ISORG Project : E-Commerce Transaction Broker

Introduction of Project - E-Commerce Transaction Broker

Due to the ‘Bo-Bianess’ accordance to the UOL study guide, a research about the e-commerce transaction broker was to done to help us better understand the concept and workings behind it.

A transaction broker acts like an intermediary/middleman that provides coordination services and documentary supports between the buyers and sellers (of products and services). The transaction broker's online platform offers a range of products and services (offered by the selling parties, who are ultimately responsible for providing the products and services transacted through the transaction brokers). The transaction brokers neither own nor produce any of the products and services on offer, and are not resellers

Soccer-Maniac Fan’s Store

As our blog name suggested, soccer would be the main focus for our project. Therefore, it’s no surprise that our E-Commerce transaction broker would be one that deals with soccer apparels. We had searched high and low for a suitable e-commerce transaction broker and decided to settle for www.soccershop.com . It’s a one stop web page for soccer fans with lots of information in it.

Purpose

Basically, soccershop.com is an online shop that sells soccer apparels such as soccer jerseys of various soccer clubs from all around the world, footwear, balls and even books on soccer coaching. Items are not limited to a single brand but an enormous range of brands such as Nike, Adidas, Lotto and Puma etc. Not only that, we also offers limited edition stuffs such as signed jerseys and associates. It acts like an agent for these brands and sells the various above mentioned soccer ‘related’ products to online shoppers. However the service of the website does not end there. It’s also a place where soccer fans can find the latest soccer news that happening across the globe. This ‘soccer news/information’ is even outsourced and being extracted from www.fifa.com . There’s even a forum, whereby soccer gurus could discuss various topics about soccer stuffs. Netizens could voice out their opinion about the products being sold in the online store or rant about how they favourite soccer team had won or lost a soccer match. The forum served as a feedback centre for the management team of the online store to make improvements or enhance its online customer relationship. It even has a blog, which talks about soccer issues and this could be beneficial for the web page as online shoppers as well as soccer gurus could share the passion for the ‘beautiful game’. This could induce these potential customers come frequent the web page more often and hopefully buy their products.

Design

The design of the website is a simple and a concise one. Thus this makes it easy for online shoppers to browse through its various products. Products are also being categorized accordingly to their various departments such as footwear, jerseys etc. It even has a ‘new arrival’ department whereby you can view the latest products in the market. There are pictures being attached to each product, so you could view how the product looks like before purchasing and not just buying it blindly. Prices are also being stated clearly and sales items are being bold in red. There’s also a customer service section whereby online shoppers could get access easily. Information about shipping rates is being stated clearly in the web page.

Strengths

The web page is a simple and user friendly, whereby the interfaces and icons of the website is clear and concise. Products are well-organised and easy to locate. Pictures tell a thousand words and the web page have tons of it on its products. The webpage even allows customers to customize their jersey they intend to buy, such as printing numbers or names onto the back of their jersey. Payment is made through a credit card and thus would be convenient and simple. It has a decent customer service column, where online shoppers can get valuable information or give and feedbacks.

Weaknesses

There are a few problems that customers will come across when browsing the website. As products are in the virtual world, customers cannot try on the products they intend to buy; a jersey may look prefect in the virtual world but may not be that attractive when worn by a person in the real world. Size, colour and quality of product cannot be checked when purchasing the product. When a product is purchased, there would be a time-lag before the customer gets his/her product due to shipment delay, whereas in the case of walk-in purchases, one can get his/her purchase immediately. Should there be any doubts, customers are unable to clear their queries immediately, and they have to either write in or call the relevant customer’s service hotlines. Another weakness is that apparels purchased are non-refundable or for any exchange if they have made a wrong purchase.

Conclusion

In conclusion, www.soccershop.com is a very comprehensive website that offers wide range of soccer apparels from all around the world. It simplifies customers need and reduces individuals’ precious time and transaction cost in searching for the apparels they wanted in different outlets.

The webpage illustrates the concept of e-commerce transaction brokering by showing how it acts like a middleman for sellers (nike, adidias, etc.) and buyers (ordinary people like you and me). It also shows the workings of a transaction broker; how it portrays its products in its website (design) and how the transaction between buyers and sellers could be done (payment mode). Though transaction brokering servicing seems like a prefect one-stop station for sellers, it does come with some flaws. Products/services provided by them are all in virtual world and one cannot really tell how creditable is the product/services provided by them.