The Dissertation

There are six mains sections to this dissertation:

*Introduction

*Literature Review

*Research Methodology

*Critique of previous researches

*Implementation of method and analysis and its outline

*Evaluation and reflection

All the sections have different sub-sections; the reference and appendix make up the last two sections of this dissertation.

2.0.
LITERATURE REVIEW

E-commerce and Data

For a long time, purchasers and advertisers have had not many wellsprings of getting and dispersing data with respect to items or administrations. The customary assets of data were the solitary wellsprings of getting data and were offered restricted understanding (Han & Kim, 2017). These assets are costly as well as give restricted space other than restricted insight. Because of these budgetary and space limitations, data about independent companies were incredibly hard to present as well as on access.

Notwithstanding, with the appearance of the web, distributing and appropriation of data got open and less expensive. The web has improved the stream and nature of data by assisting organizations with understanding their clients better through free data partaking progressively (Guo, Zhao & Feng, 2019). It has associated organizations and clients so that the two players can more readily speak with one another. Consequently, organizations can offer items and administrations as per client needs utilizing client pictures.

The web has likewise brought numerous difficulties for organizations. Buyer’s tension on organizations has expanded in light of the fact that clients give data to other online clients about organization items and administrations by online client surveys, web journals, or web-based media (Guo, Zhao & Feng, 2019). Online business devices like client profiles urge clients to share their experience, which not just spreads item or administration data through informal exchange yet, in addition, empowers an organization to see precisely what clients need.

2.1. The Case of Taobao

The research study by Solervicens and Petersburg (2018) identified the growing development of the Taobao Mobile Recommendation System (MRS). This originated in 2014, from the strategies of Alibaba’s ‘All in Wireless.’ The research concluded that Taobao had developed a system of personalized recommendations based on user portraits and their preferences for products and services. They also had a system for analyzing the changing needs of consumers and identifying potential opportunities. They analyzed that the recommendation system is highly sophisticated and works to improve an individual’s experience of browsing on their Smartphone easily and efficiently (Lamche, 2015). Additionally, the article by Wenwu (2020) identified some major features of Taobao’s mobile app designed for the consumer, in comparison with the competitors` user interfaces. Therefore, the initial value of Taobao’s recommendation system is that it is involved in the consumer’s decision-making process. It can identify the potential needs and wants of consumers and assist them in deciding to buy even before they know what they want for themselves. However, there are still many other factors that are necessary to identify significant features of Taobao’s mobile app (Gong et al., 2020). Hence, this research will focus on answering the questions posed by the gap that was identified as critically analyzing the significant features of Taobao’s mobile app.

A research study by Han and Kim (2017) analyzed Taobao’s system, which is developed in complicated consumer structures. It is not available solely to consumers who use the app but also includes consumers who are not logged in or do not have a user portrait. Therefore, the research by Kwahk and Kim (2017) identified that Taobao had formulated a differentiated recommendation policy and enhanced the model accordingly. However, the aforementioned research only identified the limited benefits of user portrait and did not identify any of the disadvantages. Hence, this research study will focus on the other significant benefits and perform a critical analysis of the disadvantages of using User Portraits by the Taobao.

Organizations have begun coordinating e-business methodologies in their plans of action and each association, regardless of the business or area they have a place with. This, as per Han & Kim, (2017), permits them to expand their deals as well as encourages their clients to make their buys. In the course of recent many years, a great deal of examination has been led on the effect of e-Business and web-based business on the in general authoritative execution, for example, on brand improvement, group advancement, and worker rights and advancement. Anyway, little has been done in transit buyer purchasing practices have changed. Thusly, there is a hole present in exact exploration in transit practices of customers have changed because of the coordination of online business in plans of action of associations.

An investigation led by Kukar-Kinney & Close, (2010) on customer division dependent on purchasing and returning conduct expressed that albeit a tremendous measure of information is gathered through web-based business, it is only from time to time used to recognize the adjustment in shopper practices throughout the timeframe. Their examination was two-overlap as it tried experimentally whether methodologies that depend on “one size fits all” accommodate their chose industry, and besides, it investigated whether returning buyers make productivity. The value-based deals and return information that was utilized might have additionally been utilized to recognize the adjustment in purchasing practices, choice of items or change in them, and the assortment of decisions that sway the dynamic cycle.

Notwithstanding, Kukar-Kinney & Close, (2010) expressed that purchasing practices of customers utilizing online business can’t be homogeneous because of the explanation that our merchandise is quick with a significantly more modest lifecycle when contrasted with items a couple of many years back. Yang, (2019) spread that breaking down the purchaser conduct could assist associations with separating their items and their production network methodologies to coordinate the changes. Kukar-Kinney & Close, (2010) are of the view that the joining of web-based business and the impact of web-based media, where buyers can share their perspectives, has largely affected how individuals notice, assemble data about various other options, select a specific item, and settle on a buy choice.

User Insight and Mentality user portraits

Investigating the connection between shopper decisions and pay is indispensable in internet business. A significant hypothesis in such a manner is known as the customer hypothesis (in financial matters), which examinations are adjusting the relationship of buyers inclinations to shopper spending plan for greatest item usage (Song & Wang, 2019). The hypothesis accentuates that customers attempt to augment their advantages for the measure of cash they spend to buy an item remembering limitations forced by budgetary imperatives on their decisions. The hypothesis additionally investigates impacts of shopper’s inclinations, replacement, and pay on their purchasing choices (Song & Wang, 2019)

eCommerce User Behavior

Conduct can be influenced by various social impacts and ecological components. Understanding the conduct of the purchasers is of essential significance for the achievement of the final results (Solervicens & Petersburg, 2018). To be effective in its online business procedure, an organization has to know the purposes for shoppers purchasing choices. Since just a couple of items appeal to all clients, an online procedure should zero in on understanding the estimations of focused clients using center gatherings, studies, and mental investigation, on which associations can design their future technique, (Solervicens & Petersburg, 2018)

Online business gives a chance to organizations to adequately convey to their current and likely new clients. Anyway, organizations should be very much aware of client insight with respect to their items, since online clients are very extraordinary when contrasted with customary clients (Solervicens & Petersburg, 2018). The focal point of an online client is on data, for example, item cost and its incentive for cash, so to project item quality, one methodology is to advance it through a site that has a plan dependent on important, itemized, and educational substance which requests the client.

Web-based business sites should adequately meet the client’s needs (Song, Wang, 2019)). Customers contrast their view of item execution and set guidelines. There is an affirmation of results when the apparent exhibition matches norms, though disconfirmation results from a jumble. Affirmation and dismissals decide purchaser fulfillment or disappointment (Song, Wang, 2019).

Notwithstanding, buyer disposition is a significant component when contemplating their shopping conduct on the web. Tsai, (2010) summed up nine elements to evaluate the shopper’s discernment toward internet shopping, expressed these components to be hazard insight, control, comfort, moderateness, nature of administration, and level of trouble in utilizing the sites. A few factors that can impact the client’s web-based shopping conduct are ordered into four significant classifications: estimation of the item, online experience, nature of administration, and danger impression of web retail shopping. Customer trust is additionally affected by retailer size and notoriety (Yin & Pan, 2019, December).

E-commerce is basically any advertising movement that is directed online using web advancements. It includes promoting that is appeared on sites, yet in addition different sorts of online exercises like e-mail and interpersonal interaction (Yin & Pan,2019, December). Each part of e-showcasing is computerized, implying that it is electronic data that is sent on a comparative gadget. However, normally, it can connect to customary disconnected promoting and deals as well.

E-commerce is diverse to that of customary showcasing and draws in the dynamic crowd rather than the detached crowd, which are in full control of which data to peruse and whose site they should visit (Yang, 2019). So it requires some investment and costs to distinguish likely client in e-showcasing yet gives equivalent occasions to the advertisers where they ready to expand their business openness (Wu, Chen, & Wu, 2019).

