Chapter 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1. Online shopping
Online shopping is a type of electronic business which permits buyers to directly purchase goods &
services from a vender over the Internet utilizing an internet browser. Customers discover a product of
interest by visiting the site of the retailer directly or via looking among the alternative vendors utilizing a
shopping web search engine, which shows a similar product's availability & pricing at various e-retailers.
Starting at 2016, consumers can shop online utilizing a range of various computers & devices, including
desktop computers, laptops, tablet computers and cell phones.

An online shop brings out the physical similarity of buying products or services at a regular "bricks-and-
mortar" retailer or shopping mall; the process is called business-to-consumer (B2C) online shopping. At the
point when an online store is set up to enable organizations to purchase from another business, the process
is called business-to-business (B2B) internet shopping. A normal online store allows a customer to search
the company’s range of products and services, view pictures or images of the items, along with information
about the product details, highlights, characteristics & prices.

Online stores commonly allows customers to use "search" features to discover explicit models, brands or
items. Online clients must have accessibility to the Internet and a valid method of payment so as to finish an
exchange, for example, a credit card, an Interac-enabled debit card, or a service such as PayPal. For physical
items (e.g., paperback books or garments), the e-tailor ships the items to the client; for digital items, , such as
digital audio files of songs or software, the e-tailer sends the document to the ccustomer over the Internet.
The biggest of these web based retailing corporations are Alibaba, Amazon.com, and eBay.

1.1.1 Advantages of Online Shopping to Customers

• Time saving: It is the most significant aspect of online shopping because customers don't have to go
out to buy because virtually everything is only a button away from them because in offline retail,
shoppers have to go out and make a decision that is both tiring and time intensive at times.
 • Equality of choice: When buying online, consumers have larger options available than buying from a
local supermarket. Customers have knowledge about a wide variety of items offered on the internet of
online shopping and that helps them choose the best thing they are searching for.
• Cheaper Products: Some websites deliver goods at a reduced discount relative to other websites and
retail sales prices to draw more buyers and increase their user base. Several occasions at the end of
the season auction, website anniversary sales and festival promotions consumers at a really decent
price catch broader product selection. So shopping online in this case would be smart to save some
money.
• Convenient: searching for a product online is much easier than searching for it in the grocery
supermarket, because most of the items can be viewed on a single website, but in retail shopping,
consumers have to manually check for and and every product at one location. Items are shipped
digitally at customer's doorstep.
• Easy return and exchange: Websites make their sale and return policies clear so as to draw
customers from their websites without thinking about spending their energy. Most websites do
provide return and trade services for pick ups. Additionally, consumers do not wish to purchase
anything in exchange for the returned product their money will either be entirely returned or paid in
the form of points in their online accounts which can be used later.
• Rare products: Any websites in e-commerce have the privilege of offering those items that are not
accessible on any other websites and not even in local stores. These rare items can only be found on
their websites.
• Option of payment mode: Websites often give consumers specific payment options for convenience
when buying online. A consumer can make cash transfer payments via debit cards / credit cards, net
banking, various ewallets, etc.

1.1.2. Disadvantages of Online Shopping to Customers

• Shipping time: In internet shopping customers will not get the items directly. They have to wait for
product to come. Depending on the company and the website it can be a few hours or a few days.
Occasionally a product may not come during the agreed period or during the distribution process can
get compromised, which can screw up the customers' plans. And often consumer needs to get an
object instantly; shopping online doesn't help in these situations.
 • Shipping charges: although items are generally cheaper in an online store, the addition of shipping
charges to the price of the product sometimes makes the total price similar or more expensive than the
local store nearby. It is much more detrimental because a buyer decides to purchase a lower-value
commodity and adding delivery costs will increase the price almost twice the real price of the goods.
Shipment costs are also one of the biggest drawbacks of online shopping.
• Unavailability of delivery in a particular area or city: often it is a surprise for a consumer that the
product they wish to order is available on the internet but is not accessible in the state or community
where the consumer lives. Inferior products: The real product delivered often varies from the product
summary on the website. As a result, consumers the end up with goods of poor quality, because they
were unaware of the actual standard of the product at the time of placing an order due to lack of
physical standard assessment of the product in the online shopping medium.
• Scams and fraud: Internet shopping is nowadays a phenomenon, but the number of online scams
and fraud cases is also growing. That is why a customer can always purchase only from trustworthy
websites, because trustworthy websites should take care of any fraud to preserve their credibility and
goodwill.
• Security issues: As the cases of hacking and theft rise, consumers often do not feel secure sharing
their personal and financial information on the websites when shopping online. Because it is said that
each coin has two sides, so online shopping has its benefits for consumers as well as giving them
problems at times. But as mentioned, online buying's optimistic qualities have the potential to
surmount its drawbacks.

