Gift certificate software

Byline: Curt Barry

After two years of sluggish software sales, we are finally starting to see catalog companies investing in new systems. Luckily for them, during the past two years software vendors didn't stop investing in and improving their own products.

For instance, in January, CommercialWare acquired Toronto-based software provider Capture.Net Technologies and renamed its product CWStore. CWStore strengthens CommercialWare's leadership in "cross-channel retail" and will allow marketers to offer a consistent shopping experience across all customer touch points by capturing and managing transactions and inventory information via one central database regardless of where - Web, catalog, or store - a purchase originated. Customers may start shopping on the Web, choose to pick up the product at a store, and if need be, return it to the distribution center. CWStore will be fully integrated into CWDirect by the end of the year. We believe that this may set the pace for the next revolution in retail systems development.

Most direct-to-customer systems now have a graphic user interface (GUI), but there is a drive to adopt Windows technology, which will simplify training and make the systems easier to use. Ecometry has released its Windows-based Oracle and SQL2000 system. Best Software/Computer Solutions Inc., Natural Solutions, NewHaven Software, and Page Digital all have development projects under way or in early implementation stages. There will be an interesting battle here to see if any of these systems in the long term can process the transaction volumes of larger enterprises served by AS400- and Unix-based providers.

Also, in the past year, some of the industry players have changed. ASTi ceased operation. Assist Cornerstone (formerly Cayenta) was purchased for the third time in the past few years, by Ameritege Technology Partners, a software holding company. And NewHaven Software, which bought the assets of the former Haven Software (Wizard Software) from Ecometry, has redesigned the small-company fulfillment and marketing system and sold it to several dozen catalog companies.

Indeed, a lot has happened in the world of commercial systems. Still, our research shows that more than 50% of catalogers develop their own systems. The decision to develop systems inhouse rather than acquiring a commercial package needs to be centered on the desired business functionality, but in many cases we believe that commercial systems offer a less expensive option for the business owner. The challenge in turn for the software companies will be to continue to provide the systems functionality and support as the direct industry becomes more complex.

The following resource guide will assist you in selecting direct-to-customer fulfillment and marketing systems, warehouse management systems, and supply chain management systems.

Direct-to-customer order management

The following vendors provide full-function call center, fulfillment, marketing, merchandising, and e-commerce-interfaced systems for catalog and Internet-based retailing.

ASSIST CORNERSTONE

Assist is offering ASSISTWebstore, an AS400-based system with full-function shopping cart capability and a real-time Web commerce solution to build, deploy, and manage powerful and scalable e-commerce environments. A reverse logistics component of the system's new functionality manages order returns through Web-based self-service. The enhanced analytics feature leverages the sales analysis tools to provide greater inventory forecasting intelligence. Users will have the ability to set future inventory levels, predict buying patterns, staff call centers, and introduce product lines more effectively. A customer relationship management (CRM) portal provides centralized visibility and management of all customer interactions across an organization. Clients include Alta Resources, Atkins Dietary Products, Icon Health & Fitness, Mid America Direct, and Oreck Products.

Contact: Sean Skamnes, 801-355-7744; www.assistcornerstone.com

AVEXXIS

Avexxis has teamed up with some of the leading providers in the industry to deliver an assortment of advanced modules. Avexxis Corporate and Enterprise editions include advanced shipping and manifesting, e-commerce, address management, data replication, payment processing, advanced sales tax, and reporting tools. Users now can choose between a new Windows interface developed in Delphi, a green screen character interface, or a combination (on a user-by-user basis). Internet offerings include an integrated Internet Storefront interfacing directly to the Avexxis system and leveraging the business rules within the application. A new shipping and manifesting system, with a lower cost for smaller companies, is now an option. Through an Executive Dashboard, top management can monitor the metrics of their business from a new display of selectable reports, charts, and graphs. Avexxis has expanded its standard reporting with a significant number of new reports across the application. Clients include Federated Department Stores, Geerlings & Wade, Vermont Teddy Bear, and The Wisconsin Cheeseman.

Contact: Larry Rocheleau, 888-Avexxis; www.avexxis.com

COMMERCIALWARE

CWDirect (formerly retail.dotcommerce) continues to be a leading AS400-based direct-to-customer system; it's used by companies such as Brooks Brothers, Dick Blick, Park Seed Co., and United Retail Group. CWStore has five modules providing point-of-sale, retail back office, and other functions.

Contact: Sales department, 877-627-8709; www.commercialware.com

COMPUTER SOLUTIONS INC. (CSI)

Since 1978, CSI has marketed its AS400-based Order Power mail order system to marketers such as REI, Toast Master, and Walter Drake and to fulfillment houses including Arnold Logistics, Infinity Resources, Kable Fulfillment, and Total Response. The major enhancements to create the new Direct 500 with Best Software include source coding, upsell/cross-sell, coupons and promotions, FTC notifications, fraud checking, credit-card processing, manifesting, advanced shipping-and-handling tables, recency/frequency/monetary (RFM) modeling and mailing list selection, and manifesting to MAS 500. Direct 500 is engineered with Microsoft tools, technology, and architecture to provide a flexible, scalable and full-featured enterprise solution. Standard modules from the MAS 500 include Financials, Manufacturing, Human Resources, Distribution, CRM, and Business Intelligence Reporting.

Contact: Ernie Smith, 305-558-7000; www.OrderPower.com

DATAMANN

Established in 1975, Datamann worked with larger consumer catalogers early on to develop good reporting in marketing, merchandising, and inventory forecasting. Developmental efforts have been greatly expanded into business-to-business processing with SIC sales reporting, salespeople's files oriented by sales region and source code, and catalog and SKU reporting for 130 weeks. The product is GUI enhanced throughout the database. Considerable expansion is in process for the lifetime value (LTV) and upsell/cross-sell processing functions. In the credit area, "risky zip code" flags and credit-card ID codes are added. Customers include Auto Body Toolmart, Baseball Hall of Fame, Charlie's Greenhouse Supply, Monticello, and Touch of Class.

Contact: Andrew Warner, 802-295-6600 ext. 42; www.datamann.com

DYDACOMP

Dydacomp (Mail Order Manager, or MOM) continues to be the largest installed direct-to-customer system, primarily in small enterprises. Dydacomp is planning advanced features and reports surrounding the inventory, purchasing, and receiving portions of MOM to further enhance the existing product cycle and warehouse management functions. There are new options for point-of-purchase (POP) and SiteLINK e-commerce features to further integrate and streamline operations for businesses running across multiple channels. Flexibility in shipping carrier services continues to expand, building on the existing integration of United Parcel Service's Online Compatible, U.S. Postal Service's MAC/MAC GOLD, and Harvey Software's CPS systems. Dydacomp has expanded its on-site and remote consultation and training programs. Clients include Fairytale Brownies, RC Bigelow Tea, Scooterworks, Sportamerica, and Sportswave.

Contact: Robert Coon, 973-237-9419; www.dydacomp.com

ECOMETRY