A Google Shop = Commerce Search + Checkout + Analytics

[update 09/11/09] @dtunkelang Endeca co-founder & chief scientist departs to Google

In a move that will send shudders through the established eCommerce Search providers, Google has launched Google Commerce Search.

In summary Google Commerce Search delivers the following:

• Retailer access to the same, fast, Google search technology we know and love, to surface their own retail data
• A scalable hosted [cloud based] solution that aims to meet seasonal volume spikes and drops, in a cost efficient way
• Search grouping
• Search driven promotions
• Display configuration and customisation
• No additional administrative cost for deployment and maintenance
• Configurable reports
• Integrated Google Analytics

The result?

• Visitors can find the right products faster
• Visitors can filter results by category, price, brand or other attributes
• User-friendly spelling options and synonyms
• Increased website conversions and sales
• Easy deployment in days, and scale effortlessly

Yes there are many features missing when compared to the Enterprise / eCommerce search capabilities of an Endeca, Autonomy, Omniture or SLI Systems.

Yes uploading product data to the Google Merchant Center is not going to work for some.

But I wouldn’t want Google on the patch my product operates!  Not when you bear in mind the impact they can have by providing information services for free – just ask Garmin or TomTom.

And yet already the blogosphere is a-wash with speculation that this is another ‘building block’ in allowing anyone (i.e. not necessarily a company) to create their own online shop.  Where does that leave the SME merchant or the eCommerce Platform provider who focus on SMEs and the lower end of the midmarket?

Google Shop = Commerce Search + Checkout + Analytics + ???

We are in a fascinating era where technology innovation is fueling idea creation and disruption.  Great isn’t it?

Filed under: Retail, Technology, e-commerce, eCommerce, google , Google Analytics, Google Checkout, Google Commerce Search

Salmon = Rackspace EMEA Partner of the Year [again]

Wow.  For the 2nd year in-a-row Salmon have been named Rackspace EMEAs [Europe, Middle East and Africa] Partner of the Year.

The EMEA region sure is big, and to get the accolade for a second time is simply great news.  But to be fair, we do feel we are achieving great things.  Rackspace’s ‘fanatical support’ for hosting solutions, combined with our insatiable desire to continue building the very best eCommerce sites in the World, combines beautifully to provide merchants of all kinds with a unique opportunity to forget about infrastructure and not have their focus or attentions diverted by eCommerce technology issues.

Instead they get to focus on what they do best: retailing & merchandising.  And to use a horrendous, but appropriate, phrase – that’s a win-win-win.

Filed under: IT Consulting, IT Services, IT Solutions, Information Technology, Integration, Retail, Strategy, Technology, e-commerce, eCommerce , Award, Rackspace EMEA Partner of the Year, Rackspace Hosting, Salmon

IBM launches WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0

Salmon’s eCommerce partner IBM has announced the release of WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0, delivering a market-leading “customer interaction platform”, which enables companies to provide a rich, customer-centric experience across multiple channels and touchpoints [more here: opens 521kb .pdf].

We think this is particularly interesting given that IBM already had a leadership position according to AMR Research – based on their October 2009 assessment of version 6.0 fp 4 as recently as October 2009.

According to the IBM blurb, WebSphere Commerce Version 7.0 enhancements enable you to:

• Design and execute a differentiated brand experience by recognizing and responding to customer interactions across multiple channels and touch points
• Build a dialogue with the shopper by delivering contextual targeted marketing information to shoppers
• Support automated, one-to-one ongoing dialogs with shoppers based on preference, purchase history, and shopping behaviour
• Support mobile devices for browsing the catalog, receiving marketing messages, promotions, coupon codes, and completing transactions
• Integrate product review & ratings, blogs, photo galleries, and user profiles into your online store
• Provide rich, streamlined and B2C-like experience to B2B e-commerce sites
• Enable peak performance and process higher transaction volume while minimizing cost
• Reduce the cost of operation and deployment
• Accelerate the integration with e-commerce ecosystem

Key enhancements at a glance:
To help customers achieve the above benefits, WebSphere Commerce provides the following enhancements:

• Precision Marketing engine to capture customer triggers (e.g. abandoned shop cart, mobile interaction, social participation) across channels and respond with a wide range of actions (e.g. promotions, mobile coupons, loyalty rewards) that goes far beyond just the web.
• Dialog Activity Builder for business users to compose and execute automated one-to-one dialog with shoppers using triggers and actions.
• Automated, one-to-one ongoing interactions with shoppers based on preference, purchase history, and shopping behavior.
• Mobile store model optimized for smartphones including iPhone and Blackberry to provide end-to-end shopping flow including stock locator, store locator, and buy on mobile and pick up in-store.
• Support product ratings and reviews, blogs, photo galleries, and user profiles into the shopping flow by integrating with 3rd party vendors.
• New B2B Starter store leveraging Web 2.0 best practices to deliver rich experience, buyer-centric marketing and operational automation.
• Enhanced business user tools to create and manage dynamic customer segments and e-marketing spots.
• New data load tools allow for efficient loading for catalog, pricing, and inventory information.
• Web analytics integration framework for consistent integration with third-party web analytics vendors.
• Latest software stack of IBM WebSphere Application Server V7 and DB2 9.5 for improved performance.
• A set of standardized services to quickly and easily integrate WebSphere Commerce with existing back office infrastructure and 3rd party solutions.

We have delivered a number of world-class eCommerce websites using IBM WebSphere Commerce as well as a plethora of other technologies.  If you need more information on Websphere Commerce contact us now, or you can make a Services Request.  We think our pedigree with WebSphere Commerce is clear. Our customers include Ann Summers, Argos, Arcadia, Boots, Halfords, Homebase, Heuga, Regatta Ltd, Scotts of Stow and Barratts Priceless each of whom has chosen Salmon due to our eCommerce domain experience and technical expertise.

Filed under: IBM, IT Solutions, Information Technology, Retail, Strategy, Technology, WebSphere Commerce, e-commerce, eCommerce , AMR Research, Customer Interaction Platform, Websphere Commerce version 7.0

2009 eCommerce usability for high street retailers

Webcredible’s 2009 eCommerce usability for high street retailers’ report has been updated.  This latest version updates the highly popular ecommerce usability reports of 2006, 2007 and 2008.

The report evaluates the websites of 20 of the UK’s leading high street retailers. Based on Webcredibles experience of usability testing with over 1000 people on a variety of ecommerce sites, they have devised 20 essential guidelines that all ecommerce websites should adhere to, evaluating each site against these guidelines.

Retail Systems Blog comments on the “biggest improvement” in 2009 being Boots (you can read about Salmon’s work here), which saw its website usability score increase from 64 per cent to 80 per cent, pushing it up to joint fourth in this year’s report from joint 17th place last year.

Last year’s report saw a drastic improvement in the website usability of top UK High Street retailers with an average score of 67.8 per cent.  Salmon customers’ Argos and Boots scored 73% and 80% respectively.

You can download the report for free.

Filed under: Argos, IT Consulting, Information Technology, Projects, Strategy, Technology, WebSphere Commerce, e-commerce , Argos, Boots, eCommerce, Retail, Usability

Salmon helps Halfords extend their multi-channel strategy to mobile phone users

Today we announced the development of a “Text and Reserve” service for Halfords that extends their multi-channel strategy to mobile phone users. The unique service allows customers to look up products, locate their nearest store with the recommended product in stock and reserve & collect the product; all using their mobile phone’s SMS text messaging service.

Here is how it works.  I am sure you can imagine usage scenarios:

1. Customer texts an appropriate keyword, followed by their vehicle registration number (e.g. “bulb, vfo3yjc”) to Halfords, where the vehicle make, model, engine size and body type of vehicle are established using registration lookup services.
2. An SMS message is returned to the customer saying: “Halfords recommends Halfords Super Brilliance Blue Bulb Single HBU4775BBH7, 802561, £22.99 for your AUDI. Check stock in your nearest store by replying with your postcode.”
3. Upon receipt of a customer reply message the system searches for the nearest store with the required product in stock, and forwards this information to the customer. “From Halfords. Your nearest store with product in stock is Redditch, 2.04 miles away. To reserve the item reply YES to this message.”
4. Having replied ‘yes’ the system processes the request and sends a reservation message to the customer and to the store warehouse systems. e.g. “Halfords reservation ref 8601043751 – Order reserved at Redditch B98 0DE 01527 584488. Check www.halfords.com for store opening hours.”

As I have no idea what bulbs, oil or wiper blades any of my two cars need, I’ll definitely be using this service.  And I doubt I am alone even in our household!  Hey presto, no more having to worry, and no more wasted trips to a store that doesn’t have the items I need in stock!

