Module 3, Section 2.6 Exercise - Looking at richness and reach

Choose one of the suggested sites and examine in detail how it adds richness and reach compared with a traditional alternative. You should seek to answer the following questions:

1. Does the online site reach audiences which could not have been reached before? Think of an example of one of these.
2. Identify two functions the website offers which add richness compared with a traditional shop or service.
3. Can you think of a way in which further richness could be added?

I have chosen to look at Amazon.co.uk.

It is hard to say whether this online site reaches audences which could not have been reached before as it sells a broad range of products, from books, cds and DVDs, to electrical goods and kitchenware, all of which are readily available in high street stores. The audience which could not have been reached before might be the housebound pensioner looking to buy a gift to be sent via post to a relative, or the out-of-town customer wanting to buy a range of products in one go without travelling to the nearest town or city.

Amazon offers added richness to the service offered in traditional shops in several ways. As well as merely listing products the site also carries both professionally written and peer-written reviews, allowing the potential customer to make an informed decision about their purchase. The site also allows the customer to create an account and to express their likes and dislikes in order to receive a tailored list of recommendations and regular emails about their subjects of choice.

Further richness could be added through allowing the customer to read snippets of the books which are for sale, although this method has already been adopted in the case of music CDs whereby short bursts of the songs can be listened to prior to adding the product to the virtual shopping basket.

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Last updated on Friday, 31-Oct-2003 09:48:28 GMT