Open-source software or OSS represents a community approach to developing software where anyone can copy, modify and redistribute the source code without paying royalties or fees. This is opposed to commercial software vendors whose source code is not distributed, is treated as intellectual property and whose customers pay licensing and maintenance fees for the use of that software. To get a better understanding of how freedom and flexibility can be achieved through OSS, the team here at NetSphere Strategies put... NetSphere
Abbe Miller is the marketing manager at NetSphere Strategies, located just outside Chicago. NetSphere Strategies is a boutique eCommerce company positioned to help businesses transform their online presence by providing a full complement of services that starts with our strategic consulting and creative design teams, then continues with building innovative solutions and providing ongoing post-project support.
Open-source software or OSS represents a community approach to developing software where anyone can copy, modify and redistribute the source code without paying royalties or fees. This is opposed to commercial software vendors whose source code is not distributed, is treated as intellectual property and whose customers pay licensing and maintenance fees for the use of that software. To get a better understanding of how freedom and flexibility can be achieved through OSS, the team here at NetSphere Strategies put... 
In a recent study conducted by Forrester, IBM was chosen as the top B2B eCommerce vendor when compared to other major providers. The report, titled “The Forrester Wave: B2B Commerce Suites, Q4 2013,” is the first of its kind, evaluating 66 criteria, such as community features, 24x7x365 ordering, real-time customer service, expedited shipping, mobile, integration with back-office systems, fulfillment workflows and inventory management. “For B2B commerce, IBM comes to market with three core products: Websphere Commerce, Sterling CPQ, and Sterling... 
With earnings season in full swing, investors are anxious to see positive report cards from U.S. companies – partially for the potential those reports can have in wiping away the bad vibes that the government shutdown created. For anyone in the retail or eCommerce industries, that desire couldn’t be more palpable, considering the ripple effect that the government stalemate caused on consumer confidence and therefore, consumer spending. eBay: On Oct. 17, eBay reported earnings, which are down more than 5%.... 
If content is king, then Google is emperor. And that’s because the world’s biggest search engine is able to dictate what’s acceptable when ranking pages and what’s not. But before anyone starts questioning the emperor’s authority, it’s important to understand that Google’s law of the online land isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, Google is the long-time leader in search engines because it is constantly looking out for all parties’ best interests – websites and website visitors alike. With... When IBM released V7.0 for the WebSphere Commerce platform, the goal was to provide a powerful customer interaction platform for cross-channel and online commerce. And although some time has passed, there are still some businesses that haven’t made the move to IBM's most recent version. Many of those businesses may be delaying their adoption of V7.0 due to a lack of understanding surrounding the platform changes that came with it. Many others might be holding off until the benefits of doing so can be better understood.
In the video shown above, the IBM team delivers on both accounts, offering a high-level summary of the enhancements available on V7.0, including the hardware, operating systems and browsers that are supported – and those that are not. The IBM video also highlights the features that are available, such as automated multi-channel marketing, mobile commerce and social networking.
For businesses that are committed to focusing on omni-channel retailing, V7.0 simplifies those efforts. For example, the mobile upgrades now available help eCommerce companies better engage with consumers who want to shop in-store while simultaneously researching prices and other options on their phones. The SMS capabilities found within the upgrade are also incredibly valuable, considering the growing prevalence for text-based marketing and promotional messages.
"E-commerce is no longer simply about selling things online," IBM states. "It's about delivering a seamless, integrated experience across all touch points. With the introduction of Web 2.0 technologies, e-commerce is now about transforming customer shopping experiences to leverage the power of your brand, providing a rich, personalized experience across multiple channels of your business."
Keeping those objectives at the core of IBM operations, six feature packs have been delivered since V7.0 launched. But before WebSphere Commerce users will be able to take advantage of the added functionality found within each of those feature packs, they will have to ensure that they are working on the V7.0 platform. To get assistance bringing your eCommerce site up to date, feel free to reach out to the team at NetSphere Strategies. We’d be happy to pick up where the above video left off.
Every month, typically on the second Friday, the U.S. Census Bureau releases its advanced retail sales report. Except for this month, of course. This month, if you try to retrieve the report, you’ll receive the following message: “Due to the lapse in government funding, census.gov sites, services, and all online survey collection requests will be unavailable until further notice.” As of today, the shutdown has gone on for 11 days, sidelining the government reporting that helps to track and define the... 
Yummi Candles, a North American brand currently holding the largest range and selection of unscented candles, found its roots in the age-old adage that necessity is the mother of invention. And nearly 40 years later, it’s holding true to that philosophy by continually re-inventing and improving its unmatched collection of product offerings. When company co-founder, Steve Stratakos, was cutting his teeth in the working world as a maître d’ in a high-end seafood company, he didn’t necessarily fit the mold of... 
Ever tried to find a product that you’d seen on a company’s website, only to come up empty-handed once you were ready to buy it? Well, don’t go beating yourself up, assuming that your memory is to blame or that it’s now sold out. In fact, the problem probably doesn’t have anything to do with you at all – but instead has everything to do with advanced site search. The scenario is surprisingly more common than one would imagine. At... 
For anyone who’s visited China, one of the first things a traveler notices is the grandeur of its growing infrastructure. Upon closer inspection, however, things might not be as they seemed from afar. Whether it’s the more than 1 billion people who cause substantial wear and tear or the sometimes bizarre design, the façades can, at times, be deceiving. The same can be said for some eCommerce websites that on the offset are attractive and inviting, but in reality, are hampered... 
In today’s omni-channel environment, there are so many different buyer types coming in. Some want to buy online and pick up their purchases in-store. Some just want to window shop on a website, but potentially make final purchase decisions in a brick-and-mortar location. Still others want to comparison shop on their phones while perusing a store's racks. One of the common themes facing retailers, however, is that there’s often a separation of inventory for in-store versus online. The challenge then...