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The Desktop Catalogs System  

Common Sense eCommerce for Wholesale Markets

Core module   

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  • System features
    • Integrates with existing websites, or can be used stand-alone as your sole site
    • System allows easy customization of graphic design without programmer intervention  - colors, buttons, background images, fonts, stylesheets and other HTML/DHTML enhancements are incorporated easily
    • Individual HTML and image files may be uploaded to the site through a password protected area, individually or in ZIP files. This allows for complete artistic and editorial freedom.
    • Each system is provided with a 'staging area' in which revisions to the inventory and website may be previewed and built. Once changes are complete, the staging area is moved to the live public website. This avoids having unfinished work visible, and allows for coordinated changes to inventory and products  
    • Uses high performance UNIX servers and SQL database for reliability and speed
    • System is monitored by our personnel 24 hours a day to be sure system is up and operational
  • Catalog features
    • Products can be grouped in infinite combinations of family, type, and custom fields
    • Easily add custom fields to product families:  i.e. length for one family, capacity for another
    • Product data can be easily bulk loaded from text files
    • Drill down ‘parametric’ search automatically allows visitor to locate products by custom fields
    • Products can be searched and put into 'carts' for purchase or inquiry. Carts may be termed anything you wish – ‘quotes’, ‘orders’, ‘carts’, etc.
    • Products can be browsed by family, type, or through custom fields  - small thumbnail images are presented, and user may select one for full detail
    • Product information can include PDF files, CAD drawing, video clips, .DOC, .XLS or any other files. These files are automatically associated with products.
    • Product sections can be optionally password protected by customer id &/or password
  • Pricing features
    • Discounts may be entered on a per customer basis, and over-ridden for that customer on any given product family or product family
    • Prices may be not included, for transactions that are custom priced
    • Includes quick search function that searches by everything in the item hierarchy
  • eCommerce features
    • 'Carts' are saved, allowing easy re-ordering by customers
    • Electronic routing of orders, inquiries, information, shipping quotes, availability, and other procedures: Emails are automatically generated with embedded links to 'smart' pages in the website that recalls proper information to process the next step of the transaction and applies proper security.
    • Handles retail credit card transactions
    • A lead response/inquiry button can optionally appear in addition to 'add to cart' on item screens to allow for product specific pre-sales questions.
    • You may include an option to specify if an RFQ is for bid or buy.
    • Customer may choose from your choice of delivery methods (i.e. Standard, overnight, Saturday,or lowest cost delivery)
    • Shipping may be calculated from a tier of charges
    • Optionally, shipping can be quoted manually and customer is emailed the final tally of the order at ship or pick time
    • Taxes can be optionally added to sales originating in any number of states or zip ranges, each with a tax percentage
    • Customers can be marked as tax-exempt
    • Electronic order authorization: orders may be authorized via email, requiring acknowledgement and password entry by a designated person. Only after this authorization occurs will the order be processed
    • System generates confirmation email to customers that transactions have been completed, or when purchases have been authorized
    • Optionally generates confirmation emails to originator or order and authorization agent when order is shipped  
  • Registration features
    • System remembers your customer's address, shipping, and other important information for easy reordering
    • Built in functions allow for secure forgotten password retrieval without your intervention.
    • Fields store your customers last log on and number of times logged on, to assist in deciding which customers are using the system
    • Visitors can create their own account, apply for terms &/or wholesale discounts, or immediately order via credit card - your choice!

  Included:

  • Includes use of database engine, operating system, email & web servers and all other software, hardware and services required to run additional modules as required
  • Operating system, all programming language, database, web and email server software required, backup programs, monitoring systems, etc. to target 24X7 functionality. This will include, but will not be limited to: fibre-quality (OC3) internet connection, managed routers, un-interrupted power supplies, tape backup, security updates and 24 hour monitoring.
  • Included is 1 MB of disk space per SKU (150 MB with a standard account), and .5 MB of monthly network transfer per SKU (7.5 GB of traffic for a standard account). This allows for a generous amount of disk space and bandwidth usage for the typical wholesale catalog. Additional usage, for streaming video, national advertising campaigns, or other high-usage requirements may incur additional fees. Additional disk space is available at a reasonable monthly charge.

Required items (available from other vendors):

  • If secure credit card collection is desired, an annual subscription to a secure certificate and a compatible merchant account is required. 
  • Artwork and copy for product inventory, company information etc.

