IBM Extends E-Commerce to AS/400
IBM revealed a new e-commerce software suite for AS/400 that enables e-businesses to build customer loyalty and site activity to increase revenues. WebSphere Commerce Suite, Pro Edition for AS/400, Version 4.1, offers new, advanced functionality required by the next generation of e-commerce businesses.
It has features that allow companies to increase revenue through targeted customer loyalty and relationship marketing programs, including personalization, merchandising, business analysis and reporting, order management, auctions, and integration with existing systems and processes. The software provides the full range of features and functionality necessary to meet the needs of e-commerce's business-to-business, business-to-consumer and e-marketplaces.
WebSphere Commerce Studio tools are easier to use, reducing development time and costs. The tools provide a flexible and powerful Web application development and management workbench for advanced, rapid and easy Web application development, integration, deployment, usage and management.
IBM WebSphere Commerce Suite enables businesses to build customer loyalty with functions, such as personalization. The personalization function uses individual customer profiles to analyze customer needs and respond with customized offers. New catalog enhancements help drive sales through capabilities like up-selling and cross-selling.
IBM WebSphere Commerce Suite uses Blaze Advisor technology, which provides a rules-based personalization framework to create an electronic catalog for businesses based on specific customer demographics. With this technology, businesses can serve their customer needs while implementing marketing and sales programs to provide a more interactive experience for the customer.
A new dynamic e-marketplace can be created for the rapidly growing number of business-to-business focused companies. With IBM WebSphere Commerce Suite, companies can improve operational efficiency and reduce the cost of sales to partners and customers by using features such as batch user registration, auction code and real-time order status and inventory updates. Integration with back-end business-critical systems enhances order processing by facilitating the exchange of data using emerging industry standards such as the XML protocol.
IBM WebSphere Commerce Suite, Pro Edition (formerly Net.Commerce Pro) will be available on OS/400 on May 31, 2000, in English only. National Language Support will be available on July 31. It has a tier-based price structure starting at $15,000. WebSphere Commerce Suite will be shipped with IBM WebSphere Application Server, Advanced Edition, Version 3.0.2, and IBM WebSphere Payment Manager, Version 2.1.