Many businesses in India do not have good websites. Some businesses do not even have a website. Some businesses who do have a minimal website do not serve the purpose. While trying to buy a mechanical component for our product, I could easily pick and choose the one I wanted from a Taiwanese website, only to realize after few months that there was a company few kilometers away which had the same component at a cheaper price. The only reason I didn't buy the component from this Indian business is because they didn't have a website.
The other time while discussing with a major Indian business, I found that they do not display their components on the website. The only way to do business with them is to visit their office or get a brochure mailed to us. That would take few days to arrange for. Meanwhile, a Chinese company had posted all their components on the website along with the pricing. It was easier to order it online right away.
Therefore, I believe that there is a case for freely creating websites for Indian businesses for a certain period of time. I believe that once these businesses realize the importance and potential of these websites, they would pay for it.
So what I am suggesting is this. Go ahead and make a visit to these businesses and offer to create a very user-friendly website where in you will take the information that is already available in printed brochures and put it up on the website with all the contact and payment information online. Tell them that you are going to do this for free. But after say 6 months or 1 year, you will start charging them only if these businesses wish to continue to have the website.
A similar idea has been implemented by Google.
ReplyDeleteTake a look: http://www.indiagetonline.in/