Environmental Analysis of Ecommerce Presence

Environmental Analysis of Ecommerce Presence

E commerce business context in the present case describe the working phenomenon for an online library system “elibrary@ease.com” which would be operational without any physical structure and users would take equivalent benefits for the library as availed through physical presence. The present unique business concept is such that it would work under resource sharing basis so as to provide the user several benefits for using the library and features which are not even present in case of physical library.

The online library would replace the physical presence of the library by sharing the resource with the help of shopping malls and book stores located in several geographical regions. In order to save space to store books “elibrary@ease.com” would store its books in the shopping malls and some of the book centre where there would be collaboration between elibrary.com and these merchants. A resource sharing model would be developed so that these merchants sell these books placed at their location while with the help of “elibrary@ease.com” users can avail various benefits which they avail through other libraries by taking book loan through online application and locating the book through book finder in their nearest possible location.

Value proposition

Value proposition offered by “elibrary@ease.com” would be unique in terms of the business concept of the company and would make dual benefits for users as well as for the company. There are several stakeholders of the company for which value proposition would be different such as the users and strategic partners of the firms (shopping malls and book store etc). For users who are availing the library services main value proposition offered by the company would be in terms of the ease of use, one touch point for numerous books, online due payment, online availability of the books, CD and other academic resources on rent.

Users of the library would be given membership for the library and a nominal annual fee would be charged to them for the membership of library. All the books placed in the shopping malls and books stores would be placed at the website so that one touch list can be made for the users from which they can access the academic source which they like. Other benefits offered for the users of the library would be in terms of the discussion forum at website for various users so as to share various available resource, availability of the resource at their nearest location and huge academic collection. Hence users does not need to visit to the physical libraries in order to avail the library services and they can access the whole library just one click away which would provide them ease of use and one stop source for their knowledge needs.

For the strategic partners of the company such as the book stores and shopping malls value proposition offered by the company would be in terms of the cost sharing and revenue sharing. The resources placed at the book store and shopping malls in terms of books, CD, VCD and other academic resources cost required to establish the arrangement would be shared between company and the enabling partner. Further revenue received through utilization and sales of these resources would be shared between the two parties. This would offer shopping malls to utilize their idle asset and at the same time shopping malls would be able to enhance the footfalls in terms of the users visiting the shopping malls to avail library services.

Core competencies   

Library services provided by “elibrary@ease.com would be unique in terms of the service delivery model and advanced information technology tool so as to manage various information resource required by the users. Some of the key advanced information tools employed at “elibrary@ease” would include data management system, book finder tools, resource locator and membership discussion forums. Data management system would manage the various data contained in the online library in such a form that paid users with access to the information can access the available information regarding resource and locate the particular book or journal in shopping mall or book store near to their location.

Membership discussion forums would be made available for the various users ad communities can be formed as per the subject of interest by the moderator of the forum. These discussion forum would help the people to meet with other interested in similar field and share their resources with each other. Further these discussion forums would be used in order to share their knowledge with each other as users can take part in quizzes and online certifications initiated by the company.

Hence core competencies for “elibrary@ease” would be online availability for the users and (24*7) availability. Hence users would be able to access the academic resources softcopy at any time while physical resources can be made available at various locations. Further fee charged for the library resources would be nominal and users would get benefited by this concept as they need not to spent heavy money in order to avail various academic resources.

Marketing analysis and Trend   

The marketing analysis for the present ecommerce business can be done in view of the marketing mix analysis and STP analysis for the proposed business which can be given as below:

• Product & service: Services offered by the company is related to library services at the online availability. Also company would be selling books through its partners at shopping malls and books store located at various locations. Services offered by the company are unique in the way as it offers users ease of use and one touch access to huge database of the books and other academic resources.
• Price: Pricing charged by the company would be in form of two components, one would be annual membership fee and charge for each book taken by the users. Further revenue sharing model would be developed in which shopping malls and company would share the revenue collected through fee and sales of books would be shared as per the resource allocation proportion.
• Place: Company basically would be having its online presence completely and no physical place would be started. Further through its strategic partners company would be showcasing its physical presence as well. But the basic model followed by company would be entirely online based and this would be unique selling preposition for the company as well.
• Promotion: Promotion strategy adopted by company would be dual i.e. company would promote itself through online advertisement as well as physically through its partners in the shopping mall and other books store. Outdoor promotion would be done in shopping malls and online banners and mail marketing would be adopted as the online marketing tools for the promotion of the website.

Prime segment for the company would be people interested in literature and other academic resources aged from 17 years to 50 years. These members should be having access to online resources so that they can find out books, make payment and locate books in their city near to them. Target segment of the company would be techno savvy who does not like to go to library and read. Hence company offering would help such users to get resources as per their requirement and read with their comfort timings.

Positioning for company among its consumer segment would be low cost online library services providing to various information sources such as the books, journals, research papers, CD and magazines at nominal annual fee. While at the same time one touch access image would be portrayed by the company so as to provide all knowledge sources to its source without any physical interaction.

Looking at the increasing demand of the online resources for the academic purpose and scarcity for the resources faced by the physical library store trend for the online libraries with such resource sharing method seems bright. This would offer people with low cost and high value which would keep the trend as it would also offer them a social platform where in interested people can discuss their interest for a particular academic field and resource sharing among user can happen. Hence the future trend for such concept looks positive and people would adopt such innovation.Order Now