Online retailer buy.com has launched on
the Australian market with an e-tailing strategy it claims will make it
Australia’s first end-to-end e-commerce, multi-category retail business.
The company will use a three-pronged strategy to win a significant
proportion of the 3.8 million consumers who are set to be shopping online
the end of the year, according to managing director of the Australian
operation Richard Baillie.
“Buy.com’s new-generation real e-tail is not about more bells and
whistles, but about properly addressing the fundamentals of retail, which
are choice competitive pricing, customer service and fulfilment,” said
Baillie.
Baillie said that so far in Australia, no other e-tailers had yet
offered consumers true end-to-end online capabilities from the point of
browsing and customer advice through purchase and order to dispatch,
installation and after sales service.
“In contrast, buy.com is a totally integrated online system at all
points from initial browsing through to dispatch,” he said.
Buy.com Australia is jointly owned by US retail giant buy.com and the
Internet investment vehicle of Softbank and News Corporation, eVentures.
EVentures was established last year by Japanese Internet investor
Softbank, and News’ e-commerce investment fund, epartners.
On the new site, buy.com customers will be able to browse, obtain
reliable product advice and buy 24 hours a day, seven days a week with next
day delivery in most capital cities, Mr Baillie said.
Buy.com prices will be between 10 and 20 per cent below those for the
same goods in the local regional shopping centres, offering a range of
goods including office supplies, communications, electronics and computing
equipment.
The Australian company has developed “chooseware”, an online
recommendation engine that finds products to meet the needs and
criteria specified by customers.
“It is reality time for the virtual retail sector,” Baillie said. “The
sector has to start delivering true choice, price competition and
fulfilment rather than making hollow claims about the demise of
traditional bricks and mortar retail.”