Contract terms:

  • Contracts will be drawn annually and billed quarterly, in advance
  • Minimum contract one year
  • Charges will be applied as long as the site is made available to the client, no credit will be given for partially finished sites not yet available to the public
  • Contracts will be self-renewing annually, with a 30 day cancellation clause for either party after the initial term is fulfilled. Upon cancellation, a pro-rated credit will be issued
  • Multiple year contracts will benefit from a discount: 5% for each additional two years, maximum of 15%
  • Invoices will be net 30 or credit card billable. If net 30, 2 1/2% monthly interest will accrue starting on the 31st day after invoice date. Service may be discontinued anytime after 60 days of non-payment. 

Credit card collection module

  • Allows the website to automatically process credit card orders (orders can be processed through other means without this module using standard credit card terminal)
  • Orders may be processed with or without manual intervention
  • Requires compatible merchant account, contact us for specific compatible systems
  • Invalid card numbers, insufficient credit, etc are reported to personnel via email messages

Email Sales Newsletter Module

  • As sales are made or requests for information are entered, customer's contacts are saved to a database for later contact via email newsletter.
  • Customers may opt in or out of the database at any time by visiting a particular page and entering their Email ID, and submitting a confirmation mailbox sent to that email ID.
  • At any time, newsletter may be generated to all customers who have ordered certain products or product lines, customers who have ordered within a date range, or customers that have not ordered within a time frame.
  • No other email or mailing list software is required

Up sell module

  • Add up to 10 products to any category or item that are 'suggested purchases'
  • Great for accessories, maintenance related parts, other 'go-together' items and families
  • Related items can be displayed along columns, on detail screens, at bottom of screen, or any combination

Virtual Sales Help module

  • Adds the ability to upload photos of sales and support personnel, each offering helpful hints about the product or product family currently on the screen
  • If desired, an email link may be displayed to allow users to contact that employee directly via email
  • Includes 'support wizard' page which poses all referenced categories and items to end user, and routes queries to the employee referenced automatically
  • Great way to keep your company's 'personal touch' in the eCommerce age

'Best sellers' module

  • Displays best sellers in product families with links to allow user to view item and place in cart
  • Highlights products to increase sales
  • Best sellers can be displayed along columns, on detail screens, at bottom of screen, or any combination

Express Order Module

  • Presents user with a quick entry screen that allows those with a list of item numbers and quantities to quickly add orders
  • All order information is checked against database for validity
  • Great for situations where customers reorder the same materials again and again

UPS shipping calculation module

  • System can calculate the exact UPS shipping for an order by summing the weights of the individual items and the starting and destination zip code (Core system allows creation of shipping charges, but does not include real-time UPS calculation)
  • Shipping can be added with or without a mark-up
  • A flat handling charge can also be added

Reporting module

  • Includes a complete web based report system
  • Statistics on most popular, least popular products, customers, pages, families, manufacturer, price, etc..
  • Revenue generated by web site by date range, product, family, customer
  • Profit generated by web site by date range, product, family, customer
  • Detail of orders generated by date range, product, family, customer
  • Sales reports by time period summarized by sales rep, with optional percentage calculation for commission payments         

Search engine 'satellite' page generator module

  • Automatically generates pages designed to land in the top ten of the search engines for user input terms - brands, products, categories, sales terms, methods, etc.
  • Includes subscription to a search engine submission service to re-submit site monthly
  • Generate your entire inventory in static HTML that search engines can find easily, increasing the chances that inventory will be found in major search engines

Translation module

  • System messages are provided in target language
  • Additional screens allow editing of secondary languages easily.

Auction module

  • Enter any item from inventory to eBay or similar auctions with one click
  • Items are entered with a standard template 'look and feel' that may include company logo, link to main site, and other contact and policy information

Inventory reminder module

  • Allows customers to sign up for a periodic email reminder when re-ordering is likely
  • Customers may opt in or out of the database at any time by visiting a particular page and entering their Email ID, and submitting a confirmation mailbox sent to that email ID
  • Great for instances when product replenishment is likely

Chat module

  • Real-time access for users to customer's staff
  • Allows users to get instant technical information, answers to sales questions and customer service issues without waiting on hold and interrupting the web session

Branding module

  • Allows manufacturers to offer web site to distributors with an alternate brand, logo, contact information, etc.
  • May be resold by manufacturers to distributors at any acceptable market rate

Calendar module

  • A perpetual calendar that allows staff to enter and maintain trade shows, demonstrations, corporate events, etc without programming.
  • Events may be featured on home page, customer tunable number and selection
  • Events may include a complete description, downloadable files, and email address to contact for more information

XML module

  • Add XML Business to Business transaction technology, written to the spec or B2B marketplace you wish to participate in
  • As XML standards are established, Desktop Catalogs revisions will keep up with this emerging technology, i.e.:
    • Ariba's cXML
    • Commerce One's Common Business Library (CBL)
    • RosettaNet
    • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
    • CommerceNet (US Gov) - see http://ec.fed.gov/catinterop.htm