HOW TO LAUNCH AN E-COMMERCE ONLINE BOOKING OF HOTELS, MOTELS, HALLS FOR WEDDING AND ALL KINDS OF PARTIES IN PAKISTAN?
The outlook of e-commerce in Pakistan is positive with its growing economy, technology and supportive policies and regulations for e-commerce. But how one launches an e-commerce booking in this country requires a little bit of knowledge and skills to navigate the world of e-business.
Analyze the Market. Analyzing the market is the first step and the very basic and most essential requirement for any type of businesses wanting to establish its foothold in the long-term. Analysis of the market includes, consumer behavior, and trends in the demand and supply of the services to be offered. The supply and demand trend is further dictated by culture, social trends and tourism season.
Draft a Business Plan. The market analysis facilitates the formulation of a successful business plan that can withstand the peaks and valleys of the business. The business plan also includes what hotels, motels and halls to include in the service and how to contact or recruit them into your e-commerce online booking. A business/memorandum of agreement will also be made between your company and the participating establishments. The business plan includes how to attract customers and how to keep them. It also includes the business strategy, operational strategy and financial plan, among others.
Check and Abide By Governmental Policies. Check with your local and national regulatory policies any requirements for setting up a legitimate e-commerce online business. Check also if there are government regulations and laws pertaining to e-commerce business. Now that your papers are ready, we turn to the technical stuff.
Choose a Hosting Service. You need a web hosting service. Find a hosting service that is compatible with the technical requirements of your e-commerce online booking service. Make sure that the hosting service has the capabilities that are in line with what you want and need in your website, such as an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) and a shopping cart of sorts. Shopping cart is important for potential clients to select and place their order.
Write an Online Private Policy. This is very important. E-commerce is built on absolute trust. Without trust your business will fail. A private policy is necessary to establish trust and most importantly build ones credibility through honesty and transparency. The private policy includes the statement of what you collect from your clients: such as email address , IP and physical address, contact information and bank or credit card information and whether you save or share or sell their information to others. If there are third-party services, state that they will use the information that they provided in order to place their booking order. If the third party will save their information, tell them how it will be used. Tell your users or clients what you will do with their information and credit card information after their booking is processed. Use of cookies should also be declared in your policy. Cite also how the customers are protected from hackers. Put a business or contact information on your policy such as email, physical address and or phone number. Most importantly write your private policy with a legal counsel.
Make a List of the Technical Requirements of An E-Booking Service. The technical requirements include an online booking software, SSL (Secure Socket Layer), internet merchant account payment system and shopping cart. Choose an online booking software that is compatible with the technical needs of your website. There are a number offering on the website. The SSL or Secure Socket Layer encryption is important because it protects sensitive information that are entered by the customers during the online transaction. SSL can be shared with your hosting company if they have, or you can pay annually at 0 to 0 dollars. Some web hosting package includes an internet merchant account capability. There are a variety of them and you need to choose one that is suited for your business. Make sure to also check their terms of service and fees.
Make Sure Your Online Booking Service Is Efficient. In other words, make sure there is no unnecessary glitch in the service. This means that you got to have an efficient web host and server, as discussed above, that can manage a great number of orders very efficiently.
Provide Option. Some customers do not feel secure by giving their personal and bank information online. Give an option for customers who are more comfortable to place an order over the phone.
Advertising. Finally, allocate a budget for marketing. Advertise your e-commerce website in social networks, other websites and through conventional marketing efforts like pamphlets and banners. Good luck!
REFERENCES
All Business, n.d. E-Commerce 101: How to Start Selling Online. [online] Available at: < http://www.allbusiness.com/sales/internet-e-commerce/2637-1.html> [Accessed 19 May 2011].
All Business, n.d. What a Business Website Private Policy Covers. [online] Available at:< http://www.allbusiness.com/legal/contracts-agreements-internet-legal/2639-1.html> [Accessed 19 May 2011].
Callihan, JR. How to Start and E-commerce Business. [online] Available at:< http://www.buzzle.com/articles/how-to-start-an-e-commerce-business.html> [Accessed 19 May 2011].
Ropelato, n.d. What is Needed to Start an E-commerce. [online] Available at:< http://shopping-cart-review.toptenreviews.com/what-do-i-need-article.html> [Accessed 19 May 2011].
Thompson, T., n.d. What is a Merchant Account. [online] Available at: < http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-merchant-account.htm> [Accessed 19 May 2011].
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