1.1.3. TERMS AND TERMINOLOGIES IN E-SHOPPING

 AVS (Address Verification Service) : A service used to check that the billing address and zip code
supplied by the customer match the address where credit card statements are sent that is on record at
the card-issuing bank. AVS is supported in the US only. The purpose of AVS is to decrease the fraud
and the discount rate is also usually lower.
 Authorization -A request to the payment processor, First Data Merchant Services (FDMS), to
approve the reservation of funds in a customer's account. The request can have several transaction
types, including Auth, Pre-Auth, Post-Auth, Re-Auth, and Re Pre-Auth.
 Auth - A transaction type in which a transaction is preauthorized and post authorized in one step.
Auth is used only to process purchases of goods or services which do not require physical shipment,
 e.g., donations, registrations, or "soft" goods that are delivered electronically. An Auth is referred to as
a Sale.
 Batch -A group of transactions that have been captured and are waiting for settlement.
 Billing Address -The address to which a customer's credit card billing statement is mailed. It is used
to help verify so that the customer is the actual owner of the credit card he/she is using it.
 Captured -The status of a transaction that has gone through Auth or Post-Auth and is waiting for
settlement.
 Card-Not-Present -Pertaining to a credit card transaction which does not require the cardholder and
card to be physically present. Internet transactions are all card-not-present transactions.
 Card-Present -Credit card transaction in which the cardholder and the card are physically present.
The credit card passes through a card reader and the cardholder signs a receipt and the discount Rate
for Card-Present transactions is lower than the Discount Rate for Card-Not-Present transactions.
 CVM (Card Verification Method) -A method used to verify that a credit card being used in a
purchase is in the possession of its owner. The CVM security code is a 3 or 4 digit code imprinted on
the physical credit card, but not encrypted in the magnetic stripe. The code is a 3-digit number located
on the signature strip on the back of Visa and MasterCard cards, after the card number and on the front
of American Express cards, and it is 4 digits long.
 Chargeback -The reversal of a previously Settled transaction in which the merchant bank debits the
amount of the sale from the merchant's account.
 Clear Commerce Hosting Engine -MIT software uses to process credit card transactions through
FDMS (First Data Merchant Services).
 Credit -Transferring funds to the cardholder's account to refund a customer's money for an order that
was previously settled, that is returns or overcharges.
 Customer -An individual who purchases the goods or services from a merchant.
 Digital Receipt -An electronic mail acknowledgement of an order placed from a commerceenabled
web site sent to the customer placing the order. It is for the convenience and assurance of the customer
and has no legal standing since email can be lost or forged.
 Discount Rate (or Fee) -The fee a merchant pays to FDMS for getting the merchant's transactions.
The fee is a small percentage of each purchase and these rates are negotiated between CAO (Computer
Aided Office) and FDMS (First Data Merchant Services). The actual rate differs depending on several
factors such as the type of card, how the order is placed, and has CVM (Card Verification Method)
 and AVS (Address Verification Service) are used.
 Entity -Clear commerce refers to many things by their entity number.
 FDMS (First Data Merchant Services) -For accepting and processing credit card payments by the
merchants, the bank uses the MIT contracts.
 Merchant -The organization or enterprise or business accepting payments for the goods or services
they provide.
 Merchant ID (MID) -A number issued to a merchant by FDMS to identify a specific merchant in
credit card transactions. Each store in clear commerce must have its own Merchant ID.
 Order -A record of a request for goods or services started by a customer.
 Order ID -A unique identifier given to a customer order in clear commerce.
 Partial Shipment -A process in which a store provides some of the goods or services in a single
order. Thus the Post Auth amount would be less than the amount of the approved PreAuth for the
order. The configuration for each clear commerce store shows how partial shipments and their
associated Pre Auths are handled.
 Point-of-Sale -Merchant using a web form facility to enter a new customer order in clear commerce.
It is used for customer by the merchant, who may initiate the order in person, by phone, fax, or other
method.
 Post Auth -A transaction for settlement which puts a Pre Auth transaction into a captured state. The
Post Auth amount may be less than the Pre Auth amount. In the case of partial shipments, it can be
initiated only after the purchased goods have been shipped.
 Pre Auth -A cardholder's account is verified to be in good standing. The card is valid and has not
reached its limit is a pre auth transaction. Applicable Address Verification Service checks have been
performed and approved. The total amount of the order is taken from the cardholder's account. Pre
Auths are used for physical shipping and the merchant must first verify whether the order can be
fulfilled. A post auth follows a pre-auth which makes the settlement.
 Refund -Transferring money to the cardholder's account. This is typically used to refund a customer's
money for an order which was previously settled. Eg: returns or overcharges.
 Sale -A transaction is preauthorized and post authorized in one step is referred as a sale. Auth is used
to process purchases of goods or services which do not require physical shipment. E.g: Donations,
registrations, or "soft" goods that are delivered electronically.
 SSL (Secure Socket Layer) -SSL is computer software to prevent criminals from eavesdropping on
 customer. Ecommerce team's applications use SSL to keep credit card numbers confidential when
transmitted over computer networks. When a web page URL starts with "https", it uses SSL to encrypt
the web request as well the response on the browser. Never enter credit card number, when a web
form that is not on an https URL, instead send them by unencrypted email.
 Settlement -This is the process in which money is transferred between a merchant and a cardholder.
MIT settles all transactions in clear commerce once a day at midnight automatically.
 Store-Merchant's organization in clear commerce that accepts and processes payments.
 Terminal ID (TID)-A number assigned by FDMS to identify a specific point-of-sale terminal and to
each merchant web site or business unit.
 Transaction-A record of each action that is taken on an order. It may have multiple transactions. e.g.,
a Sale and a Credit.
 Transaction Type-A label identifying and determining the nature of the transaction. A PreAuth
transaction reserves funds and the common types are Auth, PreAuth, PostAuth, Credit, and Void.
 Void -Transaction that cancels itself which has not been settled.

1.1.4 REASONS FOR SHOPPING ON INTERNET

Provided internet shopping offers multiple benefits, consumers opt for conventional shopping online. To
make the online store herd the consumers need to consider the online shoppers' mentality. It's critical to get
the clients leg up by satisfying their needs and dreams. Digital marketers use their technical intelligence, ads,
customer support and so on to inject their expertise into meeting shoppers' needs. The following comments by
customers show the positive advantages of online shopping as opposed to shopping in their pyjamas, or
making the disabled and the disabled more relaxed. There are several explanations for online purchases which
are more varied, better price, nice for the environment and so on.

1) Convenience-
• We will do some shopping even at midnight.
• No need to sit in a line or to help the shop assistant to order.
• Shopping can be completed in minutes and on a busy day, by avoiding traffic and saving time.
• We can do 24 * 7 shopping online without any noise.
2) Better price –
• No intermediaries, internet retailers immediately supply consumers with inexpensive discounts and
competitive rates.
• Shops online are providing discount vouchers and rebates.

3) Choice-
• It is possible to get many brands and goods from various retailers in one location.
• One can get the latest world developments without wasting time on travelling.
• Without any regional restrictions, online shoppers can purchase any product from any part of the country or
even the globe.
• Such stores can be used to select the colours and styles you choose to use.
• If the merchandise is out of stock in a single online store, you will take your business into another online
store.

4) Lower spending-
• If we settle for traditional retail, we prefer to spend a lot of money, such as dining out, driving, banking, etc.

5) Cost comparison—
• Online store comparison and quality and pricing analysis is feasible.
• This provides the shopper with advanced knowledge of the reviews.

6) Traffic-
• One should do online shopping to stop traffic.

7) Compulsive Shopping –
• Consumers continue to end up purchasing items that are not needed when shopping because of the
shopkeepers' upselling skills.
• Because of the lack of options in such stores, consumers have to sacrifice the choices.

8) Discrete sales-
• Online shops encourage shoppers to buy undergarments and lingerie or adult products without any
embarrassment.
• In terms of anonymity any shopping is best handled.
• Requires people to do rushed shopping and generate a parking crisis.

