e-Business
E-Commerce Features
IMS e-Commerce is an incredibly robust turnkey program. Click on any of the items below for more information on its capabilities:
Front End - The Storefront
All areas of your
Web site require information to be presented to your visitors. This can be very
different for all companies. This area will be constantly evolving as you have
new things to say to the many people who will come to your site. Many Web pages
are routinely associated with any site. These pages are typically created in one
form or another for most sites and they include:
- A site map so people know how to navigate your Web site
- A page with information about your company
- A page is often posted to summarize the products & services you offer
- The terms & conditions under which you sell should be included
- Investor information for public companies is made available
- Frequently asked questions are very common on Web sites
- All of the pages associated with the product selection and shopping
experience
- A "Contact Us" page allows visitors to send you e-mail with their comments.
This e-mail can be directed to various departments depending on the selections
offered on the "Contact Us" page
Back to Top
Modular and Scalable Design
Since every company
has different needs, the IMS e-Commerce modular design format allows your Web
site to be uniquely tailored for your company. Each site is developed with your
customer in mind. The graphics and the speed at which the images download are
essential considerations that every Web site must address. We put it all
together in a simple format that allows for simple navigation. The scalable
design allows features to be added to your Web site as needed.
Back to Top
Customer Login / Registration
IMS e-Commerce
will verify the account number entered by the user to make sure that it is
valid. If necessary, other customer information can also be displayed. A simple
method of transferring customer account numbers from your back office system
will be tailored to your company. A manual or automatic password scenario can
also be implemented. Once the system has identified the visitor, special pricing
and site use options can be automatically invoked.
Back to Top
Multi-Level Pricing Structure
If you allow Web
surfers to enter your site without being required to have a login code and
password, you would then display either your highest level pricing, no pricing
at all, or only allow access to general information. Many companies have several
different pricing structures for different groups of customers or for specific
customers. Your Web site can maintain different price structures and display the
correct one based on the customer’s account number and password. Pricing can be
by customer group or customer, and at product category, manufacture or product
level. Prices can be marked-up from cost or discounted from list. IMS will
tailor this module to fit your needs and provide the interface required to
maintain specific customer pricing from data residing in the back office system.
Back to Top
Search Capabilities
One of the most powerful
features of IMS e-Commerce is the extensive search engine and database. After a
data analysis is done of the available information from your back office system,
a search engine is designed specifically for your needs. The ability to search
at multiple category levels allows your customer to drill down into the products
you offer. The multiple indexes used allow searches to be done in many different
ways. Available are searches by manufacturer/product line, by category and
subcategory, by description keyword, and by manufacturer. The searches can also
be submitted to allow entry of your part number or your manufacturer's part
number. Searches can also be conditioned to allow a from - to price range on the
results.
Back to Top
Virtual On-Line Catalog
Put either part or all
of your products and services on the Web site. Existing electronic information
and graphic images can be used, or photographs can be scanned. Information is
then displayed either next to or behind each product including price, technical
specifications, instructions, other colors and sizes offered, inventory level,
etc. Depending on your specifications, the system can show all or part of
pricing and product information according to the customer that logged in.
Back to Top
Product Kitting and Configuration
This module
allows you to maintain kits on the Web server. You define the kit and the
various options that are selectable for the kit. Your customer simply clicks the
various components until they have satisfied their requirements. They click the
recalculate button and the cost rolls up based on your kit setup criteria. Kit
maintenance is done on the Web server, and the kits can be made up of any part
number available on the server. Rules are defined for how to price the various
component groups as well as a dollar build factor for each group.
Back to Top
Shopping Cart
A virtual shopping cart is an
integral part of your site. The user will have the option to purchase any
quantity of the displayed products. They will be able to insert or remove any of
the products from their cart and keep track of the total amount purchased at any
time. The system can calculate extra charges including shipping, handling, and
taxes. The system can also generate an order number and present it to your
customer for order status follow-up later.
Back to Top
Request for Quote (RFQ)
The site will allow you
to determine which registered customers are authorized to use the RFQ capability
of the site. Customers with authorization will have the option to submit their
shopping cart in a RFQ mode. The user will add the item (in the cart) to the
quantity they need. They will have a special column displayed that will allow
them entry for the pricing they desire. There is also a place on the quote form
for them to write notes to their sales person. While this is not something you
would typically give to all customers, it is often something that will get you
more business from the right customers. Part of your Internet Marketing Strategy
will define whether this option is valuable to your company.
Back to Top
Inventory Availability
If desired, inventory
levels can appear informing your customer of the availability of each item
either in actual quantity or as an "in stock" flag. Date of availability,
including back order dates and quantities can be displayed if the information is
available. If required, this section can be password-protected for selected
accounts.
Back to Top
Password Protection
Any part of the Web site
can be protected by a password to restrict entry. If a section is for internal
use or for special customers, the user will be prompted to insert a password for
entry into that section.