In e-promoting, it is critical to separate the item or administrations from different contenders since the web promptly gives intends to analyze diverse items on the web and show moment results. Associations require abilities for social affairs and investigations of data separated from online business sectors to make future procedures for associations.

2.2. Summary

In the current era of technology, User Portraits are considered to be a primary resource used by e-commerce businesses to understand the needs and wants of the consumer, in an attempt to impact their purchasing decisions even before they think about a particular product or service. This research study will focus on analyzing the identified gaps in the case of one of Chinas’ leading e-commerce businesses, Taobao. To a certain extent, user portraits have helped the company to understand the needs and changing behaviors of consumers (Dacko, 2017). In return, consumers are also benefitting as they are provided with a list of recommendations and suggestions regarding products and services. For this purpose, Taobao has developed a state of the art recommendation system to facilitate consumers. Previous research studies have observed that consumers have significant concerns about the loss of privacy and potential financial risks posed by e-commerce stores. Therefore, it is the main reason why consumers feel hesitant about shopping through Taobao (Tsai, 2010).

Therefore, Taobao is developing a variety of effective strategies, which include: development of an e-customer service facility and improving its personalized recommendations. This is being done to facilitate and retain more consumers; the research, therefore, will be focusing on this for further exploration.

3.0. research METHODOLOGY

3.1. Introduction

The reason for this section is to clarify in detail the study strategies and the approach actualized for this investigation. The part will clarify most importantly the decision of exploration approach, at that point the study configuration, just as the preferences and burdens of the study apparatuses chosen. This will be trailed by a conversation on their capacity to create legitimate outcomes, meeting the points and goals set by this exposition. The section at that point proceeds to talk about the example size and the inspecting procedure applied by the researcher, and the information study techniques which have been utilized. It closes with a short conversation on the moral contemplations and impediments presented by the study approach, just as issues experienced during the exploration.

3.2.1. Research Approach

According to the nature of the topic, the research method that is fairly applicable is the mixed method. This method would enable the researcher to deeply understand the research requirements and fulfill the criteria of the research. To analyze the consumer behavior and impacts of E-commerce, it is essential to gather data with the help of applying a mixed method to conduct the research. The methodology contemplates that a few approaches have constraints, and for this situation utilizing just subjective or quantitative won’t address all the exploration questions sufficiently. In deciding the impression of user portrait discernment from Taobao’s perspective, a specialist needs to take a gander at the focal points it brings to the organization quantitatively. Then again, users will give their assessments on their experience of utilizing Taobao and its point proposal framework, which utilizes user portrait wonders. Along these lines, both quantitative and subjective information is needed to respond to the study’s exploration questions.

3.2.2. Research Design

This research utilizes both quantitative and subjective study procedures as there will be numeric and non-numeric information delivered. A subjective exploration technique is especially material for the motivations behind this study, where the association between a few distinct factors must be set up through understanding. Likewise, the study utilizes triangulation since triangulation offers the chance to move toward the exploration targets from various perspectives, getting a more nuanced perspective on the associations between the various factors. In light of the study addresses the quantitative procedure utilizing different factual apparatuses, for example, chi-square, p-value, and relationship coefficient will help in speculation investigation.

3.2. Research Methods

For this research, the writer has decided to use questionnaires, primary, and secondary research methods. The questionnaires will be distributed among students in China and users of the e-commerce platform Taobao. In so far as the questionnaire is usually mailed to the respondents and contains specific, clear-cut directions, the persons charged with the collection of data need not exert themselves on offering additional explanations or instructions. It is obvious that the questionnaire technique does not call for any special skills or training on the part of investigators in the field. Since the questionnaire approach makes it possible to cover, at the same time, a large number of people spread over a large territory, it is decidedly more economical in terms of money, time, and energy. Other methods do not afford such a facility. The questionnaire, by its very nature, is an impersonal technique. Uniformity from one measurement situation to another is provided by virtue of its standardized working of questions, standardized sequence of questions, and fixed or standardized instructions for recording responses. This alleged uniformity, viewed from the psychological angle, is often more illusory than real. A given question, in spite of its ‘standardized’ wording, could have different meanings for different persons.

