E-Commerce
This is a continuous activity for part A, keep working on the same website you have chosen in part
In this project, you are required to evaluate one of the websites below based on what you learn from this course and your perspective. The evaluation will cover the different aspects of E-Commerce such as business idea, website design, marketing, security … etc. The following questions require critical thinking to be answered successfully. The answers to these questions will drive the ways of improvement of the current e-commerce business.
Site Design 3 marks
Evaluate (with explanation) the website design focusing on the eight most important factors in successful e-commerce site design (ease of use, ease of purchase, simple graphics … etc.) Table 3.11 (Refer to Chapter 3 – Page 212 in the book and/or Slide
43). You are required to evaluate each factor and provide screenshots with explanation.
Discuss possible suggestions to improve the site design.
eCommerce software and plugins 3 marks
Explain the different types of software and plugins used on the website to perform the following functionalities:
Online catalog and price and product databases
Shopping cart
Credit card processing
Registration (Sign Up)/ Login form
Support options
Inventory Management Software and stock level
Discount coupons
Automated vat calculations
Provide screenshots with explanation.
What can be done to improve the software and plugins to the selected online store?
Payment and Security 3 marks
What are the methods of payment available in the online store? (Refer to your book: page 295-296) Provide screenshots with explanation.
What other methods can be added? Explain why?
Explain the different types of security measures added to secure the selected E-commerce website and to secure the online transactions.
A two-factor authentication (Login and Payment)
SSL certificate
HTTPS
Passwords
Trust Badges for eCommerce
What other technologies can be added? Explain why?
What is the current privacy policy of the online store? Outline how the information is collected and used?
What can be added to the privacy policy? Explain why?
Categorize marketing and advertising strategy and method. 2 marks
Explain the current marketing strategies of the business including:
Search Engine Optimization (Provide screenshots with explanation)
Rankings in SEO
Paid search Provide screenshots with explanation.
Social media marketing strategies (Provide screenshots with explanation)
Offline strategies
What can be done to improve the marketing aspects of the business?
eCommerce benchmarking (Know your competitors). 3 marks
Choose a website of one competitor in the same industry (locally or globally):
Compare it with your chosen company’s site. Indicate why the competitor’s website is better or worse than the chosen company’s website. Provide screenshots with explanation.
Homepage
Navigation
Site layout
On-site search
Product info
Product Filtering
Images
User reviews
Cart & Checkout
Order confirmation
Provide one competitor SWOT analysis with screenshots of their website activities.
What can be done by learning from your competitor’s experience?
Conclude your report. 1 mark
Summarize the above points and include your recommendation to improve the e-commerce business
