E-commerce in the lab

Consumers in Australia have adopted the web as the go-to resource to find the best price on products from around the world. Jump online, search for the product, read the reviews, watch the video, check the price and place your order - very quick and simple, plus you save money.

In 2013, Australians spent $37.1 billion online and 9% of these purchases were for medical equipment¹. So while we shop online for ourselves looking for a bargain, are we doing this in the laboratory?

Why are some organisations not leveraging the power of the web? They could have saved thousands of dollars on equipment last year and stretched that research grant that extra bit further. Let’s debunk some of reasons why organisations didn’t buy online and missed out on the savings.  

Reason 1: When you buy online, you don’t get the same level of support.

This is a sales rep’s go-to line when trying to convince you to not buy an identical product online: “Yes it’s cheaper online, but what about support?” Let’s assess the actual reality of this throwaway line.

Scenario A: You paid more and bought the equipment from the sales rep. Your equipment goes down:

• You contact the sales rep to let them know your problem.
• The sales rep is out on the road and promises to get back to you when they return to the office.
• Once back in the office (assuming they remember to call you back), the reps asks for copies of your order details, date you purchased, how much you paid, proof of purchase, copy of invoice etc.
• You spend a day trying to find this information.
• Once the rep receives the info they need from you, they forward the information to the manufacturer.
• The instrument is replaced or repaired under warranty, or a contractor is sent to your site for a chargeable service job. You pay a premium for the repair, so that the original company who sold you the equipment covers the contractor’s cost and makes some money as well.

Scenario B: You paid a lot less and bought the equipment online. Your equipment goes down:

• You go to the website where you purchased the product. All of your order details are saved online against your profile. The website has a live chat feature, so you talk to a customer service person straight away.
• They have records of your entire purchase, so this information is available immediately.
• The website offers to repair or replace equipment under warranty or, if outside of warranty, recommends you a service contractor. You pay the contractor directly, saving on service.

Reason 2: When you buy online, you might receive a fake product or inferior quality.

Being selective about which sites you source equipment from is important. Just like normal shopping, the internet is host to varying quality and dishonest practices. To ensure your purchases are secure, follow these steps:

• Buy from an Australian-registered web domain. A website with ‘com.au’ in the address must have an ABN to register this web address. The laws and regulations that govern all Australian businesses, including fair trade, warranty obligations and restrictions against the supply of fake or inferior products, extend online as well.
• Shop on secured e-commerce sites. If a website is secured, the web address in the browser will begin with HTTPS:// instead of HTTP://. You should also see a small padlock icon on the top left or bottom right of the page depending on your browser.
• Ask the website to complete your organisation’s standard supplier form. Websites should be able to provide references for other Australian businesses they have worked with.

Next time your laboratory is looking to make a purchase, make sure you jump online and see how much you could be saving.

¹http://www.e-commercefacts.com/background/2012/08/e-commerce-australia/