1.1.5. E-SHOPPERS AND THEIR NEEDS:

Thanks to the forecasted boom in internet purchases, Internet businesses are upgrading their websites and
double-checking their fulfilment methods. Improving web-based customer service and building online
interactions attracts and stimulates online shoppers and enhances loyalty to the website. E-tailers agree that
not all online shoppers are made together. A few smart e-commerce firms can step out of the competition as
they grasp the web shoppers' various priorities and tactics. Digital shoppers come in six different forms. They
are as follows:
1. The 'new to the Net' Shopper -Shoppers who are new to the Net is always struggling to understand the
e-commerce concept. They are using the internet to study sales, and are expected to continue shopping
online in secure categories for limited transactions. Requirement for new to net shopper is a really basic
gui, an quick checkout process and plenty of confirmation to purchase online. Brand pictures will reassure
and contact between shopper and shopper would also offer an unthreatening place for site newbies to
achieve the level of trust.
2. The Reluctant Shopper-Shoppers will use the internet for study sales rather than shopping online.
People are happy with the Internet when protection and privacy practices are transparent. Those shoppers
do require timely customer service online. Shoppers reporting good online shopping experiences will
encourage other shoppers.
3. The Bargain Shopper -Shoppers use recreational, brand loyalty-free, comparative tools. Those merely
aim for the lowest quality. Those shoppers must be persuaded by retailers that they are having the best
deal. Such shoppers find sale-priced products described on the web very appealing.
4. The Surgical Shopper -Shoppers know just what they want before logging in online and just purchasing
that item. When they are satisfied they try knowledge to fit the requirements and purchase. Configurators
of the items and archived reviews are important for persuading surgical shoppers. They are now benefiting
from easy exposure to information from the views of other shoppers.
5. The powerful Shopper- Shoppers shop out of convenience and develop advanced buying techniques for
discovering what they want, and don't spend time wandering about. We will be drawn by the pages which
have excellent navigation resources that provide plenty of knowledge on the goods available, user
 reviews, expert perspectives that customer support. We want direct access to information and assistance,
and are seeking highly applicable product reviews that meet their requirements.
6. The Enthusiastic Shopper -Shoppers often use shopping as a means of leisure and buy. They're the
shoppers with the most adventures. Catering for the amusing character of the enthusiastic shoppers is
critical. Websites provide interactive resources to boost shoppers' satisfaction by accessing the products,
customized product reviews, and group features such as emails and customer feedback pages.

1.2 E-Commerce
It refers to the electronic commerce where the shopping and mercantilism of goods and services takes place,
transmittal of funds and information over the internet connection. “There are different modes of doing e-
commerce like, B2B (Business to Business), B2C (Business to Customers), etc. E-commerce and E-business
both are quite similar terms as they both includes E-transaction.With the increase in the EDI (Electronic Data
Interchange) the growth in the E-commerce sector has taken a hike, due to which it has become easier and
convenient for the consumers and traders to deal with products within the boundary of their nation as well as
outside the boundary. Internet has become the most important tool across the world which has made the work
more convenient and also the availability and knowledge of internet has given rise to the E-commerce in the
market. With the increase in the utilization of e-commerce, with every passing year there has been an
improvement in this sector.

1.2.1 Types of E-commerce business models

1. Online Subscriptions

2. Exclusive Brand Stores

3. Deals Websites

4. Marketplace

We will look into them one by one

a) Online Subscriptions- These websites act as offline subscription. Here the users can select and
upgrade according to their needs from the subscriptions available on the website. The monthly
payment can be made electronically, and the recurring payments can still be done in the same manner
so the user can get the services. Hence the pressure point here is electronic payment for the facility. It
 makes the facilities more available and makes them more appealing to the consumers with simpler
payment choices. Magazines such as Frontline can be accessed free in India and so can the
publications like The Hindu. Amazon.com has launched a monthly subscription program providing
customers with the option of a paid subscription plan Registration with discounts from regular prices
and membership costs can be charged on their website by customers.

b) Online Exclusive Brand Stores- The brands build their own model shops online here. The catalog of
the brand should be posted to the website where customers see it, which is available in their retail
shops too. There the customers get the advantage of buying online from their trusted brands without
having to hit the physical stores. Types of exclusive company shops online include Dell, Apple, Monte
Carlo, Peter England etc.

c) Deals Websites- There are several e-commerce websites which offer consumers the best deals. These
websites make different offers available to customers on other websites or shops. For eg,
coupondunia.in, cashkaro.in etc.

d) Marketplace-There is a forum for buyers and sellers to communicate with each other. There are
various blogs based on this, and various templates that they adopt. Those specifications are:

• Business to Consumer (B2C)- It is the most common business model which people generally learn
about. There on an online marketplace are the suppliers of goods or services, as well as the consumers
of such products or services. Digital retailers at lower prices offer customers access to a broader range
of goods. Amazon.in, Flipkart.com, Myntra.com, Snapdeal.com etc. are the best examples where
customers will find nearly anything, be it books, electronic items such as washing machines, USB
storage systems, garments, shoes or personal care etc.

Throughout India, however, the B2C model is rising at a fast rate, various problems still remain. Lack
of Internet access is the big problem. Many customers still don't buy credit cards. Many customers
also rely on cash on mode of payment for distribution. Furthermore, the ecommerce platforms do not
provide very good customer care, making users skeptical about the use of such platforms and
applications.

• Business to Business (B2B)- The groups are also interested in commercial operations here. Financial
activities between the two parties take place here. As a supplier and wholesaler or a wholesaler and
seller, the parties concerned will. In India the B2B model, unlike the B2C model, has 100 percent
 authorized Foreign Direct Investment by automatic road. This model, however, is still in its nascent
Indian level. In India, online business transactions are restricted, and the demand is less receptive.
Nevertheless, the analysts say this situation will improve in the coming years and it is predicted that
the B2B ecommerce room will expand approximately 2.5 years by 2020.

• Consumer to Consumer (C2C)- All sides are here entities participating in a network business
operation. There the person can sell anything they no longer need or can sell goods they
produce when they participate in a small home-based business operation such as bags or other
handicrafts pieces. In India the best example of this pattern is Ebay.in, OLX.com, Quikr.com etc.
OLX and Quikr are almost alike, supplying users with a forum for linking and purchasing and
selling everything from property, apartments, guest services, cell phones, computers, bicycles,
etc. The firms have been very popular, and they operate as classified electronics.

• Consumer to Business (C2B)- Customers market their goods and services to corporations within this
platform. The best examples for this concept are the work portals. It is possible to place websites such
as Monster.com, TimesJobs.com etc. in this category in India. Here the buyer, the career seeker,
places her resume on the website to get a work offer from the employers. The business models of
ecommerce are selected by the businesses according to their priorities, expected outcomes and target
markets. Within these operating models, changes should be made according to the specifications of the
firms.

• B2A (BUSINESS TO ADMINISTRATION) - This website contains all electronic communications

between organizations and open organizations. It is a area that involves an vast amount and a number
of administrations, especially in regions such as economy, government-managed investments,
employment, authoritative records, and registers, etc. As of late with projects made in e-government,
these kinds of administrations have grown dramatically.

• C2A (CONSUMER TO ADMINISTRATION) - • Demonstration of Consumer-to-Administration

involves any single online communication between individuals and transparent organizations.

