You are required to write a report on the critical evaluation of 10 Websites in 5 given groups types of e-commerce for a Business Manager.

Introduction

The e-commerce websites are increasing at an incredible rate. These online websites are not restricted by the geographical boundaries. Shopping enthusiast are buying goods at their convenience. In spite of these advantages some of the e-commerce websites are performing poorly failing on the primary ground. There are certain pitfalls that are causing hindrance to the online websites. In order to increase the usability it is essential to deploy an effective Electronic commerce system (Jilani, 2017; Chaffey, 2015).  The report critically evaluates 10 websites divided into 5 groups.  Web based e-commerce provides companies with a global reach in a less expensive budget.  In the recent time, the amount of web based transactions has increased creating necessity for a hardcore system.   A better electronic commerce system will meet users based need.  This report evaluates process of developing an effective e-commerce website (Einav, et al 2014).  It further assesses several theoretical models from web based transaction, online user’s satisfaction and various web evaluation literatures.  This will help in managing the E-commerce website quality, success of the business e-commerce undertaking. Consequently, to set up the quality of e-commerce websites, it is essential to utilise a model that adopts a qualitative, methodical and repeatable approach to e-commerce (Spencer, 2015).

Group 1 E-Tailer Website

Electronic tailing is the sale of goods and services through the internet. Electronic tailing include business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) sales of products and services. The business is done through subscriptions to website content, or advertising. E-tailing necessitates businesses to tailor conventional business models to the speedily altering face of the internet and its users. Success of e-tailing depends upon strong branding, regular updates and meeting up with the changing customer needs.  Products and services should stand out from the competition in order to add value to consumers. E-tailers use strong distribution efficiency to develop transparency (Laudon and Traverl, 2013; Da Costa, 2016).

Co-op Limited

https://www.coop.com.au/

The Co-op is one of the largest Australia’s Official suppliers of textbooks, educational, development and learning resources.  

Strength

They provide with quality textbooks with a broad spectrum of university subjects, TAFE courses and study material of distinguished learning institutions. They supply different range offers that include nursing, law and business, engineering and psychology (Coop.2017).

Weakness

The website has restricted features and items variance available for the customers.

Umart Online

https://www.umart.com.au/newsite/

Umart Online is Australia’s largest computer store chain headquartered in Brisbane, Queensland.

Strength

It was founded in June 2000 and recognized as one of the most admired computer retailers by PC User magazine (Umart, 2017).

Weakness

Boring user interface

Evaluation criteria

Recommendations:  Co-op can add with effective features to add more users. In this way the company can add more features to their profile; Whereas Umart can work on providing a user friendly interface.

Group 2 Content Provider

Content provider manages access to the central repository. They are primarily intended to be used with the other applications by using the client object. Together they provide with a standard interface to handle data in a secured way.  These websites are basically providing with a vast content to the readers.

The Northern Star

https://www.northernstar.com.au/

The Northern Star is a daily online newspaper providing with relevant day-to-day information. The newspaper is owned by APN News & Media.

Strength

Readers can find information related to the current affairs (Northernstar. 2017).

Weakness

User interface is similar to that of the other online news platform.

Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession

https://www.acm.org/

ACM is world’s largest educational and scientific computing society, delivering resources related to advance computing and science. 

Strength

It provides with a premier Digital Library and serves its members with innovative publications, conference, and career possessions (Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession. 2017).

Weakness

Limited information

Evaluation criteria

Recommendations: Northerstar should work on providing a unique user friendly interface. In This way they will be able to compete against others: whereas Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession should add on other unique features.

Group 3 Community Provider

Community provider is a forum that provides users with a particular type of information. The users with a similar interest can join the forum for discussing any idea. These forums are important from the point of view of sharing knowledge based information. The forum is important to meet the problem that an individual come across while discussing issues.

Whirlpool

https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/

Whirlpool is an independent Australian website founded in 1998.  They have significant range of registered account that range to 700,000.

Strength

It is primarily a discussion forum solving extra functionality such as broadband and related areas (Whirlpool.2017).

Weakness

Restricted information and reach

Meetup

https://www.meetup.com/about/

Meetup brings people with a similar interest living in different cities together to do more of what they want to do in life.  The organization is based on the unique concept of doing things in better manner.

Strength

It brings community together to do, discover, teach and learn the things that help them to explore (About Meetup. 2017).

Weakness

Still has a limited reach to people

Evaluation criteria

Recommendations: Whirlpools should create an attractive user interface; whereas Meetup should work on updating the content on their website

Group 4 Market Creator

The objective of a market creator is to Build digital environment where buyer and seller can meet, search for product, display products and establish prices for those products. The overall purpose of Market creator is to serve B2B and B2C. This help in generating revenues from transaction fees (Barnes and Hunt, 2013).

