RuralBazar implements a number of features as services to its different users. The features are classified below according to the services provided to the users:

Services to the Customer

Product Catalog Services

• Online browsing of the catalog The product catalog can be browsed online by the customer allowing  selection of products for placing order
• Comprehensive Search Facility RuralBazar offers a comprehensive search facility that helps a customer in locating products of his choice quickly and easily. The kind of refinements that may be specified by the user includes: Search by Product Id If the customer knows the product id, then he can locate the product directly using this facility rather than drilling down the hierarchy of product families. Any text that the customer feels relevant to a particular product may be specified and all product families and products that satisfy the query are presented to the user.

• Search in a Product Family The customer can reduce the search by specifying the product family in which to search Search within a specified price range If the user is interesteed in locating products within a price range, then the same may be specified. The above three searches can be combined together to further reduce the scope of search. Besides the above search options, which are available by default, there are other options that are enabled depending on how the site has been configured. These include:

• Search by State This is enabled if the site has been configured to sell products produced by more than one state. The user can narrow down the search to products belonging to a particular state.

• Search by District This is enabled if the site has been configured to sell products produced by more than one district

• Store Locator Lists the addresses of shops that sell the products in a specified city

Order Services

• Automatic Order Confirmation

• Online Through e-mail As soon as a valid order is placed by a customer with the site (with full payment details), an automatic mail confirming the order is sent to the customer (provided ofcourse the customer has supplied his e-mail address).

The status of the order may be tracked online. This facility is, however, available only for registered users.

• Offline If desired by the user (through preferences), the customer may be updated through e-mail as and when the order status changes.

• Online through credit/debit cards Once the validity of card details are ensured, the order is accepted. Effective implementation of online payment, however, requires that the following be implemented:

• A Digital Certificate obtained for the site so that the payment details furnished by the user are secured over the network. Such security will also enhance the confidence that the cutomer has placed on the site.
• A bank account be created with an acquiring/merchant bank where all earnings made through RuralBazar are credited.

• Offline through Demand Draft/Postal Order RuralBazar accepts offline payment in the form of Demand Draft or Postal Order. In this case, the order is not confirmed till the specified Demand Draft or Postal Order is not obtained from the customer.

Specialised Services for Registered Users

• Registered customers can set their preferences and thus avail of a number of specialised services offered by RuralBazar. Registered customers can specify:
  • Their most favourite product family If they wish their favourite product family to be made their default product catalog
  •  If they wish to be updated on all new products or only on products belonging to their favourite product family
  •  If they wish to be updated through e-mail about their order status
  • If they wish to be updated through e-mail about new events, exhibitions, bazars etc. related to products of their choice
  •  If they wish to be updated through e-mail about discount campaigns
    •  (a) on all products or
    •  (b) only on products belonging to the favourite product family

Help

• Online Help is available at all stages of buying thus enriching the customer’s interaction with the site. The FAQs provide quick answers to frequently asked questions
• Offline The customer can get more focused help through telephone, fax, email or post through the contacts mentioned in the Contact Us.

Services to the Rural Poor

• Automatically generates letter or e-mail (whichever is desired by the producer) intimating the producer of any new orders placed for his products
• Displays order details on the web
• Simple demand analysis reports for different products are made available on the web as well as through e-mail or post

Services to the Business Manager

• Generates a number of pre-defined textual and graphical reports for market analysis
• Launches advertisement and discount campaigns for the products

Services to the Content Manager

•  Provides a simple and easy to use interface for updation and maintenance of product catalog, producer’s profile and preferences, order status updation, payment receipt updation etc.

Services to the technical manager

• Allows the technical manager to customize the functionality of the site through settings maintained in the administration database. The settings that may be customized include:
  • Setting to indicate whether the site
    • Is a product showcasing site only
    •  Showcases the products and accepts only offline payment
    •  Showcases the products and accepts both offline and online payment
  • Setting to indicate whether the site is a state level or a district level site
  •  Setting to indicate the regional language to be used
  •  Settings to indicate which of the following automatic e-mail generation facilities are to be enabled or disabled:
    •  Thanks giving mail when a customer sends a feedback through “Contact Us”
    • Mail sent to update customer whenever order status is changed
    • Mail sent to RuralBazar’s bank to transfer funds to respective producer’s account
  • Setting to indicate whether or not the Site Locator facility is enabled