Case study of Chalet Exquis, an online business

Résumé du document

“The range of digital media is vast and is growing rapidly. The internet provides a wide variety of activities, including electronic mail, global information access and retrieval systems, discussion groups, multiplayer's games and file transfer facilities.” (chris fill, fifth edition). “Electronic commerce (e-commerce) refers to the buying and selling of products or services over electronic systems such as the internet and other computer networks. (…) it also includes the entire online process of developing, marketing, selling, delivering, servicing and paying for products and services.” (www.wikepedia.org)

E-commerce is a part of e-business. It's more than only give information about a company; it's sells products or services online. Fletcher, r et al (2004) argues “business press often uses the terms e-business and e-commerce interchangeably” (p.5). Furthermore they submit “e-commerce involves electronically mediated exchanges with customers, while e-business refers to the application of information and communication technologies (it) to processes within the firm, and possibly to transactions with suppliers as well”.

In this assignment the intention is to improve the version of the business that already exists. As a consultant of the case study “vista chalet”, the goal is to apply innovative techniques to achieve competitive advantage. The online travel market is very important. It's increasing every year because more and more people use the internet to purchase.

Business concept and strategy
The previous chapter describes the business concept and the strategies of the website. The concept is a clear explanation of the strategy. The purpose is to gain competitive advantage from the competitor. The concept and strategy have to be coherent with the environment of the company and in order to be profitable and safe.
1. Presentation

“Chalet equips” is a French company, an online business. Its founders are a father and his son (max and Julian). The company was created in 1998. It's an old business and today, “chalet equips” aims priority at family market (b2c web site)
It's a business website that hires out chalets each year during the period November to April. There are four types of chalet and 30 of each type. The 120 chalets are located in eight different ski resorts which are Alps d'hôte, ivories, courchevel, les arcs, la plagne, méribel, tignes, val d'isère.

The website is a portal from which visitors can book their holidays. This business dedicated 100 % to the internet that means that the only shop where the customers would be able to buy is an online shop. The web site of the company plays the main part in the establishment of an emotional relation between the customers and our company.