E-commerce and Travel
How E-commerce helped in my travel plans & arrangements
We 90s kids have straddled the technology timeline. On the one hand we have seen and used all things manual/physical, while on the other we have seen the tech boom – advent and advancement of mobiles, computers and last but not the least: E-commerce.
Why E-commerce?
Once upon a times, we stood in lines for everything – from groceries to tickets to clothes. With the arrival of technology, everything is at our fingertips. Convenience is our utmost requirement in our busy, work-filled lives and that is where E-commerce comes in.
Innumerable products and services brought to our doorstep by a few simple clicks on our tiny phone/computer screens. In the area of travel as well, E-commerce has helped immensely.
Read on to see how I use technology to make my travel plans and arrangements easier.
When do I not use E-commerce?! it is inbuilt in almost all aspects of my travels. Gone
are the days of toil, when we stood in line at the crack of dawn to book train tickets and then
too wasn’t guaranteed reservations on our chosen train. Rushing to shops to purchase all
travel accessories and necessities is also of days bygone.
How has E-commerce helped me?
Here are all e-commerce platforms I use.
First step - booking train/flight/bus tickets:
Online! Various platforms area available and we can choose and compare prices/availability before buying tickets.
Sites I use: MakeMyTrip, Yatra, RedBus, IRCTC.
Second step - hotel reservations:
Online! Again, various sites allow us to search for desirable properties to stay at during our vacation. We can select based on required criteria like nearness to airport/city centre, good area, budget/cheap etc.
Sites I use: MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Booking.com
Next steps - Travel goods:
Online! Be it luggage or clothes gadgets or medicines, anything we need for traveling purposes, we can and do buy online.
Sites I use: Amazon (it is my to-go site!), Myntra, NetMeds, etc.
Special mention:
Even though these aren’t E-commerce sites, these are app/sites which have made life so much simpler.
Google – for all research during a trip planning.
Google Maps – I would literally be lost without it, this is my one true friend in navigation and looking up bus/train timings, restaurants etc.
Zomato: For selection of restaurants or dhabas I aim to have my meals in.
which one?
I trust E-commerce sites based on:
- Their reputation – achieved through reviews.
- Range of products / services.
- Customer service
- Transparency of return policy.
Thus are chosen the above-mentioned sites.
While some things are best done offline, there is no denying that E-commerce has made
life simpler and has let us conserve our valuable time and energy. E-commerce is here to stay!
Do let me know how E-commerce has helped you and which ones are invaluable to
you.
This post was written for Blogchatter’s Featured Campaign #ECommerceBuildsEconomy.