1.2.2. FUNCTIONING OF E-COMMERCE

These are the common place elements of a web based business framework accessible both on back office and
front office:
 Registration
 Basket
 Payment
 Product Management
 Order Management
 VAT and Shipping Cost

a) REGISTRATION – Bearing in mind the end purpose of making a transaction, consumers must
register with the platform, including all the details required to be shipped and paid. The details would
be put on a database and made available from the back office.

b) BASKET – The bushel is a system that is similar to a shopping bin, helps shoppers to pick the items
they need, and then go to the instalment checkout. The basket means the following:-
• Customer condensing asks for possible outcomes given by the collection inside.
• Search the tank, and maybe drop / alter the stuff you put in it.
• Launch the install process for the products selected.

c) PAYMENT – The installment system is a aspect which promotes the exchange of money-related
transactions between the gatherings: the bank, the store and you with your Mastercard. In the wake of
taking care of the order, the customer enters his / her charging card number which moves exclusively
open to the bank through a line. The bank reviews the customer's record and determines whether to
authorize the payment or not. The process takes a few minutes. The bank carries out the swap and
returns the increment to the ledger in the event that it endorses. In case that refused the customer is
told that the trade cannot be done and his order is dropped.

d) PRODUCT MANAGEMENT – It is the primary component of the internet market system which
provides any of the highlights required to organize products, organize fulfilment, and so on, essential
to the management of online transactions. The highlights in the system are in detail:
• Inventory Management:- this makes it possible to define an object by organizing typical fields.
• Type code
• Category
• Sub-category
 • Product name
• Visual zoom
• Size available
• Definition
• Parts in stock
The products can be checked by class and sub-category. It is extremely helpful to illustrate the back-
office and helps you to relate relevant products and further enhance online offers.

e) ORDER MANAGEMENT- the request shall be a card condensing all the conveyance and
demanding data to allow the conveyance to be amended. This includes:
• Number of items ordered
• Customer Identification
• Order Data
• Distribution Date Statistics
• Cost of details
Dealing with the order entails crossing data on the identification log, identification in the envelope,
delivery data and reviewing statistics connecting with the FICO performance version. Within a frame
that is identified by a number or reference code (arrange number), this data is abbreviated.

f) LISTING ORDERS AND CUSTOMER DETAILS – You can search and filter plans from the site's
back office by:
• User
• Order status
• Date of delivery Requests for access to the order can be written (press rundown).

g) VAT AND SHIPPING COSTS-The system deals with VAT and shipping expenses beyond the
prices of the products collected. The web-based market application will track VAT prices in countries
both within and outside the EU. Delivery costs both settled and contingent, including shipping weight
and volume.
h) DISCOUNTS– Rebates and changes on a single object or collection of products are supervised.
 This second site phase involves a nitty gritty review of the existing stockpiling and request
administration systems for which communication would be critical.

1.3 E-TAILING UNDER E-COMMERCE

E-TAILING is an internet collection of discount items. Another way of saying "electronic retailing," and
being used as timely as 1995 in Internet dialogs, the term seems to be a fairly imminent extension of e-mail,
e-business and e-commerce. E-tailing is the synonym for an e-commerce form of B2C. Efficient e-tailing
demands good marketing. Sites must pull in, navigate easily, and be regularly refreshed to satisfy the
changing demands of shoppers. Elements and administrations need to emerge from the efforts of candidates
and to increase the interest of the lives of consumers. What's more, the investments of an company need to be
consistently measured so that consumers don't choose one enterprise over another, despite the cost alone. E-
tailors need strong conveyance ability because customers don't wait on the products or administrations they
order closely considerable amount of time. Additionally, straightforwardness in company rehearsals is crucial
because shoppers support an entity and stay loyal to it. Increases in profits as consumers keep buying from the
company.
There are types of E-tailors :-
 Pure play e-tailors – for example, Amazon, flipkart, myntra etc. that rose as the online book shop.
It is available just on the web and don't have any physical outlet for the clients.
 Brick and Click e-tailors - for example, Dell, that offers PCs through the web and in addition has
the physical retail facade for the clients.

1.3.1. Steps involved in E-tailing:-

The shopping process through internet media happens in 5 steps generally.
• Customer visit: The customer accesses an e-tailer's website via his / her cell phone or Computer or
laptop. This visit is very important for the e-tailer, as it is this visit that will generate a business
opportunity. The customer's first experience is determined by the layout of the system, the
configurations of the items in the store and several other influences.
• Choice of product: When the customer visits the website he / she will pick a product based on the
picture and relevant details on the website. Such specifics may include the price tag, product details,
availability / deliverable time span and even product reviews from consumers.
 • Online payment: After the customer picks the commodity the next step will be to go through a safe
data sharing process. The e-tailer can provide the customer with a unique user account to safeguard
the transaction. Payments may be made online via credit or debit card or even cash on delivery where
the customer pays the e-tailer when the product is shipped.
• Product delivery: If the order has been put with the e-tailer the next step will check the e-tailer's
supply chain network performance. The distribution of the goods will be dependent on the goods
being present in the warehouse nearest to the shipping address of the consumer. This method will also
include drug shipping. For this step different approaches are used. Many e-tailers essentially build a
forum with a website where the transaction actually takes place between the buyer and an e-tailer
provider (or company).The e-tailer will only take commission for any product sold here. Usually, an e-
tailer will also buy items with future interest, and then show them on the web. In this scenario the e-
tailer will need to take care of production costs as well as the whole process of acquisition and
disbursement.
• Customer feedback:  When the product is shipped to the consumer the customer's input is really
relevant. This is partly attributed to the lack of an atmosphere for a proper retail store. Customer's
overall interaction during the cycle will be an measure of the e-tailing performance. This consumer
interface can be reached through proper customer support for feed backs, and the e-tailer can fix the
problems encountered by the customer. Any of the consumer concerns that the e-tailer will have to
figure out can be late delivery, incorrect product, faulty product etc.

1.3.2. ADVANTAGES OF E-TAILING-

1.Clients can spare time and energy by means of online retailing.
2. The broad selection of products is available on the internet, so that the connection can be rendered easily
before the order.
3.Whenever and from wherever, the customer will shop at the office 24 * 7.
4.When shopping on the web, you will benefit from the enormous rebates.

1.3.3. DISADVANTAGES OF E-TAILING –

1.Customers cannot be aware of the essence of the products sold on the Site.
2. Each person is inclined to sell before making the last order, but the remainder is absent in electronic
retailing.
3.Customers can therefore not trust installment doors and fear misuse of Permits or some other form of
deployment.

1.4 Company profile

1.4.1. AMAZON.COM

Amazon.com, Inc., doing business as Amazon is an American electronic commerce and cloud computing
company based in Seattle, Washington, that was founded by Jeff Bezos on July 5, 1994. The tech giant is the
largest Internet retailer in the world as measured by revenue and market capitalization, and second largest
after Alibaba Group in terms of total sales. The amazon.com website started as an online bookstore and later
diversified to sell video downloads/streaming, MP3 downloads/streaming, audiobook downloads/streaming,
software, video games, electronics, apparel, furniture, food, toys, and jewelry. The company also
produces consumer electronics—Kindle e-readers, Fire tablets, Fire TV, and Echo—and is the world's
largest provider of cloud infrastructure services (IaaS and PaaS).[4] Amazon also sells certain low-end
products under its in-house brand Amazon Basics.

