INTRODUCTION:
CONTEXT
CONTENT
CUSTOMIZATION
COMMERCE
CONNECTION
COMUNITY
7C ' S
Commerce:
Commerce is defined as the sale of goods, products, or services on the site. It deals with the
interface that supports the diverse facets of business transactions, such as a shopping cart, security,
orders through affiliates, order tracking, and delivery options.
CONTEXT:
The context of the website captures its aesthetic and functional look-and-feel. At the current state of
the Internet, the aesthetic and functional aspects of a sites context are seen as two sides of a tradeoff.
A site that is aesthetically sophisticated (e.g. a design with rich media like full-motion video) may be
limited in function for many users (e.g. a site that loads slowly, or fails to load, due to a users lowbandwidth connection or underpowered PC). The goal in designing the context of a site is to present
an image and experience to the user that is consistent with the companys core values and brand
image.
CONTENT:
Content is defined as all digital subject matter on a web site. The content of the website is contained
in continuously updated databases. The databases serve up the descriptions and photos on the
reputation information available to all users, secure transaction and account information, and
reference information such as help files. Information is literally updated second by second, because
the possibility of a user placing the winning bid on an auction depends on the sites ability to quickly
upload and download information.
Community:
Community is defined as the interaction that occurs between site users. Web sites encourage
interaction by providing chat rooms, multi-user games, email capability, and other user-to-user
communication tools. Community concerns the interaction between users i.e., user-to-user
communication, including a feeling of membership and a sense of involvement. It is divided into
interactive communication and non-interactive communication. Communication between sellers and
bidders is discouraged in auction sites to minimize opportunities for side transactions.
CUSTOMIZATION:
Customization is the ability of a site to be modified to display content, or an assortment of content,
that reflects the preferences of the user. A company can automate the process of customizing a web
site, such as when Amazon.com suggests books based on a users previous purchases or searches. A
user can customize his or her web site by inputting personal data and selecting a set of features or
services to meet his or her preferences. Users can also request that he or she be sent an email alert
when a new product with desired keywords is listed.
COMMUNICATION:
Communication is defined as the dialogue that unfolds between a site and its users. The ease of
communicating with customers via the Internet is both a blessing and a curse for a business. It is a
blessing because the Internet is a very quick and low cost way for customers to communicate directly
with a company, and companies are happy to receive a sales order or a payment online. It is a
limitation because the Internet enables a large number of people to contact a company easily and
often, and a company can be overwhelmed with the task of responding to a flood of contacts.
CONNECTION:
Connection is defined as the extent of formal linkages between the site and other sites. Portal web
sites such as Yahoo.com that provide many connections to other web sites, and indeed they function
as a doorway to online resources. In e - commerce, the provision of links to other Web sites
enriches users navigation experiences because they can find diverse information on the other sites.
Such links can be used to provide timely information.
Analysis:
From the official website of Britannia and ITC Ltd, we are able to ascertain how useful the site is to
the users of their products. We can also compare the 7Cs of the e commerce framework of these
competing companies.
7 Cs
Britannia
COMMERCE
CONTEXT
CONTENT
COMMUNITY
CUSTOMIZATION
COMMUNICATION
CONNECTION
ITC Ltd
Conclusion:
When we compare these two websites with the 7C framework of e commerce, we can clearly see the
differences and also the scope for improvement in each site.
Britannia has made it much easier for the customers to search and attain products of their
choice in a very short span of time. There are also a lot of choices offered to the customers in their
catalogue and it has been laid before their in simple terms for them to view. After selecting the
product of desire, the prospective customers are also given the details of the location of their various
retail stores as well as dealers. The website is also colourful and gives an aesthetic look to the site.
Whereas, ITC have not shown creativity in designing their website and the links are also hard to find.
The site is plain and unattractive. It offers lesser choices when compared to Britannia. The location of
their retailers and dealers are clear and better presented than Britannia.
In both websites, there are connection links which leads the prospective customer to other similar sites
such as Sunfeast, ihealthu.com etc.
Reference:
1. www.britannia.co.in
2. www.itcportal.com
3. https://www.scribd.com/doc/29704487/ITC-Case-Study
4. http://www.icmrindia.org/casestudies/catalogue/Marketing/ITC%20Foods%20Marketing%20
p2.htm