A Comparative Study on Factors Shaping Buying Behaviour on B2B and B2C E-Commerce Platforms in India

The retail landscape in India has undergone a stark metamorphosis over the years. Traditional “Brick and Mortar” style retailing is facing staunch competition from the rapid emergence of e-commerce platforms. Having aligned themselves to ever evolving consumer sensibilities, these robust platforms are revolutionizing the Indian retail industry like never before. Our research revealed that while the ease/method of payment and a value driven return policy take precedence in B2C markets, various bulk purchase options are given due importance in B2B e-commerce markets. Moreover, on-time delivery is a common critical factor/parameter common to both markets. In a nutshell, e-commerce appears to be the future with regards to both B2B and B2C markets. However, the onus is on the e-commerce platforms to offer a holistic retail experience whilst carving a niche for themselves in an increasingly cluttered market. Keywords: Brick and Mortar, Competition, Consumer Sensibilities, e-commerce, India, Retai

The Dreams A-Lite Project: USD 1000 Homes: An Insight into a Proposed Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) Township to Address the Problem of Affordable Housing for the Urban Poor in India

The provision of low cost housing to greater sections of the needy populace has been an issue of immense magnitude that policy formulators the world over have continued to grapple with. Over time, the problem has only amplified, thereby enhancing the pressing need for immediate intervention through innovative and sustainable solutions. Globally, and especially in emerging markets this gargantuan problem has reached epic proportions with over 320 million people bereft of access to basic housing. Woven around the thread of social innovation and entrepreneurship, this project is an in depth research study aimed at ultimately creating affordable housing solutions for the urban poor populace at large.  The endeavour of this research is to ascertain the response and purported feasibility of a proposed Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP) Township, named Dreams A-Lite, to be constructed on the outskirts of the metropolitan city of Mumbai, India. Based upon the favourable findings of the research, the essence was to develop a self-sustaining, scalable and globally implementable business model that would eventually create Rs. 60,000 (USD 1,000) homes for 10 million people over the next 10 years. The Township outside Mumbai would serve as the prototype and launching pad for future projects across the country first and then even abroad. The research takes into cognizance the monthly incomes, number of earning family members, size of present dwellings and consumption choices and trends of sections of the urban poor living in Mumbai through a questionnaire based survey. Furthermore, in depth interviews and surveys on retailers and other companies who would be interested in establishing a foothold in the proposed township through the purchase of commercial and media space was also undertaken. Based on the research results, the proposed model assumes a self-sustaining hue on the back of the captive consumptive potential of the potential residents. Key Words: Affordable, Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP), Business Model, India, Low Cost Housing, Self-sustaining, Social Innovation, Township, Urban Poo