MA 4201 CASE: ECOMMERCE FOR SUPERMARKET Case Questions 1. What are the needs that have been identified? - The needs that have been identified are the following: Matt argues that the supermarket needs to increase its internet presence to obtain more awareness. He also feels that the idea should allow local residents to purchase food from them via the internet. As a result, in order for clients to examine and purchase food through the internet, the website must link with inventory supply systems. Grace has also identified a requirement that is unrelated to the project but is important since it affects its viability. Because the parking lot will need to be paved next summer, there may not be enough money in the budget to develop this website. 2. What is the project objective? - The project objective is to boost grocery earnings by establishing a website that improves the store's accessibility and recognition among the town's senior and collegeaged residents. These are the two main target markets that Matt and Grace selected throughout their talk. Matt feels that the website will assist them in reaching out to these target markets. As previously stated, the project's goal is to link the inventory system with an e-commerce gateway so that customers may order food directly from the website. This may necessitate the implementation of a new inventory system if one is not already in place. 3. What are some things Matt and Grace should do before they talk with the consultant? - Matt and Grace need to get better prepared before speaking with the consultant. Matt has clearly not considered all of the expenses and benefits of developing a website, as well as any other potential side effects or challenges. Grace raises some excellent points that should be carefully considered before bringing in a consultant. Matt and Grace need to figure out what the website's purpose is. They must determine whether the website will include an e-commerce area or simply provide information. They should also try to figure out what features they want on the website. It's also crucial to know how much money they're willing to spend on a website. Establishing all of this in advance will assist them in planning and thoughtfully considering the business's needs. 4. What should the consultant tell Matt and Grace? - Based on what Matt and Grace have been discussing, I believe the consultant should inform them that, depending on the features and functionality, a website can be somewhat costly. If the store only wants to construct an informational website with store hours, photos, and phone numbers, the consultant should assure them that this is possible and that they can assist them in establishing an online presence in the neighborhood. However, a fully functional e-commerce component would almost certainly necessitate not only a significant amount of website code and hard labor but also the digitization of their entire inventory system, which would be highly costly. Such an investment could take years to pay off for such a modest store in such a small community. A wise consultant would probably advise them not to follow such a course of action.