3.2.1. Questionnaires

Questionnaires were picked for this exploration since they are a solid and speedy technique to gather data from various respondents proficiently and conveniently. This is particularly significant with regards to huge ventures, with a few complex destinations, where time is one of the significant limitations. This examination is no exemption, and questionnaires will be a fast and compelling route for the researcher to arrive at numerous respondents inside a little while. An overall impediment of the questionnaires anyway is their fixed and severe organization, which disposes of the opportunities for additional inside and out or conceptual perception. Once more, this examination isn’t a special case from this standard, as the questionnaires give direct and clear outcomes. However, numerous components from the exploration will be left revealed.

3.2.2. Primary Research

Researchers conduct basic research, which is ‘targeted’ and is focused on specific problems, e.g., data collection during analysis, and all concerns are focused on obtaining relevant solutions. A questionnaire is a more accurate and reliable method to obtain more accurate and reliable data sources. In this paper, the online survey was sent to the participants by e-mail or filling online. This is to collect the influence of the user portrait mode on Taobao e-commerce companies in consumer groups. The advantages of this research method are that not only is this a convenient way to obtain first-hand data, but it also ensures the authenticity and credibility of the data, ultimately making better use of the data.

3.2.3. Secondary research

Secondary research is a common method of systematic research wherein researchers rely entirely on existing data. The design of the study involves organizing, collating, and analyzing the data samples to arrive at a valid conclusion. The secondary research method includes data collection through various means, i.e., the Internet, libraries, archives, schools, and organizational reports (Blog, 2020). In the research process, only using the questionnaire in quantitative research as the data source is unitary. Therefore, data assimilation methods that involve different sources have also been adopted, that is, using all available research materials. A large number of similar discussions on user portrait models in school libraries or on the Internet were also consulted. Conclusions such as responsibilities, advantages, and disadvantages of user portrait used by e-commerce companies and consumer feedback are drawn. For this dissertation, primary research and secondary research were used simultaneously as it would be more applicable.

3.3. Instrument Design

Questionnaires

In this study, the researcher will utilize a poll as his device for gathering information. A survey is an essential exploration apparatus, comprising of a progression of inquiries intended to accumulate data from an interviewee. While there are various different methods of directing a survey, in this exploration, polls will be disseminated, and answers will be gathered through the web. A survey can get a lot of data about the members and is a moderately quick and viable approach to all the while measuring the conduct, demeanor, inclination, sentiments, and aim of an enormous number of members. Chinese students from the Information School and other user bunches who have ever been in contact with Taobao will be welcomed as test information in the exploration cycle. The poll can be sent using e-mail or finished on the web, which can be effectively available on a cell phone application.

The first step is to collect basic information about the participants, through which it would be possible to determine the sample scope.

In the second part, the questions were designed to understand the participants’ experience of using Taobao.

The third part will be used to collect the participants’ understanding of the user portraits held by Taobao.

The last section is where the researcher can get the participants’ cognition and feedback on Taobao’s user portraits.

A detailed analysis of each question will be presented in the Implementation section.

3.4. Data Collection

The vast majority of the information exchange with the members will occur using e-mail. Before that, nonetheless, the researcher will make an information base, which meets the study standards utilizing a basic web index. The researcher will intentionally target Chinese understudies from the Information School and other user bunches who have ever been in contact with Taobao. From the start, the author will contact members through the telephone to make them familiar with the reasons for the exploration and to request consent to direct the study. For secrecy, the individual data won’t be unveiled, particularly having as a top priority their names and contacts are not pertinent to the exploration. The surveys will be circulated and finished throughout about a month.

3.5. Methods of Data Analysis

The study of the survey results will be done utilizing topical investigation. On account of the modest number of respondents and the different plan and answer sets of the inquiries, and given the quantitative examination approach of the investigation, the researcher will utilize any of the factual programming accessible, for example, SPSS. The outcomes from the surveys will be introduced in the configuration of tables and graphs. The technique for information assortment in plan based exploration can include the assortment of subjective as well as quantitative information, and it could be gathered in patterns of a little while or semesters, or even years.