“Amazon has separate retail websites for the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, France,
Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Australia, Brazil, Japan, China, India, and Mexico. In 2016,
Dutch, Polish, and Turkish language versions of the German Amazon website were also launched. Amazon
also offers international shipping of some of its products to certain other countries.”

“In 2015, Amazon surpassed Wal-Mart as the most valuable retailer in the United States by market
capitalization. Amazon is the fourth most valuable public company in the world (behind only
Apple, Alphabet, and Microsoft), the largest Internet company by revenue in the world, and after
Walmart, the second largest employer in the United States. In 2017, Amazon acquired Whole Foods Market
for $13.4 billion, which vastly increased Amazon's presence as a brick-and-mortar retailer. The acquisition
was interpreted by some as a direct attempt to challenge Walmart's traditional retail stores. In 2018, for the
first time, Jeff Bezos released in Amazon's shareholder letter the number of Amazon Prime subscribers,
which at 100 million, is approximately 64% of households in the United States.”

Amazon.com’s Corporate Vision Statement- Amazon’s corporate vision is “to be Earth’s most
customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy
online.” This vision statement underscores the business organization’s main aim of becoming the best e-
commerce company in the world. In this regard, the following characteristics are identifiable in Amazon’s
corporate vision statement:
1. Global reach
2. Customer-centric approach
3. Widest selection of products

Amazon.com’s Corporate Mission Statement

Amazon’s mission statement is “We strive to offer our customers the lowest possible prices, the best
available selection, and the utmost convenience.” This corporate mission promises attractive e- commerce
services to satisfy target customers’ needs. The company focuses on the variables of price, selection, and
convenience. In this regard, the following characteristics are identifiable in Amazon’s corporate mission
statement:

 Lowest prices
 Best selection
 Utmost convenience

PRODUCT AND SERVICES

Amazon.com's product lines available at its website include several media (books, DVDs, music CDs,
videotapes and software), apparel, baby products, consumer electronics, beauty products, gourmet food,
groceries, health and personal-care items, industrial & scientific supplies, kitchen items, jewelry, watches,
lawn and garden items, musical instruments, sporting goods, tools, automotive items and toys & games.

Amazon is now gearing up in India to play a role in the grocery retail sector aimed at delivering customer
needs.
Amazon.com has a number of products and services available, including:

 AmazonFresh

 Amazon Prime

 Amazon Web Services

 Alexa

 Appstore

 Amazon Drive

 Echo

 Kindle

 Fire tablets

 Fire TV

 Video

 Kindle Store

 Music

 Music Unlimited

 Amazon Digital Game Store

 Amazon Studios

 Amazon Wireless
1.4.2 Flipkart.com

It is an e-commerce firm founded in 2007 by both alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, Mr.
Sachin Bansal and Binny Bansal. They'd previously worked for Amazon.com. It works primarily in India,
where Bangalore, Karnataka, is headquartered. It was registered in Singapore, and owned by a holding firm
headquartered in Singapore. Flipkart has released its own product line under the label "DigiFlip," and
recently Flipkart has also released its own line of personal healthcare and home appliances under the brand
"Citron.' In its beginning years Flipkart concentrated initially on books, and as soon as it grew, it started
selling other items such as electrical appliances, air conditioners, air coolers, paper and leisure accessories
and e-books. Legally, as it is listed in Singapore, Flipkart is not an Indian corporation and the bulk of its
owners are overseas. Flipkart is selling products in India through a business called WS Retail, though
international firms are not permitted to do multi-brand e-retailing in India. Vision Statement- “To
become Amazon of India”. Many third-party retailers or businesses can also sell products via the
Flipkart website. Flipkart currently hires over 15,000 people. Flipkart provides for payment forms such
as cash on arrival, credit or debit card transfers, net banking, e-gift coupon, and on sale card scan.
Flipkart is currently one of India's largest online retailers, with a presence in over 14 product categories
& reach in around 150 cities. Flipkart is already a large team of 10,000 employees, with 3,000 vendors
on its website and 5 million shipments shipped every month. It made its presence known by providing
path breaking offerings such as Cash on Delivery (COD), 30 Day Replacement Guarantee, EMI plans,
Phone Flipkart app, etc. It sells items such as games, videos, watches, shoes, makeup & wellness,
home & kitchen, ties, wallets, smartphone and cameras, accessories for laptops, clothes, home &
kitchen.

Mission Statement-“Providing a delightful and memorable customer experience”.

Objective-“Completely hassle free shopping experience with best prices in India”.

1.4.3. Snapdeal

Snapdeal is one of India's largest e-commerce firms with offices in New Delhi. In 2010 Snapdeal was
launched, a time when India's e-commerce industry was at a nascent level. Kunal Bahl and Rohit Bansal co-
founded the firm. Snapdeal currently provides over 60 million items across different categories, including
mobiles & smartphones, laptops, office & games, electronics, home & living, men's and women's wear,
athletics, health & outdoors, everyday needs, motors & accessories, books, music, real estate, and financial
services. The company's e-commerce website has more than 3 lakh retailers that appeal to millions of
consumers. Snapdeal has a wide network of logistics providers and it delivers to more than 6000 cities and
towns in India. Snapdeal launched operations on February 4, 2010. The central business theory that fuelled
Snapdeal at that time was the forum for daily offers. It helped users to get the best prices every day, e.g.
discounts in restaurants, movie theaters in hotels etc. The company later revealed its intentions in December
2011 that it would change its market strategy and move to a full-fledged e-commerce operation. The move
came as a shock to investors as the firm had a 70% stake in the business of regular deals. Investors were
doubtful but Bahl was able to reassure members of the commission. The decision turned out to be innovative,
as Snapdeal is currently India's leading e-commerce marketplace.

