Importance of Understanding Customer Expectations in E-commerce Strategy

E-Commerce and
Strategy

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................3
TASK 1............................................................................................................................................3
Discuss the importance of understanding, addressing and meeting customer expectations
when seeking to deploy e-commerce strategy........................................................................3
Using organisational case study analyse how e-commerce has allowed the organisation to
improve its business processes and profitability....................................................................5
Provide critical analysis of both the advantages and disadvantages of deploying an e-
commerce strategy..................................................................................................................6
Discuss a broad range of technologies that are required to develop and deploy a secured e-
commerce site.........................................................................................................................7
Evaluate and justify the need to have an integrated communication platform when deploying
an e-commerce solution..........................................................................................................8
Critical evaluate the role that database technology currently plays in the provision of an e-
commerce solution..................................................................................................................9
CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
E-commerce which stands for Electronic Commerce is a modern business process or
practice that is related with buying and selling goods and services, transmitting money or funds
through electronic network (Maryati, Purwandari and Solichah, 2018). The major source of
conducting e-commerce activities is internet. This form of business transactions occurs and
supports businesses like B2B, B2C, C2C and C2B. E-commerce is a support provided to
industries and the business world that has made the huge difference in operations and work
systems. E-commerce is a resource that offers businesses higher productivity and profitability as
well as saves costs and other resource like time. Hence, a report is constructed in relation to e-
commerce of Sainsbury.
A supermarket chain which is second largest in UK market founded in 1869 and
headquartered in London, United Kingdom. The company is only serving in UK with both
physical and virtual platforms. The assessment includes the importance of understanding
customer needs and addressing them while using e-commerce strategy and evaluation of benefits
provided by e-commerce to Sainsbury in regards to improvement in its processes. In addition to
it, advantages and disadvantage of e-commerce are presented as well in the assignment (Kremez,
Frazer and Thaichon, 2019). Moving along technologies which are necessary for developing a e-
commerce website and its smooth functioning are identified with understanding the needs to
have integrated communication platforms for managing e-commerce solutions. Lastly, in the
report the role of database technologies is identified which are helpful in providing e-commerce
solutions is determined.
TASK 1
Discuss the importance of understanding, addressing and meeting customer expectations when
seeking to deploy e-commerce strategy.
E-commerce is an act of making business transactions that is buying, selling and
transferring of funds with the help of internet and other related means (Pinasang, Tulung and
Saerang, 2020). E-commerce has majorly four business segments or models in which it deals that
are Business 2 Business (B2B), Business 2 Customers (B2C), Customers 2 Customers (C2C)
and Customers 2 Business (C2B). Customer Expectations are defined as the needs and
preferences of potential buyers of a business organisation who are dealing in market and offering

respective goods and services. One of the major goal or a primal objective of a business house is
to offer what people are asking for and making them satisfied by fulfilling their requirements.
Thus, customer expectations are the key factors which derives change in the operations and
functioning of businesses.
While talking about customer expectations current industry trends are overlooked and
evaluated by organisations to gain an in-depth insight about the needs and requirements that are
flourishing in market and influencing the markets social environment and trends. Hence,
organisations needs to understand, address and meet customers and potential buyers
expectations. Thus, some of the specific factors for the same are presented below in the next
section (Qin, Liu and Tian, 2020).
IMPORTANCE OF UNDERSTANDING, ADDRESSING AND MEETING CUSTOMERS
EXPECTATIONS To seek knowledge about the right buyers- E-commerce is a wide option available in
front of organisations and businesses to seek higher market share and as it is increasing
on a very fast pace with huge competition. In order to stay competitive in the industry
and market company needs to known what exactly people need for serving them with the
exact offering before others. Thus, while deploying e-commerce understanding customers
needs renders the entity knowledge about the right market segment they need to target
according to their product or service offering. This advances the addressing stage where
exactly those goods are produced which people want and prefer to buy and enable the
firm in meeting their expectations. Thus, customer needs and preferences renders entity
market knowledge and more specifically knowledge about the market trends. For effective and successful positioning in market- Another importance of
understanding, addressing and meeting customers needs and expectations while
positioning e-commerce strategy is for having a strong and successful deployment of the
strategy in virtual market and world of internet. By knowing what exactly customers
needs company make strategies accordingly which assist them in potential deployment by
effective marketing techniques and methods (Lie, Atmojo and Muljo, 2019).
 For ensuring customer satisfaction and loyalty- One more and the most basis
importance of knowing and addressing expectations of people for company is to keep
them satisfied and happy as well as gain their loyalty. A huge and loyal customer base or