Tesco Direct

Tesco direct is the online shopping service set up by Supermarket Giants Tesco- it was first available to the public via an offline download service from 1998-2005 however as broadband was now widely available they created Tesco Direct on the Net. Due to Tesco's 300 local stores all around the country, it's delivery services are able to serve 98% of the country and is currently the world's largest on line grocery delivery service.


The main site, Tesco.com, is solely dedicated to providing groceries and general day-to-day shopping that may be needed by members of the public. There are thousands of food produces to choose from, and also other home furnishings. There is a link at the side of the page that directs the user to Tesco Direct; the partner site that is compatible with the Tesco catalogue that is distributed to local houses and in-store. The Tesco Direct store is more focused on electrical items and does not sell groceries; it is more entertainment based. The items on the website are then split into twelve main categories depending on what genre they fit in to, this makes finding the item you need easier. The orders are depending on how many items can be found in each section; PC Photo & Gaming has the most products and therefore features first in the list. Clicking on these sections opens up a whole inventory of items that can purchased on the site; often at a reduced price than what can be found in store- also double Clubcard points are often offered to on line customers as an incentive to use the Net based facility. Clubcards can be held by frequent shoppers at both Tesco instore and Tesco Online; every time you make purchases points are added to your account; accumulating points allows you to transfer them for vouchers to be spent in many stores, restaurants and airlines nationally.


When you are viewing the list of iPods for example, you have to option to change in which order you view them- for example by price or title. The price option is especially handy to those who may be shopping in a price range and can't afford the more pricier versions of a product. To expand on this point, there is also a feature on the side that allows you to select your price range so nothing that is more expensive than your selected top price is shown. Also, you can read reviews that have been left by other buyers; this may influence your purchase as you would not wish to buy something that has been faulty or not worth the price tag. Reviewers also score the product on a series of tests which varies for each product that is reviewed; for iPod features such as battery life and sound quality are evaluated and the average results are posted on the website.


Tesco also relies on their customers opinions and constructive criticism to enhance their site and to make it more suited to the people that use it most. At the top of the page there is a link that says 'Rate This Page'; clicking on this causes a short quiz to appear. Customers are here able to rate things about the site such as content, design and ease of use- they can also add their own personal comments to make sure their opinion is heard. Getting reliable feedback from the customers allows Tesco to improve their features based on the demands of the public, making it more user friendly and popular.

When the goods are purchased by the buyer can either collect them in store for free or choose the option of door to door delivery. The cost of delivery varies from £5.00 (small package next day delivery) to £19.50 (large kitchen appliance purchase under £200, pre-selected delivery time). Next to the prices list is a comparison to Tesco Direct's main competitors Argos; all the prices are reduced which would be a selling point of the company- they're cheaper than the other main brand. 

Advantages:

• You can save a lot of money though offers that are often only available for online customers
• If you have a reward card, you can get double the amounts of points for buying online
• Organised and sorted in terms of price so you can see all the items in your price range
• Saves you having to go all the way to the store to purchase items
• Can be fitted in to a busy daily schedule

Disadvantages:

• It takes days for delivery to occur; it would be more practical to go out and purchase the item so you can take it home with you
• Doesn't necessarily save you money; added card handling fees and delivery costs could rack up your price

News Stories:


Tesco is trialling the UKs first Drive Through store
http://topnews.net.nz/content/27562-uk-s-first-drive-thru-store-be-opened-baldock


Tesco has designed an iPhone app that allows you to do your weekly grocery shopping and send it off to be ordered
http://topnews.net.nz/content/27562-uk-s-first-drive-thru-store-be-opened-baldock