CHAPTER 4

Question 1: 

Select a retail store with which you are familiar that has a Web site on which it sells products or services similar to those it sells in its physical retail stores.Explore the Web site and examine it carefully for features that indicate the level of services it provides. Using your experience in the physical store and review of the Web site, write a 200 word evaluation of the company's touch point consistency.

                                   

Figure 1

The Online Business website provides all of the tools that people need in order to succeed with an online home-based business. It was designed to be state of the art and has the best contact management tools available in the world.
Brunei Eshop is one of the popular online shop in Brunei. Brunei Eshop online sell many kinds variety accessories things such as:- Fashion and Gifts accessories :- wall painting, shoes bag, and camera. Electronics :-Computer, Apple, Android handphone etc. Stationery:- Pen, Pencil Case, Colors, Drawing block etc. Accessories:- Brand clothes, glasses and etc. And for the children Cartoon and games with latest and famous :- Smurf, Disney, Angry Bird, Hello Kitty and Spongebob and etc. 
Eshop also sold branded watches such as Luminox, Elle, Guess and Calvin Klein. Here i want to share one of the famous brand watch Luminox and the favourite watch nowadays in Brunei. Apparently His Majesty wears one. The craze caught on at MOD and almost everyone I met wore one. Eshop sells the original brand Luminox with reasonable and affordable price with quality.

Figure 2

Here i attached the simply ways to register and purchase from Brunei Eshop website.

                   Figure 3                  

If the products ordered does not have immediate stock availability, they will place the stock ordering for the customers.However, this will be take about two to three weeks times for the stock arrived. And If the products ordered have immediate stock availability, delivery / collection can be done within two to three days. 
Brunei Eshop also got delivery for every districts with different charges in low price. Kuala Belait, Lumut, Tutong, Brunei Muara area they will directly delivery to customers regristered address, the charges will be B$2.00 for each delivery . For those who purchase Eshop goods for B$60.00 and above, customers will provide free delivery.

Brunei Eshop also provides Free Of charges if any customer take their own goods at pick up point at Kuala Belait at Wilserve Trading Company---Address: Lot 80, G-6,Jalan Bunga,Tanjong, Wisma Tanjong,Kuala Belait (Opposite "Chung Hua Middle School" KB)  
And Brunei Eshop also provide Post Laju Service, If customer prefer to use Post Laju to Bandar or Tutong, the charges is $ 4 below 2kg. For Oversea: They will use EMS (express mail service), the charges is depending on product weight that client order.This will be proposed to client directly by writing.
Before Delivery all  items are checked and inspected to make sure that they are in good condition before they are sent out, thus, all products sold are not returnable. In case, the order item received not in good condition or broken, they are accepted for the return and they will proceed to re-order a new one for you. But fully not accepted for cancellation or refund. And No cancellations will be entertained once order has been made from customers. Brunei Eshop online are on  they best to ensure the quality and condition of every items thee are having. Therefore, no returns or refund is allowed.Customers also can collect their ordered goods by themselves at Eshop store room. And Payment on Delivery/Collection. Once customer ordered any goods in Eshop website, Eshop prefer use they Live Chat Service or Mail Service in the Service Center incase for asking the collection address.  
Payment can be made by Paypal only for over B$200 total purchased amount and additional 3% will be charged. On Payment Method, Paypal Payment, if customer have the PayPal account just log in to PayPal account to pay.  Or there can send you Paypal Invoice direct to your email address and you just needs to fill in your credit card details or if you have Paypal account or you can pay direct use under your paypal account.  Any require and any further information, please do not hesitate to contact directly at Bruneieshop@hotmail.com.

Conclusion 

Many have found it difficult to succeed in a threatening and rapidly changing market place, but there are success stories too, as this case study illustrates. It shows how technology can conveniently provide essential data that help users, in this case Independent Business Owners, to trade more efficiently.

Question 2:

What were the main forces that led to the commercialization of the Internet? Summarize your answer in about 100 words.

