2. As the consultant hired by Vista, what other ideas can you suggest for changing management and staff behaviour at Vista that will improve the value, convenience or experience of its customers? Online shopping is not a new phenomenon.

Its beginnings go back to 1979 when an innovator in the UK’s computer and electronics industry, Michael Aldrich, created the first transactional processing system, using a telephone line to connect a modified television and a computer. While the Internet became commercialized in 1991, it did not see its first secure retail transaction until 1994. A year later, the companies which now symbolize retail on the Web – eBay and Amazon – were launched. With these developments, E-commerce was well on its way to changing the retail landscape.

The online experience offered more than just increased convenience with the ability to shop from a person’s home with no travel or waiting in lines required. It has changed how people shop by providing access to a wider variety of merchandise and making it easier to obtain information and customer feedback about those products. Technology has enabled shoppers to make customized, repeated orders, while online retailers use targeted promotions and personalized suggestions, based on a customer’s purchase and browsing history, to encourage further purchases. Customers now demand that same effortless, efficient experience and range of choice from a physical store, putting pressure on traditional retailers to become more innovative and responsive while they also struggle with high real estate costs.