The project, which the company claims is the first of its kind, is a web-based supermarket chain, mixing electronic selling and retailing or `e-tailing'.

The electronic supermarket enables a customer to place an order through the Net or go to nearby outlets for the purpose. Shoppers can compare product features, choose the lowest possible price and even make payments at the outlet for the items they buy. These items are later delivered at their doorstep.

The company has already set up few outlets in Mumbai and will subsequently expand to other cities. Arif Mithani, chief executive officer of Wintechbargains.com, says that the electronic market is going to be accessible from outlets spread all over the country. "We will be opening 70 such outlets in Mumbai in the first phase, which will be expanded to 130 over the next twophases."

He adds that the outlets have been set up in view of the RBI restrictions that the physical presence of a credit-card holder is a must to complete the transaction. The company has invested Rs 10-11 lakh in each retail outlet and Rs 1.5 crore on the back-end system. Mithani has set an ambitious Rs 1,000 crore total billings for the company by 2001 translating to a net profit of Rs 100 crore. "We may at a later point of time raise funds from the market to fund our plans," says Mithani.

He says the project gives shoppers the convenience of being able to shop all over the city from their own locality. A typical outlet in the network will have one simplified touch-screen computer kiosk for the use of the shopper. Besides which, there will be regular shopping terminals.

"Wintechbargains.com will be a one-stop-shop for them to choose from among the various services and packages offered by organisations and their agencies," adds Mithani.

`Advanced search' facility will enable consumers to search anentire catalogue just on the basis of an attribute relating to a product and all terminals will be equipped with smart card readers. Regular shoppers will get a personalised card, which will include benefits like special discounts and offers.

A unique feature is auctions online, where consumers will be able to bid online and pick up goods if they match the sale prices. "It's entirely up to the seller and buyer to match prices," Mithani says.

Collaborative filtering and intelligent cross-selling will assist the consumer in the process of buying and monitor the buying patterns across various product categories and use this `knowledge base' to assist consumers by way of suggestions.

Two of the biggest concerns for a consumer while shopping on the Net are whether they will get the same quality of the product as shown on the website and will delivery take place efficiently and fast. "Our personnel will be there to attend to quality/delivery related problems. With regard to quality, we have specificagreements with all suppliers and in case of any fault, we will ensure all assistance."