Integrating your eCommerce site – is it all hype?
Posted by Integration Man on September 16, 2009
According to a recent Gartner Inc report Hype Cycle for eCommerce, companies are investing more than ever before in eCommerce technologies and capabilities. Part of this is due to the current economic downturn, because companies need to increase revenue while simultaneously reducing the cost of sales. Also, business is increasingly being accomplished ”online”, requiring companies of all sizes to provide an optimized eCommerce experience.
Another interesting point in the report is the increase of SaaS offerings for eCommerce. According to the report, “the increasing number of providers and developments in eCommerce software as a service (SaaS) have opened eCommerce capabilities to a much broader audience of organizations than ever before, and hype around SaaS offerings is increasing due to the current economy and market forces.”
At Hubspan, we are also seeing the same increase in demand for improved eCommerce operations, and integration is a key piece of that. Our customers are realizing they can create competitive advantage while driving down costs by providing a better eCommerce experience for both suppliers and customers through integration.
For example, customer integration with an eStore allows buyers to quickly and easily research the products available that meet their needs and make a purchase decision. This allows buyers to compare product features and prices, configure products specifically to their requirements and find out if the product is in stock. After making a purchase, buyers can track the shipment or receive status emails.
While the user interface of an eStore is often deemed the most important element of eCommerce, when it comes to b2b eCommerce, integration between the eStore and the applications of the buyers and suppliers is just as vital to the success of the operation and often essential for a complete and seamless shopping experience.
Successful integration of an eStore operation usually includes tight coupling with a buyer’s procurement system via PunchOut to fit into the buyer’s purchasing model. Also important is integration with the suppliers’ catalogs, inventory management systems and order tracking systems in order to provide a seamless interface.
Clearly, there are a number of ways that your company can integrate your eStore with other systems inside and outside your organization. The Gartner report recognizes that ten years ago, companies tended to take on these projects internally, but more and more are outsourcing integration to companies like Hubspan who can help them scale these projects in order to cope with more B2B dealings while relieving pressure on IT organizations.
Therefore, while integration as a service is a critical part of the hype cycle for eCommerce, according to Gartner analyst Benoit Lheureux, it is far from just hype. In fact, integration can bring tangible results for companies, including increased efficiencies, higher revenues, improved customer retention and reduced costs.
Tags: customer integration, customer retention, e-procurement, Gartner, hype cycle, Integration as a Service, procurement, punchout
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