Snapdeal mission statement- Snapdeal aims at making life fun for consumers. We have a simple business
philosophy; we just do not offer best prices, we offer great experiences! You do not need to spend a fortune to
enjoy what you love; we are just a click away.
1.4.4. Myntra.com

Myntra.com is India's largest fashion and lifestyle e-commerce service, with headquarters in Bangalore,
Karnataka. It offers the largest variety of brands and products on its site. Myntra.com now helps shoppers to
pick clothes, shoes, cosmetics, and footwear from over 500 leading brands in India and abroad. They're in the
forefront in transforming India's retail and shopping profile. The company is seeking to express the fashion
momentum to consumers with a range of the nation's most current and trendiest available products. It is also
designing an in-house Style Studio program, a virtual dressing room intended to make shopping online
immersive for shoppers. It is an Indian fashion e-commerce company headquartered
in Bengaluru, Karnataka, India. The company was founded in 2007 to sell personalized gift items. In May
2014, Myntra.com was acquired by Flipkart. Created by Mukesh Bansal along with Ashutosh Lawania and
Vineet Saxena; Myntra sold customized gift products on sale. At its initial years it worked primarily on the
B2B (Business-to-Business) model. The platform allowed consumers to personalize items such as T-shirts,
mugs, mouse pads and others between 2007 and 2010. Myntra started offering apparel and lifestyle items in
2011 and stepped away from personalisation. By 2012 Myntra had 350 Indian and Foreign brands selling
goods. The company presented the Fastrack Watches and Being Human brands. Flipkart acquired Myntra in
2014 in a transaction estimated at 2,000 crore (US$ 280 million). Myntra runs and functions
independentlyUnder Flipkart ownership Myntra continues to run as a standalone company, concentrating
mainly on "fashion-conscious" customers. In 2014, the portfolio of Myntra comprised over 1,50,000 products
of over 1000 brands, with a distribution area in India of about 9000 pincodes. Ananth Narayanan became
Myntra's chief executive in 2015 .

Vision: To make the world a more stylish, colorful and happier place.
Mission: Use technology to democratize fashion & lifestyle and help people look good. Myntra is a
meritocratic, non-hierarchical and fun workplace. Our employees are empowered with a high degree
of ownership and accountability.

Brands- Myntra recognizes the tastes of its shoppers and provides them with variety of clothing, shoes,
cosmetics and footwear from over 500 leading brands in India and abroad. Prominent brands include, to name
a couple, Adidas, Nike, Puma, Catwalk, Inc 5, Benetton's United Colors, FCUK, Timberland, Avirate,
FabIndia and Biba. You can also go shopping from brands newly launched including-Roadster, Sher Singh,
Dressberry, Kook N Keech and ETC.

Myntra in-house-brands
1.4.5. Jabong.com
It is an Indian e-commerce site for fashion and lifestyle, offering clothing, boots, fashion accessories, beauty
items, cosmetics, home accessories, and other goods for fashion and lifestyle. The company has its offices in
Gurgaon. In January 2012, the platform began operations. Jabong.com was an e-commerce portal of Indian
fashion and lifestyle founded by Praveen Sinha, Lakshmi Potluri, Arun Chandra Mohan and Manu Kumar
Jain. In July 2016 Jabong was purchased by Flipkart for around $70 million via its Myntra subsidiary.
Flipkart officially shut down Jabong in February 2020 to finally change emphasis on its luxury Myntra
apparel website.

Mission statement: To deliver unparalleled assortment, a seamless shopping experience, the most responsive
customer service, and a caring workplace for the employees.
 Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Research Method
The research approach used in this analysis is exploratory analysis that is a mixture of both primary and
secondary results. Primary data is used as a questionnaire tool generated using Google forms & circulated to
consumers of internet & social media. On top of that, secondary data was used to help the analysis.

3.2 Research Gap and Objectives of Study

3.2.1.Research Gap

 Questionnaires method is used only for data collection and the limitation of the questionnaire method
is applicable to the study.
 Another limitation was the relatively short period within which this research was carried out.

3.2.2. Objectives of the study

 To recognize the most preferable shopping site.
 To evaluate when the people prefer to shop online.
 To determine the most frequently purchased products.
 To evaluate whether the online shopping is safe.
 To know the aggregate percentage of people, who prefer online shopping.
 To evaluate when the people prefer to shop online.
 To know whether online shopping price is less than traditional shopping price.

3.3 Sampling
  SAMPLE SIZE
The sample size chose are 50 customers of Amazon, Flipkart, Snapdeal, Myntra, Jabong . The subjects for
the study were within the age group of 17 to 52 years. Thus, the sampling unit includes students,
job holders, professionals and business persons. This age group is selected because it is seen that most of the
internet users in India lie within this age group.
 SAMPLE AREA
Gwalior is area from where all this information collected.
 DATA COLLECTION
“ Both primary and secondary data were used.
a) Primary data: Primary data is collected through observation or direct communication with the
respondent in one form or another. These are several methods for primary data collection-
 Observation Method
 Interview Method
 Through Questionnaire
 Consumer panels
 Through Projective Techniques
 Dept interviews
 Contents Analysis
But as the time was limited I used the questionnaire and schedule method of data collection .”
b) Secondary data: Secondary data is collected from known data repositories, catalogues and the
Internet.
Initially the questionnaire was pilot-tested by teacher. The findings of the pilot test proved sufficient, as most
of the questionnaire elements were made understandable by all respondents. However, some language
mistakes and unnecessary questions were noticed which were resolved in the edition of the questionnaire
which was eventually circulated in field testing.

3.4 Mode of Analysis

The instrument used for data collection was in the form of questionnaire. The questionnaire was used as it
facilitated the tabulation and analysis of the data to be collected. The data collected was subjected to simple
frequency distribution and percentage analysis.
 Chapter 4
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 Data Analysis

Table 4.1.1: Depicting the customer’s views regarding online shopping
Sl. Particulars % of Agree % of
No Disagree
1 Satisfied with the product and service offered 92% 08%

2 Prefer to shop online than multiplex 88% 12%

3 Satisfied with the mode of payment 96% 04%

4 Easy return facility 76% 24%

5 After sales service 46% 54%

6 Regular online customer 43% 57%

7 Safe shopping online 84% 16%

8 Online shopping price is less than traditional shopping 80% 20%

price
 Fig 4.1.1: showing the customer views regarding online shopping

Interpretation:
1. Satisfied with the product and service offered: Online shopping provides its consumers with exclusive
and high quality items, and offers service such as free home delivery. That has contributed to customer
loyalty. According to the report, 92 per cent of online shoppers are satisfied with the product and service
provided to them. And the remaining 08 percent are not happy, because their phobia is that goods seen on
display are significantly different from the goods they get.

2. Prefer to shop online than multiplex: In today's busy life, people prefer online shopping to multiplex
shopping, because it saves a lot of their time. 88 per cent of people choose to buy online due to its simplicity
and comfort, according to the study conducted. And as they are hooked to conventional shopping, 12 per cent
tend to shop in multiplexes. Few people still presume that they'd have the goods they'd like.

3. Satisfied with the payment method: Shopping places offer various payment options, such as cash on
request, subscription plan, credit card and debit card facilities. As per the study that has been conducted, 96
percent of customers are pleased with the payment system offered and 4 percent are not pleased.

4. Easy return facility: If the consumers are not happy with the commodity they are provided with, they can
appreciate fast return facilities. But the service is only provided by other locations. According to the report, 76
percent of shoppers tend to enjoy this service because of their own experience and the remaining 24 percent
disagree with this, as certain places do not have a single window solution.

