Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Online Real Estate Services
Cyberhomes, FHA Anonymous, Loanexa, Realtor.com, Redfin, Terabitz, Trulia, and Zillow
are just a few of the hundreds of Web sites that offer interesting services for those looking to
buy a home. Many of the sites offer the capability to search the U.S. for homes based on
geographic location, price range, number of bedrooms or bathrooms, and special features
such as a pool or hot tub.
Online real estate service Zillow has set up a large number of Web sites based on specific
communities and enables users to exchange data such as demographics and the crime rate in
neighborhoods. This is data that for various legal and ethical reasons, real estate agents can't
freely discuss.
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Redfin is an online real estate company that provides both online real estate search
capabilities and access to live agents. The firm employs its agents so it can better manage
customer service—unlike traditional real estate firms that license their names to independent
agents. Redfin pays bonuses to agents when they receive high customer satisfaction ratings.
It claims to reimburse home buyers roughly two-thirds of their real estate fees immediately
upon closing, thus reducing the purchase price by many thousands of dollars.
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From the customer's viewpoint, an important service is the ability to receive competitive
quotes from lenders without giving out personally identifying information that makes them
a target of aggressive loan officers. Consumers can anonymously request loan quotes through
several Web sites including FHA Anonymous, Loanexa, and Zillow.
E-Boutiques
An increasing number of Web sites offer personalized shopping consultations for shoppers
interested in upscale, contemporary clothing—dresses, sportswear, denim, handbags, jewelry,
shoes, and gifts. Key to the success of Web sites such as ShopLaTiDa is a philosophy of high
customer service and strong, personal client relationships. Online boutique shoppers com-
plete a personal shopping profile by answering questions about body measurements, profes-
sion, interests, preferred designers, and areas of shopping where they would welcome
best and where they can be found—online or in brick-and-mortar shops.
Auctions
eBay has become synonymous with online auctions for both private sellers and small com-
panies. Other popular online auction Web sites include Craigslist, uBid, Auctions, Onsale,
WeBidz, and many others. The most frequent complaints about online auctions are increases
in fees and problems with unscrupulous buyers. As mentioned in Chapter 7, auction sites
are used by criminals to unload stolen, diverted, and counterfeit products. Law enforcement
organizations regularly monitor such Web sites to capture criminals and recover stolen goods.
Another frequent problem with online auctions is inaccurate or incomplete representation
of the item for sale. Descriptions may omit important aspects or photos may not be clear
enough to show the item's features.
There are two common types of online auctions. In an English auction, the initial price
starts low and is bid up by successive bidders. In a reverse auction, sellers compete to obtain
business by submitting successively lower prices for their goods or services. Reverse auctions
are frequently used in B2B procurement.
Blair Corporation is a multichannel direct marketer of fashions for men, women, and
homes. The firm worked with eDynaQuote to conduct its first reverse auction and ensure
broad supplier participation. Blair achieved significant cost savings on its first reverse auction
for $1 million in packaging supplies.
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Anywhere, Anytime Applications of Mobile Commerce
Because m-commerce devices usually have a single user, they are ideal for accessing
personal information and receiving targeted messages for a particular consumer. Through
m-commerce, companies can reach individual consumers to establish one-to-one marketing
relationships and communicate whenever it is convenient—in short, anytime and anywhere.
Following are just a few examples of potential m-commerce applications:
