People are buying online. All our surveys and contemporary research show that the number of people buying products and services online is on an increase. And along with this comes the deluge of software packages that assist in developing e-commerce websites.
Now these software packages are good for developing platforms that facilitate online trade and commerce. They do an excellent job when it comes to putting together an e-commerce website that sells products and services. But that’s all they are good for – selling. If you are looking to develop e-commerce applications that sell and deliver memorable experience then these software packages are no good. What you need here is Microsoft’s Commerce Server.
The Commerce Server is Microsoft’s very own product for building flexible and multichannel e-commerce systems using .Net technology. The Commerce Server applications ensure a memorable online experience for your customers. But they are also real easy on your pocket given some of their business critical advantages. So then how is MS Commerce Server better than its competition?
Rapid Application Development & Deployment
To take advantage of the growing e-commerce trend you need to jump in and seize the opportunity. But jumping in does not mean you take a blind leap of faith. You need a finished website on hand to do it. MS Commerce Server can give you an up and running e-commerce website within no time.
The product has several visually stunning themes and skins to choose from. So you need not delay your website launch just because you don’t have a theme custom developed for it. Similarly, the website has a modular structure. This means you can carry out real-time changes to it without compromising on performance. The product’s 30 odd controls and plugins make site updation a piece of cake. So you can have a complete e-commerce website with all the essential features like browsing, search, sitemaps, shopping cart, checkout process, all done to perfection.
Secure Multi Channel Support
MS Commerce Server’s default website comes with single sign-on capabilities. It features SSL support and profile data encryption with Security Configuration Wizard for security purposes. You can also integrate your e-commerce website with host of other Microsoft products like SharePoint Server, Windows Live, Bings Map, etc. Coming out of Microsoft’s kitty, your Commerce Server website will not face compatibility issues when integrating with any other Microsoft product. Furthermore, your website can support multiple channels exposing your business to a wider audience segment.
Interactive Customer Engagement
The MS Commerce Server package also has features like product reviews and product ratings. You can encourage your online clientele to come forward and rate your products and services with reviews. Thus, you can better engage your customers and identify avenues for improvement. You can have multiple catalogues running on your single website. You can host forums, blogs, wikis, and even run marketing campaigns on your e-commerce website. You can define different user roles for your website and grant role-based access to features. Thus, you can have a platform from where you can grow your business through enhanced client involvement.
Better Merchandizing & Marketing
You can use your MS Commerce Server website to carry out dedicated merchandize promotion and brand specific marketing. The product has something called adjustable page templates. You can use them to create event specific or product specific pages on your website. This will allow you to better manage and promote certain merchandize or events. Moreover, the product comes laced with advanced analytics of Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services. These analytics will tell you what is working in your marketing campaign and where it’s lacking. You can take these learnings into your next campaign and if required draw out policies accordingly. An integrated view provided by the integrated SharePoint Server will enhance your customer understanding and decision-making.
Support & Interoperability
A lot of e-commerce website development packages available out there face some major issues in terms of support and interoperability. But MS Commerce Server has no such problems. In fact, it helps you leverage your legacy systems to your business advantage. Your website can interoperate with your enterprise level systems like enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), supply chain management (SCM), etc. Your website can further enjoy integration with Windows Server family and 64-bit support for enhanced performance and operational scalability. Your website can also enjoy data integration with third party applications through MS Commerce Server’s in-built adapters. Additionally, MS Commerce Server’s service-oriented architecture helps create better real-time separation between data, business, and user experience.
So don’t let the opportunity slip away. Flourish to the maximum in this day and age of e-commerce with MS Commerce Server driven e-commerce applications.