Back to Top
Secure Credit Card Transactions
If your company
requires credit card transactions to be done real time, IMS has a credit card
interface which will allow the cards to be either authorized while the customer
is on the site, or the processing can be done by the server after the customer
has left the site. The resulting credit card information submitted with the
order would then have the authorization code and address verification
information you need. If you prefer to do these from your back office system,
the site will simply pass you the credit card information. When the customer
gets to the credit card form on the Web, our registered secure server takes over
to assure a secure passing of their information.
Back to Top
E-Mail Order Confirmation
The server can be set
up to send an e-mail order confirmation to your customer. This will assure them
that the order was received and logged on the Web server and will give them the
necessary tracking information if order status and tracking is available on your
site.
Back to Top
Order Forwarding Options
Orders and quotes
taken from your customers can be transmitted to you in several ways. The orders
can be immediately e-mailed to the appropriate e-mail address at your location.
The salesperson can also receive a copy of the order at his e-mail address. The
orders can be automatically faxed to you, which is often preferred when there is
credit card information. The orders can be retrieved on-line over a secure
browser through the system administration module. Finally, IMS can export the
orders in a pre-determined format so you can import them into your system for
processing.
Back to Top
Order Status and Tracking
You can pass
information to the Web site to inform your registered users as to the status of
their order(s). We can display whatever information is provided from the back
office system for your customer to see the status of his order. This information
can be refreshed as many times during the day as required. You simply send the
information to the Web server in the pre-defined format and IMS automatically
picks up the file and updates the status information.
Back to Top
Order Tracking with Links to UPS and FedEx
For
those customers who offer Order Status on their site, UPS and FedEx offer
package-tracking capabilities on the Internet. The system can provide links to
the shipper’s Web site enabling your customers to track the status of their
orders. If you pass the tracking number(s) along with order status information,
your customer simply clicks the tracker number and is then linked to the shipper
with tracer information.
Back to Top
Catalog and Information Requests
On your
"Contact Us" page, your visitors can communicate with your company. E-mail
accounts are provided to correspond with your company’s various departments. For
example, e-mail for technical support is forwarded to
support@yourcompany.com. Formatted forms such as catalog request forms
prompt the user to insert all of the pertinent information required to mail the
information to them and could then be forwarded to
catalog@yourcompany.com.
Back to Top
Unlimited Information Updates
Keep your data
current. Your company has unlimited access and updating capabilities to all
pertinent data files. We create an application that will allow your company to
enter or update information to all your databases using a template from your
computer. This can be done at any time. IMS has automated programs that
constantly look for files from you to update to your database.
Back to Top
Banner Maintenance
The site has capability to
display any banner of your creation or choice. There is a banner maintenance
section of the Administration module that allows you to manage banners on your
own. This will become very important as you develop your Internet Marketing
Strategy and arrange banner exchanges with Web partners in related industries.
One of the key features of IMS banners is the ability for the banner to direct
site visitors to various products and product groups on your site. You manage
the specials via any browser.
Back to Top
Specials Maintenance
The site also allows you
to maintain Specials. These items can be weighted to display at the appropriate
times at a pre-determined priority sequence. The specials are also smart enough
to be search specific. If a customer selects "Purple Widgets" category, Specials
defined to display when that category is selected will be shown to your visitor.
There is also a "Specials" page which will allow you to place as many items as
you desire in that section of the site. You manage the specials via any browser.
Back to Top
Save Products and Searches
As your visitors
navigate your site, they may do complex searches that expose a group of products
they are interested in. They simply click "save search" on the bottom of the
page and the exact place in that search is saved. They simply go the "view
saves" button to review all of their saved searches. Single products found on
the site can also be saved for later viewing. An additional feature of the saves
is that when your customer goes to check out, he is reminded of the saves and
allowed to link to them to make sure he did not forget to buy something.
Back to Top
Flexible Order and Quote Submission Forms
When
your customer gets to the checkout phase of his visit, he needs to be presented
with forms that are relevant to your policies. The required payment terms need
to be displayed, as well as method of shipment requested. This form is tailored
to the way your company does business.
Back to Top
Multiple E-Mail Accounts
If you do not already
have a Web presence, you will get multiple e-mail accounts along with your site
so your customers and business associates can direct e-mail through your site
address (URL). Individual employees, as well as departments, can be set-up with
e-mail addresses that will be directed to your current address. E-mail can also
be directed to fax services if requested.
Back to Top
Distributor / Store Locator
If your products
are available across the country, a locator can be implemented to assist your
visitor in finding the outlet nearest them. You control the names in the
database. The system will prompt the user to enter their zip code, telephone
area code, city or state. It will then return the distributors in their area
that you have mapped to that region. The system could also allow new
distributors to request information for joining your group. This feature is
often customized to meet your specific requirements
Back to Top
Internet Marketing Strategy
In order to define
just what your new site will do requires thought from your marketing group. A
clear Internet Marketing Strategy will be developed. IMS will work with your
staff to assure that the capability of the new site is understood. This will
allow implementation to its fullest with the available software. The message
presented to your customers and prospects alike must be clearly defined. The
basic questions of Web development must be answered. Who do you want to come to
your site? How are you going to get them there? What do you expect them to do
while they are there? Moreover, what will you do to make them WANT to come back?
Once these questions are answered and defined, your Internet Marketing Strategy
will take form.
Back to Top