Sorts of information gathered are probably going to change alongside the stages. For instance, information adding to the relevant arrangement is bound to be stressed before phases of the investigation, while information on model qualities or client responses is bound to be gathered later on. With regards to more summative assessments, “Taking into account, the wide variety of potential mediations and settings, an expansive scope of (direct/circuitous; moderate/extreme) markers for ‘achievement’ ought to be thought of. Given the realistic point of this sort of exploration, it is seldom conceivable to indicate a limited least of information assortment exercises through which the examination questions can be agreeably replied.

Timeline

Activity	Proposed Time
Make preparations	28^th-30^th June
Design questionnaire	1^st -3^rd July
Implement a questionnaire survey	5^th -10^th July
Collect data	11^th -14^th July
Analyse data	16^th -20^th July
Write a summary report	22^nd -26^th July

(Appendix-1)

As per the requirements of the information school, the researcher does not need to do the actual data collection operation. Therefore, the researcher has used a table to present the proposed timeline of this research.

In the first step, the research will aim to make all the preparations by the end of June, for determining the research methods, data collection methods, potential risk analysis, and identifying potential participants.

The second step is to aim to design the questionnaire between July 1st and July 3rd.

The questionnaire will then be distributed between July 5th and 10th to allow the participants sufficient time to answer all the questions. The data will be collected and managed between the 11th and 14th of July.

In the next step, the researcher will aim to have analysed all the data before July 20th.

Finally, the researcher will be able to provide a summary of the results.

3.6. Risk assessment

3.6.1. Overall risk Level

After completing the Risk Assessment Template of the Information School, the researcher concluded that this research was low. The complete risk assessment template is presented in Appendix-2.

The researcher had foreseen six potential risks in the risk assessment process and has evaluated them. They are related to:

*The risk of losing data

*Equipment being damaged

*The participant being jet lagged

*Participant’s privacy issues

*General fatigue

*Covid-19

The researcher has taken measures to control these potential risks; after implementing the control measures, the risks came to be at a low-risk rating. For example, to prevent the loss of data, the researcher will need to back up the data collected frequently. As for the issue of privacy, if a participant feels that the questions are a little personal, the option “I prefer not to say” was included to avoid offending the participant.

This dissertation has focused entirely on the ‘perception’ of user portraits in e-commerce companies; it has not designed any sensitive topic related to high risks. The survey will be completed online as this method of data collection is low risk and suitable for in-depth study and research.

3.6.2. Personal Safety

Under normal circumstances and without any external factors, an appropriate questionnaire will be constructed and distributed mainly to students of the School of Information. It does not exclude the possibility that some students will feel that they have been cheated on or their privacy has been violated. There is also a possibility that, in the process of distributing the questionnaires, the researcher could suffer an unexpected injury.

The existence of COVID-19 means that face-to-face contact could increase the risk of infection. Instead of obtaining information face-to-face, users can choose to fill in the questionnaire online, through e-mail, or on a mobile device.

3.7. Data management

The researcher managed to complete the Data Management Plan; the entire content can be referred to as Appendix-3.

The researcher will use a questionnaire to collect data; both the quantitative and qualitative data will be collected via the questionnaire. From July 1st to July 20th, the researcher will be using the Wenjuanxing Application to create questionnaires, collect, and analyze data. The formats will be saved as SPSS.sav or as text messages. The sample of participants used is approximately 100 students; there are a total of 15 questions in this research, out of which12 are closed questions. These are the source of quantitative data. The remaining three questions are open questions, and make up the qualitative data.

There are no pre-existing datasets in this research.

The title, unit, and method of the data will be saved in a README.txt file, whilst the digital data will be stored on a Google drive owned by the researcher.

Data will be categorized by the question it is extracted from and named separately. To ensure the data is backed up, the researcher intends to use the University research data storage to back up the data. Whilst collecting data, the researcher will check that the data can be backed-up and check the situation daily to prevent any data from being lost. In this research, there is no privacy content, so the researcher does not need to implement any extra security precautions. The data collected from the questionnaire will be archived in ORDA for a period of 10 years, and the researcher will be responsible for eventually archiving the data. There is no extra repository used in this research.