 

   Figure 4

Networks are expanding rapidly. More women are coming on-line. Many of today's warehouses, wholesale establishments, and last-mile delivery by housewives and other consumers, will not be needed. Information products like video, music, software, and news may be selected and delivered on-line with no trade or warehousing. Market-making businesses, like real-estate listings, travel agencies, and security and service brokerage may disappear. Industrial and tough goods, where in-power, comparative information and computer-based analysis tools will be most important, will also be investigate something and screened on-line. We may still go to the mall and supermarket for fresh vegetables, movies, lunch, boutique clothing, and other items, but it will not be today's mall.
The employment and resource share changes generated by on-line shopping during the coming century might be similar to the shifts out of agriculture during this century. On-line information is current, and interface with customer representatives and directly ordering are possible. Price similarity,  in-depth information, and analysis tools promise more efficient markets. People are purchasing powerful home computers for games and education. Connectivity cost will fall as the market grows, and new options like cable, and wireless become available.The Internet is more complicated and complex than early personal computers. Leading-edge software is distributed on the Internet, and valuable databases, document libraries, and indices are also published at no charge.

Conclusion

  Hopefully, the Internet will not become a space where advertisers set the moral standard. This has become the case in most other media, and could easily happen here as sites grow to depend on advertising revenue. All that can be said with true confidence is that the cultural atmosphere of the Internet will be very different in the years, and months to come.

Question 3:

Describe two possible service-for-fee offerings that might become available to users of Internet-enabled wireless devices (such as iPad or mobile phones) in the near future. Write one paragraph for each service in which you outline the profit potential and risk of losses for each.

1/Brunei Car Rental

Figure 5

Rent a car at Brunei and discover Brunei. Car hire service Brunei offers low prices and a wide range of vehicles. Choose Brunei car rental supplier according to your preferences.

Combining offers from several providers you can usually choose from wide variety of cars, depending on your preferences and your passenger and baggage quantity requirements. We offer both car with automatic and manual transmission, some cars are provided with satellite navigation and/or air conditioning

The process of booking a car in Brunei is secured and is made as simple as possible.

You will be asked to complete information about the driver and your credit card (for the purposes of online booking of car in Brunei). Credit card information is needed both on account of the advance payment and because of the blocking deposit for the event causing the car accident. The deposit amount varies case to case so it is necessary to read the booking conditions. If you rent a car at the airport, you should also enter a flight number.

Sometimes it is not possible to rent a car for less then three days. Usually, the price per day decreases with the increasing length of the rent period.Usually, the price per day decreases with the increasing length of the rent period.

Conclusion 

At the end of this chapter we can clearly see that there are various technologies applied by different companies each is slightly following a specific technique but eventually they all are trying to achieve the same result which is to improve the car rental industry from the system we implemented whereby the cost is quite cheaper and the technologies here are integrated together to produce more desirable results.

2/ D Anggerek Service Apartment

Figure 6

D'Anggerek conveniently situated next to the International Convention Center, Brunei National Stadium (and its Indoor Stadium and various sport facilities) and the Government Ministries, D'Anggerek is also ideally located just a mere five minute drive away from the Brunei International Airport.Tastefully decorated with ethnic touches, all rooms and suites feature en-suite bathrooms and walk-in closets.

D'Anggerek and its deluxe business facilities is of true international standard that offers the best of both service and accommodation. All of its thirty rooms and suites are spacious and individually decorated, equipped with modern amenities for each guest's comfort. There are conference halls to suit any business meeting or social gathering.

Indeed an ideal apartment for both business and leisure travelers, it offers sophisticated rooms that are elegantly furnished with Asian ethnic decor. Offering comfortable rooms with an Asian feel, they feature amenities like remote controlled cable Tv, IDD telephone, Internet access,living room and fully equipped kitchenette for certain rooms. Doubtlessly offering a great location for sports enthusiasts, business travelers, or people on vacation, it is a great choice of stay.

  

Figure 7

This hotels got many facilities for airport transfer, coffee shop, room services, laundry services, restaurant and meeting facilities. There also offer internet in rooms if guests require for Internet.D'Anggerek also gives you a choice of three state-of-the-art multi-purpose function rooms for business purposes or social gatherings. All functions rooms are fully equipped with the latest business facilities for any business purposes or social functions for Helyconia Conference Room which can host up to 60 person.D'Library on the third floor is a cozy area where in-house guests can relax and enjoy the collection of books over complimentary coffee or tea.

