Sunday, January 30, 2005
Achieving Success in E-Commerce Practices
It's astounding how portals have proliferated at some of the world's largest manufacturers. One global auto manufacturer has over 65 portals in its design division alone. It takes one of the e-commerce team members one day a month just to update the roadmap for the portals.
Too many companies seem to believe that the right technology is the key to e-commerce success.
But the firms that really make e-commerce pay off don't simply hand over their e-commerce destinies to consultants, system integrators or vendors. No.
Instead, they undertake the hard work of self-examination. They realize that streamlining processes is the key to success. And only internal effort can deliver that, it can't be bought. Many of the world's largest companies are now on their fourth or fifth e-commerce strategy. But just because these global corporations change e-commerce strategies faster than some of us change cell-phone plans doesn't mean your company has to keep up. In fact, some of the most successful manufacturers are still on version 1.0 of their e-commerce plans.
Winning Strategies: A look at successful e-commerce firms shows the path to follow...
1) Turn e-commerce into a utility. In the '90s many companies turned their e-commerce strategies into protected silos, and the people running them were seen as high priests of all things Web-enabled. All of that is gone now. Smart companies have turned e-commerce into a utility that any department can plug into and use. Expect to see IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP to battle it out to provide the transaction dial tone for small and midsize businesses.
2) Pay attention to the life of an order first and to multiple channels second. At first glance this may seem unrelated, but even Amazon struggles on this point. Following an order from the time it's placed on the Web site to the point where it's reported back to a publisher takes a lot more effort than people realize. Contrary to legend, Amazon is not perfect in its order capture and order management systems. What's reassuring is that for Amazon making sure these systems work is a higher priority than spinning out another channel.
3) Consolidate portals and content management systems. It's astounding how portals have proliferated at some of the world's largest manufacturers. One global auto manufacturer has over 65 portals in its design division alone. It takes one of the e-commerce team members one day a month just to update the roadmap for the portals. Cutting back on portals for channel partners is also a great idea, and the companies that are getting the best results are discontinuing legacy portals in favor of new ones that have the functionality to support lead management and escalation, order capture, order management, fulfillment options and service requests.
4) Realize that swivel-chair integration is the Achilles' heel of any e-commerce strategy. With an average deal size in the five figures, one systems manufacturer had until 2004 relied on the swivel under the seat of its production scheduler to move orders from the order capture system to the ERP system. This production scheduler then created the bills of materials and scheduled a production line sequence to fulfill demand. This is worst practices in action. Even the smallest amount of investment in integration would free production schedulers to do what they do best: get on top of assemblies forecasting, work to resolve bottlenecks on the production floor, and generate ideas on how to streamline fulfillment.
5) Target the installed base. During the last economic downturn, many manufacturers clung to viability by relying on purchases from their installed base. Build strategies for selling into your installed base with a goal of growing this revenue stream. Revenue from your customer base is no longer a divine right: You will have to fight to keep it.
Bottom Line: Delivering best or worst practices in e-commerce strategies has nothing to do with company size or even the size of IT budgets. It has everything to do with realizing that your order capture, management and fulfillment systems still confuse customers; that integration is worth the cost; that your company could do with fewer portals; and that your installed base and service life cycle management is worth paying attention to. Click here for more information.
Brought to you by ECT and the Guardian eCommerce Safe Site Approval And Internet Privacy Seal Program.
Too many companies seem to believe that the right technology is the key to e-commerce success.
But the firms that really make e-commerce pay off don't simply hand over their e-commerce destinies to consultants, system integrators or vendors. No.
Instead, they undertake the hard work of self-examination. They realize that streamlining processes is the key to success. And only internal effort can deliver that, it can't be bought. Many of the world's largest companies are now on their fourth or fifth e-commerce strategy. But just because these global corporations change e-commerce strategies faster than some of us change cell-phone plans doesn't mean your company has to keep up. In fact, some of the most successful manufacturers are still on version 1.0 of their e-commerce plans.
Winning Strategies: A look at successful e-commerce firms shows the path to follow...
1) Turn e-commerce into a utility. In the '90s many companies turned their e-commerce strategies into protected silos, and the people running them were seen as high priests of all things Web-enabled. All of that is gone now. Smart companies have turned e-commerce into a utility that any department can plug into and use. Expect to see IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, and SAP to battle it out to provide the transaction dial tone for small and midsize businesses.
2) Pay attention to the life of an order first and to multiple channels second. At first glance this may seem unrelated, but even Amazon struggles on this point. Following an order from the time it's placed on the Web site to the point where it's reported back to a publisher takes a lot more effort than people realize. Contrary to legend, Amazon is not perfect in its order capture and order management systems. What's reassuring is that for Amazon making sure these systems work is a higher priority than spinning out another channel.
3) Consolidate portals and content management systems. It's astounding how portals have proliferated at some of the world's largest manufacturers. One global auto manufacturer has over 65 portals in its design division alone. It takes one of the e-commerce team members one day a month just to update the roadmap for the portals. Cutting back on portals for channel partners is also a great idea, and the companies that are getting the best results are discontinuing legacy portals in favor of new ones that have the functionality to support lead management and escalation, order capture, order management, fulfillment options and service requests.
4) Realize that swivel-chair integration is the Achilles' heel of any e-commerce strategy. With an average deal size in the five figures, one systems manufacturer had until 2004 relied on the swivel under the seat of its production scheduler to move orders from the order capture system to the ERP system. This production scheduler then created the bills of materials and scheduled a production line sequence to fulfill demand. This is worst practices in action. Even the smallest amount of investment in integration would free production schedulers to do what they do best: get on top of assemblies forecasting, work to resolve bottlenecks on the production floor, and generate ideas on how to streamline fulfillment.
5) Target the installed base. During the last economic downturn, many manufacturers clung to viability by relying on purchases from their installed base. Build strategies for selling into your installed base with a goal of growing this revenue stream. Revenue from your customer base is no longer a divine right: You will have to fight to keep it.
Bottom Line: Delivering best or worst practices in e-commerce strategies has nothing to do with company size or even the size of IT budgets. It has everything to do with realizing that your order capture, management and fulfillment systems still confuse customers; that integration is worth the cost; that your company could do with fewer portals; and that your installed base and service life cycle management is worth paying attention to. Click here for more information.
Brought to you by ECT and the Guardian eCommerce Safe Site Approval And Internet Privacy Seal Program.
Friday, January 28, 2005
Prevent Internet Fraud
Internet fraud is on the rise.
Part of the reason for this is that online consumers are lacking the know-how required to protect themselves when engaged in online shopping or another form of e-commerce. Once a consumer becomes victimized by Internet fraud, only then does it become too late.
While governments and other federal agencies work to find a fix for Internet fraud, consumers should utilize Internet fraud prevention measures and protect themselves when it comes to transacting or conducting business on the Net.
Common sense is the best rule of thumb when it comes to online safety, so know how to shop safely when shopping online.
Guardian eCommerce provides consumers, especially online consumers, with a consumer protection tips package through its Safe Site Approval And Internet Privacy Seal Program. We have posted 11 online safety tips for Internet fraud prevention and it's sure worth the read!
You can also report Internet Fraud or File A Complaint.
Visit Guardian eCommerce for more information.
Part of the reason for this is that online consumers are lacking the know-how required to protect themselves when engaged in online shopping or another form of e-commerce. Once a consumer becomes victimized by Internet fraud, only then does it become too late.
While governments and other federal agencies work to find a fix for Internet fraud, consumers should utilize Internet fraud prevention measures and protect themselves when it comes to transacting or conducting business on the Net.
Common sense is the best rule of thumb when it comes to online safety, so know how to shop safely when shopping online.
Guardian eCommerce provides consumers, especially online consumers, with a consumer protection tips package through its Safe Site Approval And Internet Privacy Seal Program. We have posted 11 online safety tips for Internet fraud prevention and it's sure worth the read!
