Requirements of this mini research project
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the quality of a transaction broker, e-commerce model, as part of the subject guide requirements. Based on the information provided by the website, we would be able to rate its purposefulness, reliability and security. What broad criterion do we use to evaluate them? Zuji.com will be the website used for this project.


What is e-commerce?

E-commerce is the part of the e-business that deals with the purchase and sale of goods and services over the Internet. It also includes activities that support market transactions like advertising, marketing, customer support, security and payment.


What is a transaction broker?
It’s an agent that acts as an intermediary in a sale or other business transactions between two parties. The broker neither possesses the goods sold nor receives the goods that are obtained; brokers take no market risks and transfer no title to goods or to anything else. A broker earns a commission, when the contract of sale has been made, regardless of whether the contract is satisfactorily executed. The broker is paid by the party that started the negotiation.
Research Report on ZUJI

ZUJI is a B2B & B2C transaction brokering e-Commerce. It is an online travel agent dedicated to bringing great value travel deals to consumers in Asia Pacific. ZUJI facilitates search for potential consumers & consumers as it offers affordable holiday packages at great rates online. Businesses can also advertise on ZUJI as it has a global network offers local, regional and global online distribution options, reaching millions of travellers, who view around 60 million site pages a month. ZUJI has a network of online travel sites in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, India, Korea and Singapore.


Features & Design

Its website provides the following key functional online services: hotel room reservations, airline bookings, packages, car hire, travel insurance, advertisements for businesses and secured payment systems.




Hotel room reservations: ZUJI offers choices of up to 60,000 hotels, from low cost to luxury accommodations

Airline bookings: ZUJI offers choices of more than 400 airlines, from national carriers to Budget Airlines

Packages: Much money can be saved as a variety of holiday packages are provided to meet the customer’s budget.

Car hire: Thousands of car hire services are available through ZUJI at the desired destinations

Travel insurance: Different types of travel insurance schemes to choose from at ZUJI such as insurance schemes:

1) Single trip: A complete coverage from the start of the policy purchase to the date that the policy holder returns home from the trip.
2) For medical coverage only: To cover against accidental injury or illness while travelling
3) Cancellation cover only: For costs relating to a cancelled trip
4) Comprehensive annual multi-trip: An annual coverage providing high levels of wide-ranging benefits for the frequent traveller

Advertisements by businesses: Businesses can advertise their promotions on ZUJI as it has a large world wide network that offers local, regional and global online distribution options, reaching millions of consumers, who view around 60 million site pages a month

Secured Payment systems: Trusted Online Payment systems are used at ZUJI such as VeriSign’s Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) soft ware to help with encryption, authentication & verification of payments


The strengths of ZUJI.com

1) ZUJI.com has been voted the best online Travel Agent Award from 2005-2008
2) Description of the available travel deals & destinations
3) User friendly as there are FAQs to guide you through the website such as,
“How do I book a hotel?”



4) Various themed holiday packages to choose & create, from Family themed vacations to Romantic ones
5) Advice is given before & once you’ve booked your holidays
6) Trusted as it uses soft wares from VeriSign & TRUSTe.
VeriSign is a trusted provider of Internet infrastructure services for the networked world, such as soft wares like Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), identity and authentication, and domain name services. This allows companies and consumers all over the world to engage in trusted communications and e-commerce.
TRUSTe provides online privacy softwares to consumers, companies & SMEs. This has enabled businesses to strive for the highest online privacy standards and customer satisfaction.
7) Links to the latest information on alert travels around the world given
8) ZUJI offers the option of having eco-friendly travel choices. ZUJI has compiled a list of hotels that are advocates of environmental-friendly practices, such as those that have been certified by global and national 'green hotel' certifiers, as well as highlighting some hotels taking steps to become greener by:
• maximising tourism’s social and economic benefits to local communities;
• reducing harm to local environments;
• planning for sustainability.

In the Asia Pacific some examples of these hotels are:

Chiang Rai, Thailand
Anantara Golden Triangle Resort & Spa

Delhi, India
Lemon Tree Hotel East Delhi Mall

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Fairmont Dubai

Mumbai, India
Orchid, An Ecotel Hotel

Osaka, Japan
Hotel New Otani Osaka

Siem Reap, Cambodia
Angkor Palace Resort Spa
Raffles Grand Hotel D Angkor

Singapore, Singapore
Fairmont Singapore, Singapore
Raffles Hotel

Tokyo, Japan
Hotel New Otani Tokyo
Chisun Grand Akasaka


The weaknesses of ZUJI.com

1) ZUJI promises up to 400 airlines available for bookings but you see only about 20 airlines being prominently displayed such as Singapore Airlines (SIA), Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Garuda Airways, Thai Airways, and Air France etc.
2) Budget airline information almost invisible
3) Poor display of information: Firstly, small font size used in the website makes viewing difficult. Secondly, light colours such as light blue used for some of the words would aggravate the viewing situation.

Security
1) ZUJI has implemented the appropriate technology and security features to safeguard the privacy of the customers’ personal information. A secure server protects their personal information. Customers can be assured as any information provided to ZUJI is transmitted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption
2) Internal procedures are in place requiring ZUJI’s employees and data processors to respect the confidentiality of any personal information held by ZUJI
3) Customers’ personal information is stored on secure servers that are protected in controlled facilities
4) ZUJI may use overseas facilities to process or back up its information
5) ZUJI’s secure server software encrypts all of personal information, including credit card information. The process of encryption converts the information into bits of code that are securely transmitted over the Internet. This scrambled data cannot be read as the information travels over the Internet
6) Once encrypted personal information is received by their secure server, it is translated back into its original form and stored in our off-line database. Credit card information is also encrypted for transmission over the Internet
7) ZUJI takes the responsibility of protecting their customers' credit card information very seriously. In addition to implementing highly secure online protection methods, ZUJI also has a dedicated risk-management team who regularly and randomly counter-check credit card purchases made on ZUJI to ensure their authenticity, and verify that credit cards have not been used for making unauthorised purchases. At times, phone contact is made with ZUJI customers as part of this process.

Privacy
ZUJI is committed to protecting privacy in accordance with the highest consumer protection standards.
1) Once customers agree that if they disclose their personal information to ZUJI, ZUJI may create a database record about you;
2) If customers register on ZUJI website, download any materials or conduct any other transaction, customers agree for ZUJI to collect information necessary to provide service requested, and agree that this information may be disclosed to service partners
3) Continued usage of the ZUJI website indicates customer’s agreement with any future changes in this ZUJI Privacy Policy.
4) Customers have control over their information through the Opt In and Opt Out Policy and Accessing information and retention of information

Problems
The limitations of Technology
Unfortunately, despite the sophisticated technology and security features, no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.
There is no such thing as sufficient privacy
ZUJI may use overseas facilities to process or back up its information. As a result, they may transfer and store customers’ personal information to their overseas facilities.

Conclusion
Although ZUJI.com is a good example of a e-transaction broker it has some weaknesses too. In the globalised world, technology is a double-edged sword. It can help or hinder the success of organisations. But, if organisations position their enterprises to make most of the opportunities of globalisation, they will do better than those which do not.