‘HomeShop18’, India’s leading provider of on-air shopping services, is fast emerging as a leader in the online retail space in India.

A venture of the Network 18 group and GS Home Shopping, Korea (Third largest home shopping company in the World), ‘HomeShop18′  started its 24 hour home shopping shopping channel, ‘HomeShop18’ in 2008 and offered a few brands of Home Appliances, Kitchenware, Mobiles, Cameras, Sports Shoes, Apparel, etc. The company also ventured into the online retail space with its website homeshop18.com.

The original website had a limited number of products and was not the best on all fronts.

I have observed that since early 2012, the site has not only has increased the number of products in its existing product categories  but has also expanded into new and diverse categories like Books, Computers, Office and Stationery Products, Health and Beauty Products, etc. The appearance of the website has also become more attractive and user-friendly.

Helpful ‘Product Demonstrations’ shown on HomeShop18’s round-the-clock TV channel (which airs on DTH platforms, Cable Networks and select TV channels) also provide help to buyers visiting the site in ‘Product Selection’ and ‘Decision Making’.

With new players entering the online retail space every day, new Benchmarks are being set on Product Pricing, Product Quality, Packaging, Delivery and Customer Service. With every online purchase, Customers expect better value for their money and good quality service, which they rightfully deserve.

Homeshop18 is working hard to become the largest player in the online retail space in India by:

• providing ‘Lowest or Competitive Prices’ for most products sold on its website,
• providing ‘Brand, Product, Repeat Order and Festival/Season specific Discounts and Gift Vouchers’ on a regular basis,
• maintaining a ‘Large Catalogue’ of thousands of products across multiple product categories along with millions of titles of books,
• weeding out ‘Inferior Products’,
• adding ‘New Products’ on a regular basis,
• upgrading its website for a ‘Better Customer Experience’,
• providing its Customers ‘Prompt Updates’ of their Orders and Deliveries via SMS and emails,
• providing ‘Better Quality of Product Packaging’ for damage-free delivery,
• improving the ‘Customer Service’ on its 24*7 Call Centre and
• reducing the ‘Delivery Time’ with self-owned and managed warehousing across multiple locations.

In a nutshell, during 2012, homeshop18.com has appreciably improved its services across multiple fronts, is improving its services further and has become a ‘Recommendable Online Shopping Destination’ for select products.

Most Offers across multiple categories on homeshop18.com get better with the ‘Additional Discount/Gift Coupon Codes’ mentioned on the ‘Product Description Pages’.

To receive the Additional Discount,  upon Check-out, DO NOT FORGET to ‘Apply’ the ‘Discount/Gift Coupon Code’ mentioned on the Product Description Page, wherever applicable otherwise you will lose the Additional Discount.

In my opinion, offering a straight forward discount or automatic application of the discount, wherever eligible is a better idea, as the customer may forget to apply the ‘Discount/Gift Coupon Code’ mentioned on the Product Description Page.

I recommend purchase of the following Products from HomeShop18 :

• Books,
• Small Kitchen Appliances, Kitchenware, Cookware, Cutlery, Kitchen Storage Products, etc.
• Entry Level Point and Shoot Cameras
• Camera Accessories like Tripods, Camera Cases and Memory Cards
• Entry Level Mobiles, Select mid-range and high end Mobiles
• USB Flash/Pen Drives, External Hard Disks and PC Peripherals like Webcams, Speakers, Mouse, Keyboards, Printers, etc.
• Entry Level Tablets with ‘1 GHz or Higher Processor, Capacitive Touch, Android 2.3/ICS’ costing between Rs.5000/- to Rs.7,000/-.  (For multiple reasons, I am of the opinion that the entry level Tablets available on the market today, do not offer good Performance or a good Display and a long Battery. Most of these Tablets are not good value-for-money products. Good after-sales-service, specially post-warranty service and availability of spares for these Tablets should not be expected. Most of these Tablets would actually end-up as use and throw gadgets like the cheap unbranded Chinese ‘Touch and Dual SIM’ mobile phones available a few years ago.)
• Select Audio Accessories like Panasonic Headphones and Cables
• Select Health Care Products from Omron and Citizen
• Pens, Stationery and Office Supplies

HomeShop18 needs to further upgrade its site by adding more ‘Product Selection Filters’ and ‘Product Comparison Options’ for Consumer Electronics, Computers, Laptops, Mobiles, Cameras and Tablets. Multiple Product Filters and Comparison Tables of Product Features and Specifications help buyers in Product Selection and fast Decision Making. These tools would also lead to more sales for HomeShop18.

For hassle-free purchase of items like Apparel, the site should also offer Fit Guides/ Size Selection Guides and ‘Product Selection Filters’ on Colors, Size, Type, etc.

Few Customers write reviews of the products purchased from homeshop18.com. HomeShop18.com should encourage their customers to write ‘reviews’ about the products purchased and their overall ‘purchase experience’. This would not only help other Buyers but also homeshop18.com in improving its services.

Happy Shopping!