The researcher and his supervisor are responsible for this plan. When the project changes, the plan will be adjusted accordingly.

3.7.0.1. Ethical Considerations

There will be a few sorts of ethical issues, which the researcher should think about for this task. The main one is connected with the informed assent regarding the study subjects. The entirety of study subjects will be informed ahead of time about the reasons for this undertaking, and give their agreement in a hard copy. Their way of life, just as the names they have, will be kept anonymous, hence meeting the prerequisites of the code of morals of the University.

What’s more, the protection and classification strategy of all of Taobao Organization will be contemplated too, as the organization has an exacting arrangement for admittance to their workers for research purposes. Along these lines, the researcher will sign assent structures for classification and protection with the organizations whose workers and supervisors consent to partake in the study. At last, all the data gathered over the span of this paper will be utilized uniquely for the motivations behind the investigation and will be kept secret.

3.7.1. Conclusion

(For data use and methods, please be more specific about research objectives or questions and hypotheses that are clearly related to the questionnaire questions)

This section has sketched out and advocated the study strategy executed in this exposition and its legitimacy. In light of the idea of the exploration, the researcher decided on both quantitative and subjective techniques, limited by pragmatic methodology. The key examination instruments will be surveyed, secondary and primary research. The participants will be painstakingly focused on and enlisted through a divided reviewing strategy. The outcomes will be investigated and analyzed pragmatically.

4.0. Critique of a previous dissertation

By reading the previous dissertation related to the sub-topic and identifying a clear focus and background, it is found that the background of this research explains clearly the information and the analysis of the topic. At the same time, the purpose of the study is to compare and evaluate the recommendation system of Amazon and Taobao, and to put forward any suggestions and recommendations for any improvements (Yang, 2019). This will be done from the perspective of users so that it is more humanized. It is also very important to understand the satisfaction of the user and the recommendation system, accepting reasonable suggestions to be able to constantly improve the recommendation system and service. However, this paper does not define the concept of a noun in detail, so it is easy to be confused.

4.1. Literature

Secondly, as to whether there is any contact with literature, this paper adopts quantitative research methods such as questionnaires and surveys to make extensive use of first-hand data and charts for in-depth expression of the paper. Literature is used to provide a foundation for research to a large extent, and also to cite references correctly so that readers can see them at a glance.

4.2. Methodology

The third is about methods and implementations. Through the use of a large amount of first-hand data and detailed tables, this study has enough details of the research method, not only in the quantitative research using a questionnaire survey, for the design of the problem level by level, and fully considered the various factors required in the preparation. At the same time, it is applied to the computer program: SPSS. The collected data is analyzed and looked at rigorously, and tables are produced, which are easier for readers to understand. With sufficient research methods, there is hopefully no duplication or plagiarism. For analysis and research using SPSS, the deviation of data is reduced, and the objectivity and credibility of the research are increased; at the same time, the expression of data and the display of charts are reasonable. These data and charts allow for the conclusion to be drawn that the recommendation system has constraints and limitations. The defects of the recommendation system are also described in the study.

Fourthly, a large part of this study is concentrated on primary research, which uses survey questionnaires and models to extract a large number of first-hand data to obtain information from consumers as well as other groups, and the results are well-founded. At the same time, when recruiting participants, the study selected samples in the following ways to facilitate sampling and snowball sampling (SPSS was used to analyze the results): descriptive statistical methods, correlation analysis, and regression analysis (Yang, 2019). Through data processing and the analysis process, it was concluded that the ease of use, complete shopping experience, development, and suggestions all have a significant impact on user satisfaction. On the other hand, the results show that most people think quite highly about recommendations, and believe that it has broader prospects. At the end of the study, a systematic and appropriate record is made for SPSS, and each part conforms to the specification.

