On 7/31/02 12:37 PM, in article
3D483C60.66DA0AD7@mlcswoodworking.com,
"Chris" <sawdust@mlcswoodworking.com> wrote:
I am in your same situation as my client sells two catalogs containing over
10,000 sku numbers.
I looked into Order Manager but, the problem is that you would then have to
import Order Managers database into your existing order system. It's more
like a third wheel if you ask me. The answer is in finding a way to have
ShopSite write orders to your existing database directly. The only issue is
that ShopSite would also have to read off of this same database which is not
going to happen in real time using Order Manager!
We are also looking into ways to manage product categories remotely using
MySQL and PHP. We want to publish product category templates that will link
to ShopSite's product page templates. I looked into Ecom Assembler but, it
requires that my clients have a copy on their system as well. I hardly think
my clients will want to spend time updating changes and uploading those
changes in unison with my local copy of the website. So, we are going to
automate everything online using these two technologies.
If you want to take a look at a very impressive website using ShopSite
technology, take a look at danchuk.com. I have another client that is
similar to this website that was published in the Wall Street Journal last
November. The concept I had in mind when I developed these templates was
allowing the customer to drive the site rather than steering them through
advertisements. The graphics are one of a kind and nobody has yet done this
type of customization on a large scale website using ShopSite technology.
Where there is a will, there is a way! I would suggest looking into possible
ways to work off the same SQL database and have ShopSite write orders to it
in real time. This can be done with PHP.
My clients are like you... They spend thousands on telephone ordering
systems and are not about to replace their systems for a third database. It
is confusing enough trying to coordinate two of them.
Order Manager is a great package for businesses that start off on the
internet to become large mail order companies. My clients are the largest
manufacturer's within their industries and are merely dabbling into internet
markets right now.
In my opinion, StoneEdge Technologies seems like a third wheel when it comes
down to integrating ShopSite into your current legacy systems.
Does anyone have any suggestions on invoicing/sales/inventory programs
that integrate easily with Shopsite via database upload/download
capabilities?
We currently use FACTS sotware by Software Solutions Inc for all of our
inventory work, invoicing, and non-Internet (ie. phone and mail order)
sales.
We can import our Internet orders into FACTS via some custom programming
that was done at a considerable expense. However, we can't do any
real-time inventory information sharing (or even daily uploads) or pass
information back into Shopsite to provide customers with tracking
information.
While its unlikely we'll do away with FACTS anytime soon, we were hoping
to get ideas for the future. Does anyone have a backoffice system that
integrates easily (with minimal modification) with Shopsite.
Chris
MLCS