Just recently I came across an interesting article on B2B.com which reported that a universal integration system is the top strategy for businesses challenging with internal and supplier communication. Aberdeen Group, a research firm in Boston,  surveyed the chief supply chain officers at 158 enterprises last April and 78% of the respondents said the top business strategy for dealing with supply chain issues is improving internal cross-departmental visibility and integration.

“In short, today’s supply chain management professional is being asked to move products further and faster than ever before through all these various channels while striving to decrease logistics costs and increase profitability,” Aberdeen reports.

B2B Companies today are being asked to have exact inventory levels available at all times to ensure the retailers they are working with have access to their up to date product information. Implementing processes and technologies, like eBridge’s EDI integration, that automate the tedious day-to-day work that keeps your business running will allow you and your employees to focus on higher-level strategic tasks. An EDI integration system for B2B companies ensures an integrated flow of data that eliminates data entry. EDI is used in all major industries, such as health, retail, automotive, finance etc. and can be implemented almost immediately, depending on the type of EDI solution chosen.

This type of seamless integration is also becoming increasingly valuable and often necessary for eCommerce companies. With the eBridge eCommerce integration, customer and sales order information is automatically entered into the back-office financial system from the Ecommerce storefront. In turn, product information and order status updates are automatically entered into the Ecommerce storefront to provide customers with essential and up-to-date information. The eCommerce solution greatly increases the speed of information exchange, resulting in improved customer service efficiency and customer satisfaction.

If you believe your company would benefit from eBridge’s universal integration platform, please comment below or contact me today: pvanasseldonk@ebridgeconnections.com

Also, if you wish to view the report “Supply Chain Visibility and Collaborative Execution in Consumer Markets: Addressing Omni-channel Logistics” it is normally available for Aberdeen clients at a price of $399, but is available as a free download for a limited time only.

CRM Integration, EDI - Our Customers Trading Partner Series, EDI Buyers Guide, EDI Integration, EDI Tips and Tricks, Education, General EDI, Integration, Integration as a Service, Uncategorized, Webstore Integration, eBRIDGE Blog, eCommerce eCommerce

Most people start the New Year with high hopes thinking that this year will be a more successful year than the last. Goals are set and resolutions are made, so if one of your goals or resolutions for 2013 has to do with eCommerce success, than you came to the right blog.

I found three articles that really lay out what eCommerce retailers need to do to be effective in the fast pace tech-industry during 2013. The articles lay out what you need to do to set your eCommerce site apart from others. Shoppers now have the flexibility to shop in a store, online, or through their mobile device, which gives them access to eCommerce stores all over the world. The three articles do a great job providing tips and tricks that range from website layout to unique promotional ideas which I think will give ideas for even the most veteran eCommerce sites.

Perhaps you’ve neglected your 2013 goals or just haven’t gotten around to making the wanted or needed changes to your eCommerce website, well now is your time. Don’t put it off any longer. 2013 is moving quickly, so by following these helpful tips, you could reach success that you once thought was only a dream!

If you have any other great eCommerce articles, please post them in the comments section. I would love to read other tips you have used to help your company succeed in 2013!

13 Tips for Ecommerce Success

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3882-13-Tips-for-Ecommerce-Success-in-2013

Revamp Your Open Source e-Commerce Website for the New Year

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/blogs/post/1011-Revamp-Your-Open-Source-e-Commerce-Website-for-the-New-Year

What Do Shoppers Think of Your Ecommerce Site?

http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/3873-What-Do-Shoppers-Think-of-Your-Ecommerce-Site-

If you have any other great eCommerce articles, please post them in the comments section. I’m sure that there are tons more effective tips that may help your fellow e-retailer!

Education, Support, Uncategorized, Webstore Integration, eBRIDGE Blog, eCommerce eBRIDGE Blog, eCommerce, eCommerce Tips

Over the last decade eBridge Connections has watched eCommerce solutions continuously grow in popularity as an integration platform. This eCommerce growth isn’t strictly an eBridge situation, it’s a trend that has been occuring throughout B2B and B2C industries as well. And the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon. According to eMarketer, online shopping will increase by 17% this holiday season in the US. Many eCommerce merchants are currently preparing their stock and their webstores for the holiday season so here are some valuable tips eCommerce merchants use to prepare themselves for the holiday rush:

1. PPC (Pay-Per-Click)

With the increase in online sales comes an increase in competition. The online market is becoming more and more saturated so online merchants need to find effective and creative ways to reach their target audience. Many merchants turn to PPC options to reach their target market.  eCommerce sites can choose specific keywords for their product sets or their competitive advantage which will hopefully bring more traffic to their site.

A research site called spyfu.com makes it possible for you to see if your PPC keywords are similar to your competitors. Using sites like spyfu.com or other SEO tools can really leverage your company’s PPC efforts.

2. Comparison Shopping

Even though there are many customers out there that are brand loyal and would only shop at certain webstores, there are also many customers that are looking for the best deal possible, especially around the holiday season. ‘Understanding Comparison Shopping Engines‘ is a great article about comparison shopping which has many valuable insights for eCommerce businesses.

One of the most popular free comparison shopping sites is Google’s ‘Google Product Search‘. It’s popularity arises from it’s push from webstores for ‘real time’ pricing and product availability.  Google Product Search downgrades products that don’t display accurate information making it a very trusted site by its users.

3. Mobile Commerce

Mobile Commerce is another increasingly popular online payment tool. With the number of smartphone users growing and smartphones becoming more innovative and secure, mobile commerce will see continued growth in the future. PayPal grew its mobile payments from $141 million to $4 billion from 2009-2011.

eCommerce users need to ensure their websites are mobile friendly to ensure they don’t lose out on potential mobile customers.

4. Accounting Package Integration

This holiday season if you integrate your eCommerce webcart with your accounting package you will feel a lot less stressed, you will receive fewer headaches and you will have more time to enjoy your holiday season. (*Not Scientifically Proven* but true nonetheless!)

An eCommerce and accounting integration will ensure that your inventories are up to date and that this up to date information is reflected on your webstore. That way you don’t have to send any embarrassing emails to customers saying their product is on back order. Integrations also automate fulfillment of eCommerce orders which ensure that your process speed is as quick as it can be. Lastly, an integration solution will keep accurate shipping details reflected on your customers eCommerce account, which makes products very easy to track.

Webstore Integration, eCommerce 2012 Holiday Season, eCommerce

I had the pleasure of attending an educational seminar last night [December 14th,2010] hosted by Silicon Halton [www.siliconhalton.com] at Sheridan College.    The focus of the meeting was on Doing Business In The US.    The main speaker was Mary C. St. Mary, Trade Commissioner at Canadian Consulate General of Buffalo.  She spent time telling us about the resources available to Canadian companies who wanted to do business in the US.  There was also a panel of individuals from companies who are members of Silicon Halton who conduct business currently across borders who shared their insights and experiences with the group.
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eCommerce eCommerce, ecommerce taxes, tax

If you ever thought that online shopping hasn’t made the mainstream, think again.  On Cyber Monday, Nov. 29, 2010, there was reportedly more than 1 billion dollars ($1.028 billion to be exact) spent in online sales in the U.S. for the first time ever as reported by comscore.com .  What makes this story this even more compelling is November saw the loss of 28,000 retail jobs in November.
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eCommerce Cyber Monday, eCommerce, Mike C, record

Last week, our CEO Colin Brown was in attendance at the 2010 eCommerce Expo at the Olympia in London, UK. The show had an incredible turn out and we had the opportunity meet and speak with a number of new potential partners. In addition, we had the chance to meet face-to-face with a few of our friends that we’re already working with:

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Events, Integration AspDotNetStorefront, colin brown, commerceguys, eCommerce, expo, partners, volusion

Real-time processing implies that processing of data happens upon the completion of an event (request for data for example) and is immediately handed off to the next system that processes immediately and so on. Here, I’m mainly referring to the flow of information through the supply chain and the speed at which that information travels, which helps orchestrate the flow of materials and resources. Access to information in real-time provides business intelligence that allows decisions to be made about any changes that may be needed for the orchestration.

An example always helps so let’s look at something I come across at least a few times a month:

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Integration, Integration as a Service, eCommerce eCommerce, factors, feedback, Integration, Mike C

Taxes. What can I say about taxes that we don’t already know, other than not paying them can land you in jail; just ask Al Capone.

Just because you have an E-Commerce business and not a bricks-and-mortar store doesn’t mean you’re exempt from collecting and remitting state and county taxes. Bricks-and-mortar retailers claim an unfair advantage of internet retailers and state and county governments are losing billions of dollars in lost tax dollars.

In 1992, North Dakota sued Quill Office Products for use taxes on products purchased by North Dakota residents.  

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Webstore Integration e-commerce, eCommerce, ecommerce taxes, Mike C, tax, taxation

Part 4: Order Completion

By: Mike Catalfamo

Completing the order using an integrated solution involves updating the order on your E-Commerce site with the relevant shipping details such as the tracking number, shipment date, quantities shipped for each product. This typically triggers a few events on your E-Commerce site such as an email to the customer and release of payment into your bank account. Since this is relatively straightforward, let’s look at shipping in general.

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Webstore Integration eCommerce, ecommerce integration, Knowledge, Mike C, Series

EDI Integration, eCommerce Connections, eCommerce, ecommerce integration, edi