4.3. Relationship with the current study

The fifth question is about whether the research should be linked with the goal. This paper restates the objective and theme of the introduction and discusses whether Taobao or Amazons’ recommendation systems will develop any more in the future, as it has both the user’s shopping experience and ease of use. From the perspective of a user, the function plays an increasingly important role. Taobao’s recommendation system only needs to utilize its advantages in the future and avoid creating any disadvantages. Amazon’s recommendation system also combines its advantages and innovations.

Sixth regards the real ease of use, shopping experience, perceived risk, development, and recommendations, this study developed two models to gauge user satisfaction. Finally, through the detailed reading and analysis of the research, it was found that the structure was insufficient, the concept of the definition of Amazon and Taobao recommendation systems is not described in detail; just a large number of data is used to show this, and the text explanation part is insufficient. However, it will be more objective and reliable for data analysis and overall analysis.

5.0. Implementation of method&Analysis

Exploration technique is a viewpoint which is identified with the viewpoint and inclinations of the how the analyst ways to deal with lead the examination. It regularly incorporates the examination and choice of methods of reasoning, plans, various methodologies, and styles that are pertinent. The underlying advance to complete exploration is by building up construction of how to accomplish information. This should be possible by investigating the past examination to discover how far the individuals have been on the chosen research. As per the idea of the subject, the examination strategy that is genuinely material is the blended technique. This strategy would empower the analyst to profoundly comprehend the exploration necessities and satisfy the measures of the examination. To investigate the reactions of members, it is fundamental to assemble information with the assistance of applying quantitative strategy to direct the examination.

5.1. Implementation of Data Collection

In this research, the data was collected through the use of a questionnaire. The Wenjuanxing Application was used by the researcher to design the questionnaire. The entire questionnaire is attached in Appendix-4. This questionnaire allows the researcher to collect both quantitative and qualitative data.

The researcher included a consent form at the beginning of the questionnaire to inform the participants of the basic information required in the questionnaire. The main body of the questionnaire was split into four different sections with a total of 15 questions.

The questions in the first part are designed to collect the participants’ basic information, such as their gender, education, age, and had they ever shopped on Taobao. To ensure that the participants did not feel offended, the researcher set up some special options. These four questions ensure the researcher of the scope of the participant sample.

‘Have you ever used an e-commerce platform for shopping.’

This question was the first in the questionnaire, to ensure that all the participants had used Taobao. The first part is not relevant to others. The questions related to e-commerce platforms such as Taobao were set in the second section, which is a small section, containing only two questions (they were used to identify the participants’ usage of Taobao).

The sixth question is ‘Average length of stay on the Taobao interface.’ This question can also be linked to the latter part as the average user time can be used to determine whether the user portrait functions reduce the user’s search time to help in answering research question 5.

The questions set in the third part play a transitional role as in this part, the researcher uses questions related to the Taobao recommendation system to elicit the user portrait function. The user’s perception of Taobao’s recommendation system, allows the researcher to answer research questions 3 and 4.

The last part is the key part of this questionnaire and includes six questions:

The ninth question is to investigate the overall satisfaction of the participants with the function of the user profile function with the aim of answering research question 2.

The tenth question is an open question, and it aims to investigate the benefits, if any, participants think user portraits bring to them. This question is connected to the 14th question.

The 11th question is aiming to identify any advantages of user portraits. These questions will help in responding to research questions 1,5, and 6, respectively.

The 12th and 13th questions are designed to help participants engage with any potential risk involved in user portraits to respond to research questions 2 and 6.

The 14th question, as mentioned earlier, is related to the disadvantages of user portraits.

The 15th and last questions are to collect suggestions from the participants about improvements of user portraits. In simple terms, it is asking participants what the user portrait features are in their minds. This will help in responding to research question 6.

In conclusion, there are a total of 15 questions in this questionnaire. Three of which are open questions, and the rest are closed questions. By analyzing the results of this questionnaire, the researcher can conclude that the research questions that were put forward in section2 and the 11th question are both related to the advantages of user portraits. The 14th question is related to the disadvantages of user portraits, and the last question is related to the user’s feedback on how user portraits can be improved.

