More e-Baa than e-Business

1999-07-01

A group of farmers in Wales are setting up Direct Welsh Lamb, a web site which sells lamb direct to the consumer. Whatever your philosophy on food, you will never see a clearer example of how eCommerce stands to benefit both producer and consumer.

Direct Welsh Lamb was set up as a direct result of the farmers being ever more squeezed by the corporate world of supermarkets. Rather than go out of business, the farmers looked for alternative ways of selling and hit on the Internet. There are several factors which may prevent the success of this venture, not least that the company itself may not be able to cope with the demand that it creates, but where it goes many other businesses are following. Interestingly, research and experience is showing that the “personal customer experience” is far greater than that, of traditional shopping. In this case, for example, consumers are in direct, daily (if required) contact with the producers of the goods. There are no middlemen and so it is difficult to sidestep blame; also, the competition is only a click away – responsibility heightens and hence so does quality of service.

Supermarkets will continue to have a role, but this role is set to change dramatically over the next ten years. Once the channel of communication has been re-opened between producer and consumer, it will prove very difficult to close.

(First published 1 July 1999)