You can also report Internet Fraud or File A Complaint.
Visit Guardian eCommerce for more information.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Secret Shoppers On The Net??
Defined, a Secret Shopper is a person hired by a retailer, or even an outside third party, to evaluate and assess a retail store's employees and/or it's retail operations by posing as a shopper.
As you may already know, the retail industry is saturated with mystery shoppers or secret shoppers. They simply get paid to shop or roam those paying stores "under-cover". As a result, many of these retail companies use the feedback from these mystery shoppers or secret shoppers to guage the success or failures of their retail operations. Usually, based on such feedback, changes are made by the retail store or company in question.
Since the Web is chock-full of e-commerce Web sites, Guardian eCommerce decided to launch its Secret Shopper Program (or 'SSP') and it's very similar to the concept already used for years in the retail industry. However, the Secret Shopper Program from Guardian eCommerce has been created designed for those operating any kind of e-commerce Web site or online business. It is the first of it's kind on the Net, functioning for over three years now.
What does the Guardian eCommerce Secret Shopper Program do? At the end of the day, it will help any online business or e-commerce Web site increase online sales and most of all, prevent lost sales. Guardian eCommerce was the first to introduce the Secret Shopper Program for Internet business and its success continues to grow and help online business owners worldwide.
Get A Secret Shopper Program (SSP) Web Site Review for your Web site.
For more information, visit Guardian eCommerce.
As you may already know, the retail industry is saturated with mystery shoppers or secret shoppers. They simply get paid to shop or roam those paying stores "under-cover". As a result, many of these retail companies use the feedback from these mystery shoppers or secret shoppers to guage the success or failures of their retail operations. Usually, based on such feedback, changes are made by the retail store or company in question.
Since the Web is chock-full of e-commerce Web sites, Guardian eCommerce decided to launch its Secret Shopper Program (or 'SSP') and it's very similar to the concept already used for years in the retail industry. However, the Secret Shopper Program from Guardian eCommerce has been created designed for those operating any kind of e-commerce Web site or online business. It is the first of it's kind on the Net, functioning for over three years now.
What does the Guardian eCommerce Secret Shopper Program do? At the end of the day, it will help any online business or e-commerce Web site increase online sales and most of all, prevent lost sales. Guardian eCommerce was the first to introduce the Secret Shopper Program for Internet business and its success continues to grow and help online business owners worldwide.
Get A Secret Shopper Program (SSP) Web Site Review for your Web site.
For more information, visit Guardian eCommerce.
Tuesday, January 25, 2005
Deny Customer Assurance... Lose Your Customer.
In a recent survey, 87% of consumers asked would prefer transacting with an Internet business that is committed to privacy protection and e-commerce security - verified by a trusted third party.
75% of those consumers that already conduct Internet business, coupled with 86% of those consumers that have never conducted business online before, confirmed the importance of consumer protection and online safety - verified by a non-objective trusted third party.
Point?
It's a fact, your site visitors ask the very same question all the time: 'How do I know I can trust this Web site?'. The greatest fear confronting Internet consumers today is determining who is credible on the Web, and who isn't.
Consumers need an assurance that they can trust your Web site, and some even want insurance in case of conflict with your Web site.
How can you assure your site visitors that your e-commerce Web site is credible? What steps can you take to ensure that your Web sales aren't impacted by wrongful skepticism often tainting consumers?
The answer lies in the Guardian eCommerce Safe Site Internet Privacy Seal Program. Provide customer assurance by showing that your e-commerce Web site can be trusted. Surely your Web success will grow tenfold because site credibility pays!
Register your e-commerce Web site or visit Guardian eCommerce for more information.
75% of those consumers that already conduct Internet business, coupled with 86% of those consumers that have never conducted business online before, confirmed the importance of consumer protection and online safety - verified by a non-objective trusted third party.
Point?
It's a fact, your site visitors ask the very same question all the time: 'How do I know I can trust this Web site?'. The greatest fear confronting Internet consumers today is determining who is credible on the Web, and who isn't.