5. After sales service: Various after-sales programs, such as warranties and insurance, support systems, free
delivery systems and more. Such services also helped to generate more competition and boost revenue for the
goods. The report shows that 46 percent of customers are pleased with the after-sales support they provide
and 54 percent are not happy with the operation. Since they did not possess the correct services for assurance
and warranty. And even then the customers' input is not provided a proper answer.

6. Regular online customer: Internet connectivity is increasing every day and the advanced infrastructure
has made people shop on a daily basis. But even some people never make transactions online and often in
conventional means because they believe it's an easy way to make. According to the data collected, 43 percent
of the people are frequent online customers, these are mostly working people who have little time to go
shopping and buy and even the younger generation are relying the on online sales because they try a variety
of alternatives for the same product.57 percent of the people are not regular online customers because the
price of the goods can not be identified.

7. Safe shopping online: Since customer's private information such as contact number, e-mail address,
residential address, etc. is not revealed to other customers due to the service offered by the HTTP which locks
customers' personal details. With this people feel confident and comfortable when shopping online. The
evidence gathered conveys that 84 percent of customers feel secure and easy to buy online because of the
protection they provide, which decreases the chance of theft and safety standards. And 16 percent of people
don't feel comfortable shopping online, since certain places don't provide stable credit protection.

8. Online shopping price is less than traditional shopping price: Since the web platforms purchase goods
directly from the suppliers, the price of the goods is less costly than the price of multiplexes. The study
reveals that 80 percent of people believe that internet pricing is less costly because it includes discounts and
deals, as well as reduced operating costs. Yet 20 per cent of the population still argue with this because of the
negotiating habit.
Table 4.2.2 : Comparative analysis of online shopping among Amazon, flipkart, snap deal, Myntra, Jabong.

Particulars Amazon Flipkart Snapdeal Myntra Jabong

a) Most preferable shopping site 33% 27% 10% 25% 5%

b) Best shopping site 39% 25% 11% 21% 4%

c) Most frequently purchased

product
1. Clothing 18% 21% 9% 41% 11%

2.Footwears 21% 25% 8% 36% 10%

3.Electronics 35% 44% 21% 0% 0%

4.Kitchen & home appliances 29% 38% 23% 6% 4%

5.Accesories & cosmetics 36% 34% 9% 15% 6%

d) Mostly shopped during

1.Regularly 28% 34% 8.5% 25.5% 4%

2.offers & discounts 26% 38% 14% 19% 3%

3.occassions 24% 30% 18% 25% 5%

4.Rarely 34% 40% 26% 0% 0%

 5
Jabong

20 33
Amazon Amazon
Myntra
Fliipkart
Snapdeal
Myntra
Jabong

10
Snapdeal

27
Flipkart

Fig 4.2.2 (a) Most preferable shopping site

4%
Jabong

21%
Myntra
Amazon
39%
Amazon Fliipkart
Snapdeal
Myntra
Jabong
11%
Snapdeal

25%
Flipkart

Fig 4.2.2. (b) Best Shopping Site

INTREPRETATION:
Most preferable and best shopping site-
Online shopping stores have increased rapidly within a few years. Tough competition exists between the
companies to become the best online shopping site. Almost all online shopping stores provide commodity at
discounted prices which greets the customer to buy more.
• Amazon: • Famous for its Kindle, lightning fast delivery and almost everything available online.
Through selling different items, such as garments, electronics, beauty goods, and home decor, it has
made it simpler. And even the contrast of costs is easy to construct. According to the study carried out,
33 percent of people enjoy shopping on this platform and 39 percent of people consider it to be the
best shopping platform because people purchase the Amazon brand with confidence and you can even
access several items with a special CSV file at once. Yet other people argue with this site as there is
no option to incorporate a logo of your own.

 Flipkart: You can purchase about everything from books, games, baby care, jackets, shoes, tv,
refrigerators, mobile phones and several other things. Here you will get quick discounts, coupons and
a lot of other offers that will save you from buying Flip Kart. According to the study, 27 percent of
people choose to shop from this app and 25 percent of people believe that Flip Kart is the best
shopping platform because of its simplicity and comfort and above all because of factors. The biggest
downside of Flip kart is that the operation in villages is not up to the mark as opposed to urban areas.

 Snapdeal: : It is India’s largest e-commerce website with respect to the number of transactions in a
single day. Products such as watches, hard drives, laptops, and computers can be bought at a cheap
price. It provides some heavy discounts on its items. It operates in only a few numbers of cities but the
transaction rate is very high. The data collected conveys that 10% of the people prefer to shop
through snap deal and 11% of the people choose Snap deal as best shopping site due to these reasons.
But some do not feel the same as returns are more difficult online than in local stores.

 Myntra: It seeks to redefine Indian fashion mantra, selling trendy items like t-shirts, skirts, watches,
sneakers, belts and other luxury accessories. It simply takes the concept of competition and shop to
newer meanings, where with only a few clicks people can conveniently compare prices of different
 items. According to the survey conducted, only a few people enjoy shopping on this platform and only
21 per cent say it's best. This platform is favoured by people with 25 per cent .

 Jabong: • Due to its streamlined development cycle and the presence of a variety of branches in most
parts of the world, this platform is gaining popularity day by day. According to the study, 5 percent of
people enjoy shopping on this platform and just 4 percent see it as the best shopping venue. It is
hearsay and pooled views of men, since it is not confirmed by any credible sources. And it has nothing
on similar lines, and is primarily placed as an ecommerce shop for clothes, boots and accessories.

50%

45% 44%
41%
40% 38%
35% 36% 36%
35% 34%

30% 29%
25%
25% 23%
21% 21% 21%
20% 18%
15%
15%
11%10%
10% 9% 8% 9%
6% 6%
5% 4%
0% 0%
0%
Amazon flipkart snapdeal myntra jabong

clothing footwear electronics kitchen cosmetics

Fig 4.2.2. (c) Comparative analysis of most frequently purchased product

Comparative analysis of most frequently purchased product-

Nowadays, when nearly all items are ordered electronically, a consumer can get a product if it comes to an
electronic item with a tiny soap. This indicates that online retailing needs have increasingly increased. So the
consumers are very versatile when shopping online. The survey says apparel, boots, electronics, kitchen and
home appliances and accessories and cosmetics are the most frequently bought items via online.
 Clothing: According to the study carried out, 41% of people buy clothes because of their high quality
and because different varieties are provided.21% of people buy clothes from flipkart because their
price is not up to the mark.18% of people buy clothes from amazon because different varieties are not
available. And due to poor quality, lack of choice and price volatility, just 9 per cent & 11 per cent of
people prefer snapdeal and jabong respectively to buy clothing. Overall, 100 percent of people
purchase clothes online because there are a range of items available in a number of forms.

 Footwear’s: The study says that 36% of the people prefer Myntra to purchase footwear’s as
fashionable footwear’s are available for both men and women. 25% -21% of the people choose
flipkart and Amazon to purchase footwear’s as the fashion trend has not increased up to the mark. And
only 8% and 10% of the people prefer snapdeal and Jabong respectively.