To give you a little more insight into the solution, the service has been specifically tailored by Salmon to integrate with Halfords existing back-end IT systems that hold vital information on products, vehicles and stock inventory.   The solution benefits from the following integration:

• Itim Zygon Product Information Management System – for identifying vehicles from their registration plate and recommending the right product for each car
• SAP – to provide product and pricing information
• Multimap – to establish the stores nearest to the customer
• BT Expedite Store 6 – to check store stock availability and ultimately accept the customers reservation

Filed under: Business, Cross Channel, IT Consulting, IT Services, IT Solutions, Information Technology, Integration, Multi Channel, Personalisation, Projects, Retail, Strategy, Technology, e-commerce, m-commerce , Halfords, m-commerce, SMS

What’s Now and What’s Next

Pete Sheldon (from Elastic Path) highlights in the E-Commerce Times what’s now and what’s next in eCommerce.

In the piece he profiles Video Solutions, Customer Service, Real-World Guided Selling, Multi-Store Retailing, User-Interface Design, Navigation Tools, Effective Merchandising, Social Shopping and Customer Loyalty.  Pete’s core messsages are “if you’re unsure which cutting-edge e-commerce innovations are right for your operation, plan, test and evaluate results – and then move forward“.  And importantly, “don’t be left behind by a fear of the unknown. Embrace innovation.“

A very good piece indeed.

Filed under: Information Technology, Social Networking, Strategy, Technology, e-commerce, eCommerce , Customer Loyalty, Customer Service, Effective Merchandising, Multi-Store Retailing, Navigation Tools, Real-World Guided Selling, Social Shopping, User-Interface Design, Video Solutions

Halfords Surpass One-Millionth “Reserve and Collect” Milestone

Crikey.  News stories are coming through thick and fast out of Salmon HQ.  And this is quite incredible.  Halfords have surpassed their one-millionth “Reserve and Collect” milestone. Yes. 1,000,000.

Here is the full press release – but in essence Halfords “Reserve and Collect” proposition continues to be a resounding success with Halfords customers; driving 90% growth in multi-channel revenue in the year to 3 April 2009.  Halfords.ie has also recently launched the “Reserve and Collect” service and initial sales in Ireland have been encouraging and are growing.

Much is said about the “Customer Experience” at the moment, and rightly so.  But a compelling customer experience is not about visual design as the headlines too often infer.  Jon Asbury, Channel Development Manager for Halfords sums it up just perfectly;

“The benefits of “Reserve and Collect” are plain. The channel is a powerful tool in driving incremental sales and one we will continue to develop with Salmon over the next few months. We believe it offers customers what they want, choice! It allows customers to do their research online and secure items for collection in store. Many of our customers don’t want to wait at home for a delivery, or pay delivery charges. By checking stock on line and reserving in store they avoid the disappointment of turning up to a store to find the item is out of stock, it also caters for those last minute buyers who don’t have 24 hours to wait for an item to be delivered.”

Filed under: Business, Cross Channel, IBM, IT Consulting, Information Technology, Integration, Multi Channel, Project Management, Retail, Strategy, Technology, WebSphere Commerce, e-commerce, eCommerce , 1 million, Halfords, reserve and collect

……a well deserved shortlisting for “IT Team of the Year”

Hat tip to the eCommerce delivery teams at Salmon – they have just received a well deserved shortlisting for “IT Team of the Year” at the Retail Systems Awards.

Now in their fourth year the Retail Systems Awards look to recognise excellence and innovation in the field of information technology within the UK retail sector. The primary criteria for judging are the delivery of definable and significant business benefits, innovation and originality of application, ROI and project management issues such as delivery on time and within budget.

Salmon’s entry demonstrated excellent technical expertise and foresight in delivering eCommerce solutions for retailers, as a result of using our Application Framework for eCommerce (SAFE™) – a repeatable eCommerce solution which extends IBM WebSphere Commerce and can be implemented in just 35 days.

In the last 12 months Salmon has successfully implemented and supported the launch of 25 branded eCommerce websites for leading brands including:  Barratts Priceless Limited, Ben Sherman, Boots, Hotter Comfort Concept Shoes, Scotts & Co, Sleepy’s and the Regatta Group.

Filed under: Business, Cross Channel, IBM, IT Consulting, IT Services, IT Solutions, Information Technology, Integration, Multi Channel, Project Management, Retail, SAFE, Strategy, Technology, WebSphere Commerce, e-commerce, eCommerce , 2009, Retail Systems Awards, Salmon

Salmon takes advantage of award winning contact data management (CDM) solutions from Experian QAS

Today we announced the formalisation of a long standing relationship, in the form of a commercial partnership with Experian QAS, the international provider of contact data management (CDM) solutions.