Consumers need an assurance that they can trust your Web site, and some even want insurance in case of conflict with your Web site.
How can you assure your site visitors that your e-commerce Web site is credible? What steps can you take to ensure that your Web sales aren't impacted by wrongful skepticism often tainting consumers?
The answer lies in the Guardian eCommerce Safe Site Internet Privacy Seal Program. Provide customer assurance by showing that your e-commerce Web site can be trusted. Surely your Web success will grow tenfold because site credibility pays!
Register your e-commerce Web site or visit Guardian eCommerce for more information.
Monday, January 24, 2005
Overstock.com Cuts Fees To Lure eBayers!!
Finally, some good news for online business owners stung by the news that Ebay would increase it's fees....to combat increased security costs??
Analysts said eBay could lose market share as a result of its recent pricing changes.
Overstock's strategy appears to be paying quick dividends. The company reports a 50 percent surge in auction listings in the five days since eBay's announcement.
Go Overstock.com, Go!
More info at Guardian eCommerce.
Analysts said eBay could lose market share as a result of its recent pricing changes.
Overstock's strategy appears to be paying quick dividends. The company reports a 50 percent surge in auction listings in the five days since eBay's announcement.
Go Overstock.com, Go!
More info at Guardian eCommerce.
So long Nigerian, Hello Tsunami?
Scam artists are now posing as tsunami victims on the Internet in a bid to divert some of the millions of dollars flowing to relief efforts?? When will the madness end??
Poorly written appeals for help have begun to appear in e-mail inboxes, asking for donations through a Web site or an offshore bank account??
It's only a matter of time before this becomes the next greatest scam on the FBI watch list.
As info, aid organizations have collected millions of dollars through the Internet since a tsunami claimed an estimated 150,000 lives from Indonesia to Africa on Dec. 26. Amazon.com alone has collected over $15 million for the American Red Cross through its Web site.
The fraudulent appeals are patterned after two existing scams: "phishing" attacks that direct people to legitimate-looking Web sites in order to trick them into giving up their credit card numbers, and 419 scams, messages that promise great riches in exchange for a bank account number.
One message provided to Reuters asks for help freeing up a bank account in the Netherlands, a common 419 tactic. Another claims to be from a small village in Indonesia but asks recipients to route donations through a bank account in Malta.
"We have been rendered homeless and have lost all we have in life...We will be very grateful if you can assist us with any amount of money to enable us to start a new lease of life," the message says.
Yet, the scam is in it's early stages as the the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it has received no complaints about tsunami relief scams so far. The agency urged donors to contact legitimate aid organizations and disregard phone and e-mail solicitations.
More info at Guardian eCommerce.
Poorly written appeals for help have begun to appear in e-mail inboxes, asking for donations through a Web site or an offshore bank account??
It's only a matter of time before this becomes the next greatest scam on the FBI watch list.
As info, aid organizations have collected millions of dollars through the Internet since a tsunami claimed an estimated 150,000 lives from Indonesia to Africa on Dec. 26. Amazon.com alone has collected over $15 million for the American Red Cross through its Web site.
The fraudulent appeals are patterned after two existing scams: "phishing" attacks that direct people to legitimate-looking Web sites in order to trick them into giving up their credit card numbers, and 419 scams, messages that promise great riches in exchange for a bank account number.
One message provided to Reuters asks for help freeing up a bank account in the Netherlands, a common 419 tactic. Another claims to be from a small village in Indonesia but asks recipients to route donations through a bank account in Malta.
"We have been rendered homeless and have lost all we have in life...We will be very grateful if you can assist us with any amount of money to enable us to start a new lease of life," the message says.
Yet, the scam is in it's early stages as the the U.S. Federal Trade Commission said it has received no complaints about tsunami relief scams so far. The agency urged donors to contact legitimate aid organizations and disregard phone and e-mail solicitations.
More info at Guardian eCommerce.
