Online shopping is all the rage these days and TCS has decided to give it a go by launching TCS Connect, to take your online shopping experience to next level.
TCS Connect is an online shopping portal that has a wide variety of products with different payment options and delivery all over Pakistan.
TCS has been a trusted name in logistics and supply chain industry of Pakistan for well over two decades and this is a clever move on their part since quite a few people are still hesitant about buying expensive stuff online (yes I’m talking about our parent’s generation).
TCS Connect will sure help the hesitance go away from those minds that were earlier reluctant to buy goods from online stores. Their country wide delivery network will flare up the ease by simplifying the online shopping process and experience.
Talking about the layout and design of the website, it is functional and easy on the eyes. The shop offers an extensive catalogue for the buyer with categories including mobiles, lifestyle and books with other categories to be populated soon.
Of course with a new launch you need some incentive for the potential buyer to choose you instead of the competition and TCS does that by offering deals on selected products that include a redeem on next purchase, free insurance for a selected period, a percentage value of product cash back and free delivery all over Pakistan.
TCS claims that the products on sale are authentic and come from official suppliers and manufacturers themselves. In this scenario, prices below the market level aren’t really possible since all TCS is doing is validating the identity of the official vendors.
TCS Connect provides extensive payment options with credit card payment, cash collection at banks, Netbanking and EasyPaisa/Omni being available. You don’t have to be online to buy anything as well. You can get information about offline orders from the Call Center or any TCS Express Center.
Currently TCS Connect only ships within Pakistan but orders can be placed from anywhere in the world. Orders can be tracked online so you can know exactly when you’ll get the product instead of vague estimates.
All in all it’s a good venture by TCS though they are a little bit late to the party since many shops have already built up solid reputation and are trusted by consumers. However I do not think it is a project doomed to the waste bin simply because of the brand recognition TCS has.
I don’t see it challenging other online shops for market share but it definitely has potential to grow and it wouldn’t be surprising to see it evolve into more of a gift shop backed by authentic products and on time delivery in future even if its performance as a pure e-marketplace isn’t stellar.
Just to conclude here, we know from people close to TCS that they are working on payment processing gateway as well. This is in addition to mobile banking solution that TCS is working on. Hence payments through their own branchless banking will be an option too, just in few months.
Here are the links to TCS Connect:
- http://tcsconnect.com/
- https://www.facebook.com/TCSconnect
- https://twitter.com/#!/tcs_connect/
nice step
You are too late for sharing this information.
Yes They are :)
i checked it last week
This Is nice move.They have a established brand name and its time to cash it.
Overpriced stuff. So practically useless!
The key factor in the online model of retailing was reduced cost. By saving on the lack of brick and mortar presence, retailers could offer products at lower costs.
In Pakistan, it seems that retailers have taken to the online channel without any differentiation. Exploitation in the name of being first makes no sense. Even offering convenience cannot substitute the thousands extra being charged for a product.
TCS has products that one could buy from the market at lower prices. And that includes brand-new with warranty. And even that warranty rarely gets needed in these high-end sets as it would be at least a year before it conks off. And the warranty then is useless.
Pretty good website but apart from some hesitant customers who are reluctant to buy from other websites they will find it difficult to attract a larger number of customers.
The products are pretty expensive on the website and they are easily available on other websites and in market too for much cheaper rate. Why would I pay extra to buy from TCS.
Online shopping is about reduced cost due to no overhead costs. In Pakistan it is about charging 15% more than market rates.
too expensive…no one will buy from them
TCS SMS and email tracing services never worked. Checking since last 6 years.
Insurance !
Bad website design. A button to “Load More Products”? Aw, come on!
The trend of online shopping was set in Pakistan, 6 years back, TCS is too late, SYMBIOS was the pioneer in e-commerce industry in Pakisatn, till now they are working good, have all the brands, they have originals and replica too, they are facilitating all the customers, either low class medium or high class, on other hand TCS is only for the people who are rich, TCS is also selling products on very high prices and repeatedly saying that they have original products with original warranty and vendors, its been 2 months i dun understand if they are getting it from original vendors and selling product on such high prices, than what other online shops are doing ? even SYMBIOS is selling their products with original warranty with 7days replacement warranty too, keep online shops aside, i dun understand if TCS connect is saying that they are getting the products backed by original warranty by suppliers and they are offering the same price which they are offering than, what our conventional sellers are doing to reduce their price , i am sure that they are too geting the product from original supplier with original warranty than why they are selling products on low prices ? is TCS CONNECT MAKING US FOOL ? please explain.
Aah totally symbios paid review. You analysed only 2 online shopping sites, You did’t include other shopping malls that have great prices as compare to symbios and TCS. I agree symbio’s is first one who started selling Replica and well known as Replica seller. When i saw your product even the original one i totally confused with it as you are the pioneer of Replica seller not the original brands. Your own prices are inflated of Replica products.
Not the best launch as to what you would expect from a company as big as TCS. Website usability carries many question marks. Prices are inflated. TCS might be the best in its own game but its website, product assortment, and pricing clearly shows that TCS has no idea about retailing. This project may prove to be a big disaster for the company unless there is a major shift in TCS Connect’s strategy.
TCS Connect may alienate e-tailers who are using TCS’s logistic network for their delivery and cash collection. This may give the opportunity to competitors like OCS to launch competing services for e-tailers such as cash collection on delivery. I think developing a payment gateway for e-tailer might be a better strategic option for TCS than getting their hands dirty in tough retailing business.
You are too late for sharing this information..
A bit late to reply but in response to Humair i would say that the difference is that TCS prices are higher because they retail in association with official suppliers.
Official suppliers mean that these products are brought into the country legally and after paying the govt taxes and customs duties on import.
Others are more or less khepia or contact based so they avoid all the duties that otherwise add into cost.
Online shopping in Pakistan is now become a trendy fashion
I want to sell products on line and to deliver the products through TCS and receive payments in the time of delivery. But I don’t know how to do this. will you please guide me? and useful link will be appreciated so much
Since it’s been 5 years now but e-commerce [online shopping] market still has to much space for new comers.