E-COMMERCE

Gold Edition

Windows 2000, IIS, MS SQL database Custom Commerce Program

The main features of the e-commerce function can include the following. Click on any item in the list to learn more about it.

Features:	Optional Features:
Product Catalog Shopping Cart Automatic Notifications Regular Status Reports Administration Back Office	Customer Identification Add to Quote Module Inventory Module Multiple Ship Date Module Most Frequent Items Orders, Previous Orders Module Affiliate Program Email Software Module

Product Catalog
•	Items may be accessed by selecting a “Category,” leading to list of “Sub-Categories,” leading to a “group,” leading to a list of “Items” (up to 3 category levels).
•	Category, Sub-Category, and Group pages can each have a separate graphic image and description.
•	Items may be a part of multiple categories.
•	Item-level pages include a thumbnail of each product in the sub-category, short description, regular price, and Buy button.
•	Also available for item-level pages is a “More Info” page with a longer description and larger image of the product. Pricing and Buy Buttons are also included on these pages. These pages could also be used for happy client testimonials.
•	Cross-selling/Up-selling feature to display a list of options that can be purchased along with a given product.
•	Prices can include List Price and Your Price to illustrate savings to the purchaser.
•	Requested shipping date can be specified for each line item ordered.
•	Specials page can highlight sale products, displaying any products designated as “on sale” in the item database and including both the regular price and the sale price.
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Shopping Cart
•	Shopping cart functionality allows customer to select a “basket” of products and check out at the end.
Check-out functionality includes:
•	Variable pricing dependent on customer, type of customer, and/or volume.
•	United States sales tax, if and when applicable.
•	Once shopping is completed, the customer has the opportunity to select the shipping address from a pre-determined list of “ship-to” addresses based on the billing address.
•	Once the shipping address is selected, site links to UPS/Freight company or use item database information to get exact shipping costs for the selected shipping method.
•	Shipping choices and charges are presented to the shopper, including any applicable rush charges or insurance charges.
•	The checkout function includes a Comments box for people to add detail, special shipping requirements.
•	Payment terms, as appropriate.
•	Secured SSL capabilities for collecting customer and financial information.
•	Credit card processing information and the normal validations of the credit card number.
•	Credit card processing can be completely automated at the website or partly offline (as you choose).
•	Payment by Purchase Order will also be accepted where appropriate.
•	Purchase Order Numbers submitted will be checked against prior submissions to prevent duplicate orders.
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Automatic Notifications
•	Online credit card transaction processing for orders paying by credit card, check, or Purchase Order.
•	Automatic email notification to customers, acknowledging receipt of order.
•	Automatic email to the company with details of the order.
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Regular Status Reports
•	Order status by categories, such as “received,” “accepted,” “shipped,” and “back-ordered.”
•	Customer email sent each time order status changes.
•	Pre-ship status to be maintained by manual entry through the order administration screen.
•	Retrieval and display of the UPS or other freight company’s tracking information from the shipper’s site.
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Administration Back Office
•	Access restricted by a username/password.
•	Browser-based and requires no technical html knowledge.
•	Administration/maintenance module maintains the database online.
•	Includes reports for orders received and provides a file download of current orders.
•	Administration module allows adding/updating/deleting categories, sub-categories, item information, and customer.
•	Complete item database administration, so you can update prices and change descriptions and the associated images without programming.
•	Ability to associate items into other categories for cross-selling and/or up-selling.
•	Ability to upload product images when creating a new item.
•	Includes reports for a given date range, Item Orders by Customer, Customer list, Best Customer list, and Order Summary by week/month.
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Customer Identification (optional)
•	Customer log-in and/or registration with email address and password.
•	“Forgot Password” function, which allows customer to have his/her password re-sent to the registered email address.
•	Customer log-in to track contract/repeat buyers and to identify customers who get special pricing.
•	Site maintains and displays a different price depending on the type of customer--great for channel buyers or frequent customers who get special pricing.
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Add to Quote Module (optional)
•	Items may be accessed by selecting a “Category,” leading to list of “Sub-Categories,” leading to a “group,” leading to a list of “Items” (up to 3 category levels).
•	Item-level pages include "Add to Quote" and “Send Quote” Buttons.
•	Shopping cart functionality allows customer to select a “basket” of products and check out at the end.
•	The checkout function includes a Comments box in which customers can add detail, like special shipping requirements.
•	Submission will send a request for quote to appropriate client representative.
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Inventory Module (optional)
•	Whenever an item is selected, if inventory management is available, the program will check for available inventory.
•	If a sufficient Quantity on Hand is not available, customer will be asked if partial shipment, or a partial backorder, is acceptable.
•	Back office module should generate an “Items Out of Stock” report on demand.
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Multiple Ship Date Module (optional)
The Basic E-Commerce system allows an item to be entered multiple times and a Shipment Date to be associated with each line ordered. The Multiple Ship Date Module permits a customer to enter a single line specifying the total quantity ordered and then to assign multiple shipment dates to portions of the line ordered. For example, a customer could order 100 of a given item and specify different ship dates for each 20 cartons ordered. The table below shows what such an order would look like:

This module ensures that all items ordered have a valid Shipment date and that all quantities ordered are accounted for. The order database is adjusted to reflect this capability.

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Most Frequent Items Orders, Previous Orders Module (optional)
The basic E-Commerce system passes order information to the ERP system and, once closed, removes the order from the E-Commerce order database. This module will sort a designated number of previous orders by items most frequently ordered and allow the customer to re-order from the historical information. The module will also save a specified number of previous orders (for example, the five most recent orders) so the customer can simply assign another Purchase Order Number, apply any needed edits, and submit the order as a new request.

Shipment dates are automatically adjusted based on the new processing date. Ship To information is also preserved and applied to the new order. Any price changes that occur between orders are reflected, and the customer is alerted to the adjustment.

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Affiliate Program (optional)
This module pays other sites commissions for promoting your products. When an Affiliated site sends customers to the your site to purchase products, the commission is automatically calculated by the web Affiliate Module. The process is as follows:

1)	Distributors/Agents register at your site and get an account number.
2)	After registration, they receive a piece of html code to place on their pages to display your banner.
3)	You assign a percent of commissions in Administrative Back Office.
4)	When a user comes to your site from the Distributor/Agent’s site and makes a purchase, the Distributor/Agent automatically receives a commission for the sale.

The module includes:

•	Distributor/Agent registration: opening, updating, and deleting account.
•	Ability to update/delete any account using master password.
•	Tracking of users/purchases.
•	Ability for Distributor/Agent to check their statistics (hits/orders/commissions) for specified period of time or for the whole period.
•	Ability for Administrator to check commissions for any Distributor/Agent, as well as view total commissions for all accounts for the specified time period.
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Email Software Module (optional)
•	Allows you to email all subscribers and other opt-in visitors, and includes utilities allowing them to opt in or out as they wish.
•	Capability to search the database for changes, identify subscribers who have an interest in a particular topic, and send email periodically to those subscribers. This allows the database to keep subscribers up-to-date interactively without increasing labor costs.
•	Signups include first name, last name, email address topics of interest (if applicable), and email preference (text, html).
•	Database has ability to send large numbers of emails at a time though a scheduled program (Cron job).
•	Ability to create both an html and text version of the newsletter for sending out as user preferences dictate.
•	Ability to put the first name in the subject field by author’s selection.
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