Final answer:
The correct answer is option a. Option (a) 'Consumers who order products online' is the most representative sample for studying the opinion of online shoppers as it includes individuals who directly engage with online shopping websites and provides the most relevant feedback.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which of these random samples qualifies as a representative sample when studying the opinion of people who use online shopping websites, we must choose a sample that reflects the diverse opinions and behaviors of the overall population of online shoppers. Option (a) 'Consumers who order products online' is the best choice because this sample includes individuals who are actively engaged in using online shopping websites and thereby likely to provide relevant opinions and feedback based on their experience.
When selecting a sample for a survey, it is crucial to avoid self-selected samples and seek to attain a sample that is not biased. A representative sample does this by giving everyone in the population an equal chance of being chosen, which is why a random sample is an effective method as highlighted by the option (d) in question 7, stating 'Everyone has the same chance of being part of the study.'
Options (b) 'Consumers who do not shop online,' (c) 'Retailers who sell their products online,' and (d) 'Employees of the online shopping websites' would not satisfactorily represent the desired population since they either do not partake in the activity or have a vested interest that could bias their opinions.