After completing the questionnaire design, the researcher will test and fill in the questionnaire with two students. Through this behavior, the questionnaire can be tested, and the problems found in the process can be modified. After these steps are completed, the final questionnaire can be made through the Wenjuanxing Application. The researcher will send a link to the participant’s survey questionnaire via e-mail and WeChat with relevant instructions. After the 5-day data collection process, the data will be collected by the researcher through Wenjuanxing and organized into SPSS form. In this process, the researcher will check and back up the collected data every day. Finally, the collected data will be further analyzed by the researcher.

5.2. Analysis

This questionnaire is a mixed questionnaire, which collects both qualitative and quantitative data. Therefore, the researcher’s analysis should also be carried out in two aspects. The researcher first conducts basic frequency analysis on the collected data, such as statistics on the distribution of gender, age group, and educational background. Then the researcher will analyze the reliability of the data. After the basic information is collected, a fourth question is set to determine that this questionnaire is completed by the participant who has used Taobao. After completing the scale items and descriptive analysis of each dimension, use correlation analysis to study the relationship and prepare for regression analysis. The data collected from question5 and 6 is ordinal data, which can be analyzed by making regression with the first part’s data. The question8,9,10,12 are designed to collect categorical data. They can be analyzed by identifying trends. Questions 11 and 14 are open-ended. The numerical data can be analyzed by comparing frequencies. The other data should be analyzed as qualitative data. The collected qualitative data can be regarded as user feedback on the Taobao user portrait.

6.0. Evaluation & Reflection

6.1. Issues encountered

At the end of this study, the researcher will evaluate and reflect on the whole article. The methodology researcher adopted was a questionnaire survey. At the beginning of this research, when transforming the methodology plan into data collection, the researcher was faced with the unreasonable setting of problems, and many people were confused because of the vague topic concept. Another major problem was the outbreak of Covid-19. The pandemic made it difficult for the researcher to collect data. At the same time, the researcher needed to refer to the previous research literature when choosing the questions of the questionnaire. On the other hand, in the research process, due to the importance of first-hand data, multiple settings were made on the question set of the questionnaire survey, and different parts of the question were modified with the change of the theme and the in-depth study of the question. Secondly, when explaining and expressing research conclusions, it is necessary to read the references in the second study several times to find out the problems.

6.2. Modifications made to the proposed research

In the process of creation and research, the supervisor has given the researcher important help. They had several video meetings, and the supervisor pointed out that there were problems in the literature review of the research. The main problems were too much attention to detail, and the stylistic format was biased. After the conversation, the researcher changed the research plan, expanded the literature reference, focused on the topic, and related information in the literature as much as possible. Hence, the researcher reduced unnecessary focus in the research design and analyzed the theme in detail to avoid problems.

6.3. Practical challenges

Looking ahead, the researcher will face new challenges while reviewing the research many times. Firstly, in the revised questionnaire survey, some participants may be afraid of privacy leakage, which may lead to a deviation in data collection. If this happens, the researcher will make a confidential explanation in the questionnaire survey to protect the privacy of the group. Then, if the researcher does not have enough time to revise after a video meeting with the supervisor, he will speed up the time in the research process. Thirdly, the researcher is not a pure native speaker of English. While expressing and explaining the research, there are still some deficiencies in some professional vocabulary and sentences, which are not easy for readers to understand. The researcher studies this aspect to improve his English learning and expression ability.

6.4. Personal reflections

The future development direction of this research work is to transform it into practical operation. For the first time, the researcher had a profound study of the thesis. He did not consider the topic of the paper properly, did not make a confidentiality statement for the groups that needed to be investigated. At the same time, there were conflicts between the time control of the dissertation and the research plan, which affected the thesis research. As an Information school student, the researcher feels the rigor and delicacy needed in the research process. After the end of this dissertation, the researcher will summarize and reflect on the dissertation. In the future, the researcher will transform theory into operation.

7.0.
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Perceptions of user portrait use by e-Commerce companies

ABSTRACT

1.0. introduction