Having been employed by such technology titans as AT&T and IBM, I have seen far too many situations where companies move to a new eCommerce platform but didn’t understand the reasons why. I remember a B2C site that suffered from sluggish performance from day one. I was told after the fact that the company didn’t have to migrate to a new platform if someone had known to update a configuration file to allow the site to consume more available memory... Subscribe to this list via RSS Blog posts tagged in WebSphere Commerce
Having been employed by such technology titans as AT&T and IBM, I have seen far too many situations where companies move to a new eCommerce platform but didn’t understand the reasons why. I remember a B2C site that suffered from sluggish performance from day one. I was told after the fact that the company didn’t have to migrate to a new platform if someone had known to update a configuration file to allow the site to consume more available memory... 
The following summary is a list of technical features found in the IBM WebSphere Commerce platform that may be beneficial to you as you expand your online business. B2B CONTRACT PRICING AND PROCESSING. Manage B2B relationships based on predefined rules and contract terms. • Fast, cost-efficient, error free – every time your partners purchase online, they get the same negotiated terms• Utilize the built-in approval process to complete purchase authorization across organizational levels• Increase sales by focusing sales staff on... NetSphere Strategies and CoreMedia, a NetSphere Strategies partner, wrapped up their three-part webinar series last month with the third installment focusing on how to create microsites without the help of an IT team. Easy-to-Use Tools One of the goals for any company involved in eCommerce is to create an immersive experience for shoppers who search the site. With the right tools, technical proficiency isn’t even a prerequisite for improving site search and creating memorable and effective experiences. To drive conversions, retailers...
Taking the idea of the “whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” an eCommerce website finds its strength from a collection of multiple elements that work together in harmony. Although an eCommerce solution can be powerful standing on its own, it finds greater effectiveness when paired with complementary systems. One complementary system, the Smart Merchandiser from Zobrist, is giving a boost to websites powered by IBM’s WebSphere Commerce. Created to help merchandisers keep up with the pace of today’s... 
Attention: WebSphere Commerce customers also using Solr search We have been alerted to a significant issue regarding Fix Pack 8 for WebSphere Commerce V7. We recently detected the issue when testing out this fix pack for one of our clients, and according to IBM it is affecting other customers, as well. The issue is only relevant for those WebSphere Commerce customers that have Solr search installed on their sites. Essentially, the installation of FP8 breaks search and navigation functionality when Solr... 
Technology evolves about as quickly as the second hand moves around its dial. But as technology speeds up, businesses, too, must do their best to keep up at the same pace. The challenge, however, revolves around the ever-growing duties of eCommerce development staff. With IT departments being rained down on with new responsibilities and requests, the growth of an online store is inevitably stymied. And that’s where IBM and its WebSphere Commerce business users come into the picture. In its much-anticipated... 
Let’s face it. Almost every eCommerce organization that internalizes its WebSphere Commerce duties has difficulty finding qualified resources. And that’s because there are simply not enough administrators and developers trained on WebSphere Commerce to recruit and fill the demand. Therefore, the solution to this persistent problem is to outsource that work. By shifting ongoing eCommerce development and support tasks off-site to highly specialized firms, merchants won’t have to worry about finding, training or retaining these skills themselves. Unsurprisingly, the best firms... 
Every time someone purchases an iPhone, it seems like a newer, more powerful version is released just moments afterward. Over the past six years, eight versions of the iPhone have been introduced to the market, leaving so many smartphone users with new-version envy. The question circling the minds of these not-so-outdated smartphone users then is: Is it worth it to upgrade? Often times, however, the answer is no – especially if the phone is still relatively new. According to NBC... 
Working off of consumer-wide shopping statistics and customer-engagement best practices is a sound method for launching an eCommerce marketing campaign. But as most businesses owners know, no two companies or industries are alike. What might work for a clothing retailer, might not find traction for a lawn care provider. Therefore, businesses will have to look within to discover how their own customers are attracted and retained. And as far as best practices are concerned, IBM reminded business owners in a... 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.