All the staffs were very accommodating so caring, respectful, polite and good discretion.

Conclusion

In conclusion, improved service levels in shops, government departments, service apartment, banks etc  are all perceived by just giving the other person as a customer and approaching as though they are prepared to extend a service. When one is sincere about this attitude, the deal certainly proceeds to a satisfactory conclusion.

Question 4:

In two paragraphs, explain why a customer-centric Web site design is so important, yet is so difficult to accomplish                   

 

Figure 8

Customer-centric" means creating a Web site that is centered around customer wants and needs. Savvy businesses are realizing that focusing their site on customer benefits and ensuring its visitors a unique experience are key drivers of sales, loyalty, and much-desired word-of-mouth advertising. By proactively considering the needs, wants, and beneficial preferences of your customers, you can make more effective decisions about the content, offerings, design, and processes available on your site.Website has experienced three phases: Infrastructure, Architecture, and now is Content. Content makes the sale, deliver the service and builds the brands.

A customer centric website is so important because people are getting more and more personal, and in the world of product redundancy, only things that get in to customer's mind can survive. Moreover, with lots of website which are similar to each other, website need to focus on customers so that they can have a good impression on the website to come back then become a loyal customer. Yet, it is very difficult to accomplish a customer centric website because of the variety and change of customer taste so that it is impossible to satisfy all. Firms that do business on the web should be more concerned about presence because in world of online businesses, the website's presence is all customers know about the company. However, "Web site" seems to be used much more frequently. But although many people surf the web, but just a few people who want to buy from the web and become a regular buyers because most of people prefer to buy their own goods at  shop by themselves rather than from the internet.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Success is all about meeting a need better than anyone else. By focusing every element of  Web site on meeting customer needs, we much more likely to become and remain a preferred provider in the vast, competitive Web marketplace.

 Question 5:

Promoting products on the Web is different from using mass media promotion or personal contact. Assume that you want to explain these differences to a person who is planning to open a Web site that will sell fishing-rod. Write one paragraph about each approach (mass media, personal contact, the Web). In each paragraph, explain the advantages and disadvantages of the approach for the fishing rod Web business.

 

 Figure 9

Since the launched of Internet, human's life has been moved into a new revolution. Internet connecting all the people of the world very closely. We can know the latest news and information from all around the world in just a blink of time by access to internet.

Today a lot of people are preferring to start an online business instead of going to search a good job. A fishing rod or a fishing pole is a tool used to catch fish, usually in conjunction with the past time of angling, and can also be used in competition casting. Some people prefer in buying item through online and some are not and sometimes buyer is too lazy to go out looking for their needs.

The Advantages of the approach for the fishing rod through Web business are:-   
Through the internet its easy for them to find any website that sells fishing rods and easier for them to select from the web site which and what they want instead of their wasting time to get out just to find a fishing rod.

• Through the website there is many facilities in buying item such as by sending customer goods through the delivery and also can pay through credit cards .
• Save time.
• Lose the line, if you are fond of standing go right ahead no need to que up. Easy money transfer, you can easily transfer money between your account sing online banking.
• Speed, no need to spent all day to look just for one item, with a few clicks you can get what you wants.
• Track investment, can check easily the process of the item.
• Reducing your expanses by not driving. 

Figure 10

The Disadvantages of the approach for the fishing rod through Web business are:-

• Security issues are the primary concern and the biggest disadvantage of using the Internet for business, particularly if you involves financial transaction.
• Availability, not everyone has Internet access, and many of potential customers who are not able to use the Internet may actually be lost to you if you do not provide an alternate means of doing business with them.
• Misunderstanding Written text, especially in emails, can easily be misread or misinterpreted when there is no face-to-face contact.
• Also if a customer does not have a credit card, it makes a disadvantage to a business operating online.
• Since decisions are shared, disagreements can occur. Some employee benefits are not deductible from business income on tax returns

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are many benefits associated with a person's operating an online business from his or her home. Some of these benefits include flexibility, cost advantages, and reach. In summary, the main advantages of shopping online are convenience and cost savings, while the main disadvantage is that the item is not immediately available, and you cannot inspect it personally before you make your purchase.