From getting product information with the detail process map link to the final minute courier / postal alert has been enriching experience to Indian consumer in recent years. The strengthen belief of consumer on e-operations has been a major breakthrough in Indian retail industry. This has been an outcome of a meticulously designed delivery logistics equipped with technological innovation to provide a new level of consumer experience.
By Achit Agarwal and Vinod Kumar Yadav
Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur, India
From getting
product information with the detail process map link to the final minute
courier / postal alert has been enriching experience to Indian consumer in
recent years. The strengthen belief of consumer on e-operations has been a major
breakthrough in Indian retail industry. This has been an outcome of a
meticulously designed delivery logistics equipped with technological innovation
to provide a new level of consumer experience.
1. Product
survey and ordering
When consumer
thinks to purchase a particular product, the first step an India consumer
follow is to check and compare the detail specifications, price etc from the
credible source. The traditional method of credibility testing was to get first
hand user information and experience from the consumer. With the advent of
newer technologies the online product survey and comparison across the
different e portals is very common. The technology has helped the consumer to
such an extent that the consumer can very easily compare a couple of products
simultaneously on various websites such as junglee.com and through this process
the consumer satisfies his cravings to buy the product.
Everything is
being duly noted in the information system, for the future references to be
used by the manufacturer, the e- retailer and consumer. Once the consumer is
through with all the comparing of the product it is directed to the e-retail
portal where the consumer finally checks out the product details such as price/
discount structure/ location availability/ delivery option/ mode of payment.
After all the
checking the consumer makes up his mind to purchase the product and as the
product is ordered, there is a message send automatically to the consumer via
information centre that the product order has been placed successfully. The
information updating to the consumer is the impact of technology in e-
retailing.
Once the product
order is placed by the consumer it is directed to the payment option where it
gives an option to pay for the product by Debit card / Credit card or opt for
COD options. The online payment is compulsorily through secured payment
gateway.
2. Order
Processing and Product Confirmation
Once the product
payment has been made the product order is being processed and the supplier/
retailer of the product is made aware of the same through an automated system,
at this point as well the technology makes its presence felt not directly but
indirectly.
Another use of
technology which is not seen by the consumer but it happens, as the order is
confirmed the retailer is being made aware of the sale of product via the e
retailer and the arrangements are being made by the retailer for the movement
of the product. The well-defined and efficient system of supply chain makes
this process almost error free.
3. Product
Packaging, Logistic and Delivery
As soon as the
product is being made available by the retailer, its being packed as per the
company standards and nature of the product i.e. products that are of glass/
bone china are packed more securely. Extra cushion is provided so as the
product could withstand the journey it has to make and it does not breaks
during the journey or it should not be broken when the consumer opens the
packet. Hence the product is being made ready for the transportation.
The role of
logistics becomes crucial at this stage to stick with the commitment made by e-
retailer. Once the product is packed securely and safely the product is being
ready to be shipped/ dispatched to the consumer on the desired address, and as
soon as the product is dispatched the consumer receives a message stating the
confirmation of dispatch of order, and till the time the product is being
delivered the consumer can easily track the order and see the current position
of the product.
As per the
message the consumer is made aware about the tentative delivery date of the
product and the product is being delivered to the consumer on the desired
address usually on or before delivery date.
4. The
Technology Edge
Right from the
product survey till the product delivery, the role of technologically equipped
information centre becomes crucial. The consumer’s choice, surveyed products
and visited links each information is customized and personalized to remind you
in future about your past activity.
The product
features, comparison, price analysis, and probable date of delivery have never
been so accustomed in past. This update is for a guest visitor to e-portals.
Once a product is put in cart, the technology starts chasing you till the order
placing.
The best part of
e-retailing and technology is to update the consumer about each happening about
your order. Each stage is linked to the information centre and consumer can at
any time; check the status of product journey. The e-portal also keeps sending
SMS and emails to consumer to make him / her part of supply chain.
The technology
has played a game changer in retail segment especially e-retailing. The need
for technological innovation justify to a great extent the consumer dynamics
the e - shopping experience of consumer has become rich as compare to the
traditional shopping. Some of the key impacts of e- retailing are listed below:
a) Fast order:
Earlier were the days when people used to go into the markets roam from shop to
shop bargain for every chip in the pocket, in the hot/cold/humid weather
drenched up to the skin, all of this is changing with the intrusion of
technology, now the consumer doesn't need to go out to the shops/brands, on the
contrary shops/brands come to the consumer who is not on the streets but is on
his bed/chair in his cubicle/room far away from the hustle and bustle of the
market finalizing the product on various shopping sites with a variety of
discount structures which are being provided by the companies to its consumers
who shop online or the companies have started E- Retailing. This has helped the
consumer to order much faster and save both time and money by the use of
technology.
b) Competitive
rates: When a consumer moves into market to purchase products, the consumer is
being made aware of few products and the prices at which they are available to
purchase, but technology helps the consumer to search and compare
simultaneously a variety of products available on a scale of various qualities,
which cannot be done manually and the best part there is no fight between
shopkeeper and consumer if the whole deal does not works up.
c) Easy
Tracking: Once a product is being confirmed by the consumer to be purchased, a
message is being sent to the mobile and email id of the consumer stating the
current status of the product. The technology has evolved so much that the
consumer can trace its order at every point i.e. from the confirmation of the
order, its payment (in case of internet banking), shipping of product from the
warehouse, transit status, reaching to the destination warehouse, delivery at
the consumers doorstep, payment (COD), return of the product in case of
non-compliance of specifications of the product. The consumer can trace its
order from start to finish.
d) Payment
gateway: Technology has made money transactions very easy over a period of
time, earlier people use to carry money in their wallets, now they carry
credit/debit/cash cards and this has helped consumers to pay for the products
that they select on various shopping sites through secure payment gateways
provided by the banks to these shopping sites. These gateways, sometimes,
provide extra discounts to the consumers, who use their services, which adds as
an additional benefit to the consumer.
e) Impact on
society: It's truly said that an excessive use of anything leads to a negative
impact on the surroundings which could be easily seen with the recent
activities i.e. fiasco created by FLIPKART. In other words there are so many
sites that offer product to the consumers using various advertising techniques,
this leads to confusion in the minds of the consumers and very often, many
sites misleads the consumers which holds a negative impact on the society.
About The Authors:
Achit Agarwal - Research Assistant, Harcourt Butler Technological Institute, Kanpur 208002, India
Vinod Kumar Yadav - Assistant Professor, Harcourt Butler Technological
Institute, Kanpur 208002, India
Publication Details:
This article is an excerpt from a technical paper titled - "Impact of Technology in E-Retailing Operations: A Consumer Perspective" presented at XVIII Annual
International Conference of the Society of Operations Management (SOM-14), published Published by Elsevier Ltd as an open access article under the CC
BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
Download The Paper - LINK