QAS Pro Web, the address verification tool, has been fully integrated into SAFE™ (Salmon’s Application Framework for eCommerce). SAFE™ is a fully developed, tested and pre-configured eCommerce solution which extends IBM’s WebSphere Commerce™ platform, enabling the rapid delivery of a production-ready enterprise class solution.

Salmon’s customers already benefitting from using QAS Pro Web include, Argos, Ann Summers, Boots, Homebase, Barratt Priceless Ltd, Scotts & Co, Smartlandlord.co.uk and The Regatta Group.

Chris Bulmer, Group IT Director from The Regatta Group said, “QAS Pro Web was seamlessly integrated with our websites catering for our UK and US customers whose online experience is key to our success. QAS address verification ensures the addresses our customers provide are correct and verified, saving our customers time, minimising undeliverable goods and customer complaints and reducing costs associated with deliveries to mistaken addresses.”

Neil Stewart, Commercial Director at Salmon said, “The partnership helps us deliver even greater value to our customers.  As QAS Pro Web is now a pre-integrated component of SAFE™, we can provide our customers with an eCommerce solution that offers the best in address verification and ongoing data quality.  Customers will benefit from being able to capture online customer information accurately, the first time, critical to providing a professional first impression of their website and ensuring the smooth, quick and accurate entry of customer details.”

From minimal information provided by the user, QAS Pro Web returns a complete and accurate address that has been validated and formatted against the relevant country data file. This offers the following benefits:

• Quick, accurate data capture, with search prompts to guide users through each stage of the process.
• Effective profiling with enhanced data.  Contact data records are captured accurately, validated and consistently formatted, making database analysis simple, with reliable results. Valuable information can be added to residential and business records, allowing customers to effectively profile their database for future marketing activities.
• International datasets for 240 countries and territories worldwide are available.
• Speed of service – critical to online customers, ensuring their details are captured correctly and quickly first time round, increasing site conversions and reducing “drop-off” rates.
• Online customers receive a user-friendly and efficient first impression, inputting minimal information and ensuring they return to the website.
• Regular data updates ensure ongoing accuracy of data and support organisational decisions that are based on firm valuable information.
• Cost efficiencies are made as contact data is captured correctly first time round, saving money on wasted mailings to incorrect addresses and reducing volumes of returned mail.

There is more information about SAFE™ here and about Experian QAS here.

Filed under: Information Technology, Integration, Personalisation, Personalization, Retail, SAFE, Strategy, Technology, e-commerce, eCommerce , CDM, Contact Data Management, Experian, Experian QAS, QAS, QAS Pro Web

An eCommerce platform ‘for life’

We often find ourselves saying the words ‘eCommerce platform for life‘ with prospective clients, because we are very much in the business of developing and shaping longer term or strategic eCommerce plans and solutions – as opposed to providing band-aid or stop-gap solutions.

Which is why it is particularly gratifying to see multi-channel retailer Kiddicare’s online offering moving forward in leaps and bounds as reported in various circles (it was also covered here).

When we first starting working with Kiddicare in 2006 (they are still a customer today) they were using an eCommerce platform and provider that fell short of their requirements.  We helped them change that and continue to provide expert eCommerce advice and 24×7x365 application management and support.

This is what Kiddicare Partner, Scott Weavers-Wright had to say back in July 2008.

“We replaced our existing platform with SAFE™ as we needed to obtain control of our eCommerce business.  Our online plans are sophisticated and we need to address our requirements with a higher degree of autonomy, flexibility and responsiveness to change.”

It never ceases to amaze me how empowered a business can be when it has a true handle on its eCommerce infrastructure and architecture.  And when the eCommerce platform itself (as part of that infrastructure) is capable of scaling to be ‘an eCommerce platform for life‘, merchants really can focus on thse aspects of eCommerce that really matter…….like helping customers with regard to merchandising, product imagery, navigation, product page layout and the shopping basket and checkout process.

Filed under: Application Management and Support, IBM, Multi Channel, Retail, Strategy, Technology, WebSphere Commerce, e-commerce, eCommerce , checkout process, eCommerce Platform, kiddicare, merchandising, navigation, product imagery, product page layout, shopping basket