 Electronics: As per the survey conducted, 44%-35% of the people choose flip kart and amazon to
purchase electronic items as safe and secure shipping facility is provided and even discounts are
provided. And 21% people purchase electronics from Snapdeal as it does not satisfy customers needs
in this section as compared to flipkart and amazon. The study also reveals that Jabong and Fashion and
you are not much developed to make sales in this section. People purchase electronic items such as
computers, mobile phones, laptops, ovens, etc. from online.

 Kitchen and home appliances: As per the information collected, people purchase kitchen and home
appliances from online which are not easily available in shops and also the other reason may be that
the online price is less than ordinary shopping price. And 38% of the people prefer flip kart , while
29%-23% prefer amazon and snapdeal. And only 6% and 4% purchase from Myntra & jabong
respectively as the people are not convenient to purchase these products from online.

 Accessories and cosmetics: As per the research, 36%-34% people prefer Amazon and Flipkart to
purchase these products may be due to the fashionable trend & discounts provided by them. And 15%
is purchased from Myntra. And only 9%-6% of the people choose other sites to purchase these
products, as they do not provide branded items in this sector.
 45%
40%
40% 38%

35% 34% 34%

30%
30% 28%
26% 26% 26% 25%
25% 24%

20% 19%
18%

15% 14%

10% 9%
5%
5% 4%
3%
0% 0%
0%
Amazon flipkart snapdeal myntra jabong

Regulary offers&discounts occassions rarely

Fig 4.2.2. (d) Comparative analysis of products mostly shopped during

Comparative analysis of products mostly shopped during-

As per the survey the online shopping is most preferable by the customers when there is availability of much
offers and discounts. The customers modestly purchase the products on regular basis and occasions.
4.2 Discussion
This study attempted to understand and compare consumer preferences across popular online shopping
websites in India as well as across popular online purchase product categories. The pattern appeared similar
for Flipkart and Amazon , all the multi-category sites under study with Gadgets being the most popular
category for the majority of the respondents for their preferred website, followed by Apparel and Accessories
categories which they get on Myntra. Snapdeal was seen to be equally preferred for all these three categories,
however, for Flipkart and Amazon the share for Gadgets was significantly larger. Myntra and Jabong were
found to be perceived as a category-specific website with more than 50% of the respondents stating them to
be the preferred choice for online Apparel purchase. Out of the five selected online shopping websites
amazon.com is found to be the leader on eleven attributes out of sixteen attributes that were considered for
this study. It provides the highest range of quality products with different varieties in each product category
and also with different price ranges as per the perception of the consumers. Snapdeal.com offers the best
packaging and has the appealing website as per the consumer responses whereas Flipkart.com is found to be
the best as regards its customer services. Myntra is known for giving true and genuine offers and best filters
on their website. The online shoppers suggest that the companies should improve in the areas of display of
original products, product return policies and product description.
 Chapter 5

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PROSPECTS

5.1 Conclusion
Consumers in the past had ample time to visit shopping malls, looking for various items. After physical
inspection of the goods, often buyers tend to negotiate and determine the purchases. Depending on the
product, size, price and point of procurement the whole cycle will vary from a few hours to weeks. Today the
entire situation is experiencing drastic reform. All in today's world, including electronic data transfer, e-mail,
e-business and e-commerce, is internet focused. E-Commerce is knowledge sharing leveraging network
related technology. E-Commerce should be used as a strategic tool in the present high cost scenario. It
effectively covers the whole process of creating, distributing, advertising, receiving, storing and charging for
goods and services online. Internet shopping does of course not remove its traditional equivalent absolutely.
There are many places where people tend to walk into a store and buy products-from newsagents to
supermarkets, they are part of the culture. But there's no turning back, so shopping online will become an ever
more integral part of our lives, becoming more complex with every year that passes. Internet shopping is a
huge technology which is growing. When properly used with assured transaction safety and protection, it can
succeed in a highly efficient and dynamic manner. Knowing the wishes of consumers to sell just ne has been a
problem for advertisers. In turn, recognizing the attitudes of customers towards online shopping,
strengthening the factors driving customers to buy online and focusing on issues causing consumers to shop
online can help advertisers achieve the competitive advantage over others. In sum up, getting exposure in
online shopping has really revolutionized our culture as a whole and shaped it. This use of technology has
opened new doors and possibilities allowing for today's more comfortable lifestyle. Variety, fast service and
discounted pricing were three significant ways in which online shopping affected people from a different
viewpoint Unfortunately, it has shown that it is possible for criminals to manipulate the system and access
personal information. Luckily, today with the latest features of technology, measures are being taken in order
to stop hackers and criminals from inappropriately accessing private databases. Through privacy and security
policies, website designers are doing their best to put an end to this unethical practice. By doing so, society
will continue to depend upon online shopping, which will allow it to remain a tremendous success in the
future. Most of the people are satisfied with the mode of payment, easy return facilities are enjoyed by most
of the people, even today majority of the people prefer traditional way of shopping, due to privacy policies
provided, almost all the customers feel safe while shopping online, customers feel that products are delivered
to them on time, customers most frequently purchase clothing’s, footwear’s and electronics from online.

5.2 Future Prospects

 Data has been collected for comparing leading e-tailers in India , the responses can be used for future
studies .
 For understanding consumer attitudes and preferences and latest choices and prefernces of Indian
customers.
 Further studies can be carried out related to e-tailer preference on the basis of product categories as people
might prefer different e-tailers for different types of products.
 Comparative study could be make between traditional shopping and online shopping with effect of 21st
century technology.
 For studying customer satisfaction factors.
 For estimating factors which influence performance in e-tailing market.
 There is ample of scope to analyse other online websites and their services.
 Further there is a prospective to study the factors of online shopping of customer preference and
satisfaction of other online websites.
 Chapter 6

SUMMARY
6.1 Summary
The study consisted with all the work flows of major e-commerce players in India, Amazon,
Flipkart ,Snapdeal, Myntra and Jabong. How they are performing and how they are running
perfectly in the competitive world has been explained. The innovative thinking of them to reach
more and more consumers is appreciable. They increased their network as much as possible with
ultimate aim of reaching more and more customers. They made consumers work more easy and
comfortable. In this competitive market one has to be lead and rest will follow. Based upon
consumer’s survey , Amazon is most liked. Even though it is an international company it understood
Indians very well and made its roots stronger in India. Flipkart is also giving very tough competition
to Amazon even though it is new company when compared to Amazon. May be it takes some time
to overcome, but definitely they are doing very well in Indian e-commerce market. Based upon
consumer’s survey, consumers find Myntra more reliable for clothing and fashion segment. Snapdeal
and Jabong are lagging behind as compared to these three.