GraysOnline

https://www.graysonline.com/aboutus/default.aspx

GraysOnline is one of the largest industrial and commercial online auction businesses in Australasia. The company is offering with a huge range of engineering, consumer and commercial goods, direct from manufacturers.

Strength

They offer buyers with a great value and convenience to unlock price from their assets.  Their online platform and commitment is to provide first-class customer service to make buying and selling simple, well-organized, and fair and clear (GraysOnline.2017).

Weakness

Excessive competition

Alibaba

https://www.alibaba.com/

Alibaba was launched in 1999 as Alibaba.com. It provides with a leading platform for global wholesale trade. 

Strength

They are currently serving millions of buyers and suppliers around the world. Their mission is to give suppliers with efficient tools in order to reach a global audience for their products. They are also helping buyers to find products and suppliers rapidly and professionally. The website brings hundreds of millions of products in over 40 different categories, together with consumer electronics, machinery and apparel (Alibaba.2017).

Weakness

Difficulty in coordinating with the suppliers

Evaluation criteria

Recommendations: GraysOnline should improve its reach that will help in competing against others whereas Alibaba need to work on building strong relationship with the local supplier in order to precede quick delivery.

Group 5 Transaction Broker

Transaction Broker is the newest form of business transaction that has grown exponentially since the start of the 21st century. A transaction broker is to help both the buyer and the seller through negotiation.  The broker earns commission by doing sales transactions (Strauss, 2016).

Webjet limited

https://www.webjet.com.au

Webjet limited is a travel booking website offering flights, hotels, holiday packages, cruises, car hire etc. The company is currently operating in Australia, New Zealand, North America, Singapore and Hong Kong (Webjet. 2017).

Strength

One stop solution for travel needs

Weakness

Excess competition

Ticketmaster

https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/

Ticketmaster is an online ticket sales and distribution company working in many countries around the world.  

Strength

The Website has diversified into various booking functions. It is providing with a range of different services in order to provide with a one stop solution (Ticketmaster. 2017).

Weakness

Limited range of offers

Evaluation criteria

Recommendations: Webjet should work on developing an attractive support system to promote customer interest whereas Ticketmaster need to work on the local needs of the customers.

Conclusion

To conclude, in the recent time E-commerce has gained advantage in the local as well as international market. Success of e- commerce depends upon strong branding, regular updates and meeting up with the changing customer needs.  Products and services should stand out from the competition in order to add value to consumers. In order to meet up with the expectation it is necessary to critically evaluate the parameters like: objectivity, relevance, accuracy, purpose etc. There are sure pitfalls that are hindering the online websites. In order to increase the usability it is necessary to organize an effective Electronic commerce system to develop an attractive user friendly interface.

References

About Meetup. (2017).(ONLINE). Available at: https://www.meetup.com/about/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Advancing Computing as a Science & Profession. (2017).(ONLINE) Available at:  https://www.acm.org/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Alibaba.(2017). (Online). Available at:  https://www.alibaba.com/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Barnes, S. and Hunt, B. eds., 2013. E-commerce and v-business. Routledge.

Chaffey, D., 2015. Digital business and E-commerce management. Pearson Education Limited.

Chen, J.V., Yen, D.C., Pornpriphet, W. and Widjaja, A.E., (2015). E-commerce web site loyalty: A cross cultural comparison. Information Systems Frontiers, 17(6), pp.1283-1299.

Coop.2017. Online. Available at: https://www.coop.com.au/ Accessed on: 10 August 2017

Da Costa, E., (2016). Global e-commerce strategies for small businesses. Mit Press.

Einav, L., Levin, J., Popov, I. and Sundaresan, N., (2014). Growth, adoption, and use of mobile E-commerce. The American economic review, 104(5), pp.489-494.

GraysOnline. . (2017). (Online). Available at:  https://www.graysonline.com/aboutus/default.aspx Accessed on: 10 August 2017

Jilani, A.W., (2017. Usage and Effectiveness of E-Commerce Tool among Business-To-Consumer. International Journal of Engineering Science, 12086.

Laudon, K.C. and Traver, C.G., 2013. E-commerce. Pearson.

Northernstar. (2017). (Online). Available at:  https://www.northernstar.com.au/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Spencer, S.B., (2015). Privacy and Predictive Analytics in E-Commerce.

Strauss, J., (2016). E-marketing. Routledge.

Ticketmaster. (2017).( Online). Available at:  https://www.ticketmaster.com.au/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Umart, (2017). (Online). Available at:  https://www.umart.com.au/newsite/index.php (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Webjet. (2017).( Online). Available at:  https://www.webjet.com.au/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)

Whirlpool.2017. (Online). Available at:  https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/ (Accessed on: 10 August 2017)