New York: IBM is introducing WebSphere Commerce 7, a new release
e-commerce software that enhances the shopping experience for mobile
consumers. The software incorporates new social networking capabilities
and the ability for retailers to reach consumers with personalized
promotions, coupons and other content, regardless of how or where the
customer chooses to shop with them.
Shoppers can even place orders online and pick up their merchandise at
the closest store - which can be automatically mapped out for them on
their mobile phone. With the new IBM technology, retailers can also
instantly deliver timely, relevant and personalized brand information
and promotions, based on past purchases, to a customer's mobile device
through text messages or e-mail.
Advancements in mobile devices are reshaping the way customers interact
with brands, expanding beyond mere information exchange to true online
commerce. Increasingly, the beneficiaries of this growth are online
retailers. According to independent research firm Forrester, consumer
retail sales from websites is projected to reach $211.7 billion by 2012
in the United States alone, up from $125.1 billion in 2007.
According to IBM's Institute for Business Value, the number of mobile
users will grow by 191 percent from 2006 to 2011 to reach approximately
one billion users worldwide. These numbers are being driven by people
in both industrialized as well as developing nations. Because broadband
access remains difficult in many places, hand-held devices are often
the only means of access to the Web.
IBM's new software allows retailers to more effectively leverage the
growing influence of online social networks, bringing brand and product
discussions back to the retailer's site and converting them into
transactions. For example, with one click a product review or blog post
with a link back to the retailer's site can automatically be sent to
Facebook or other social networking sites. Online sellers can augment
their brand experience further with rich content that includes ratings
and reviews and threaded discussions with photo sharing.
Sam Ash, a leading retailer of musical instruments and DJ equipment, is
using WebSphere Commerce to drive the customer's online experience,
using it as a base to provide customer-provided ratings and reviews.
"By using IBM's WebSphere Commerce, Sam Ash.com has been able to
enhance the shopping experience in ways that we never believed were
possible," said David Ash, CEO at Sam Ash.com. "We want to provide our
online customers with more ways to research and virtually test drive
our products online. Our site has proven that it resonates well with
shoppers."
The mobile and social commerce aspects are enhanced further through
another new IBM capability called Cross-Channel Precision Marketing,
which gives retailers the ability to understand customer buying
behaviors and respond by delivering targeted promotions or other
content instantly.
"New sales channels and points of interaction now define and fragment
the consumers' retail journey, forcing companies to change the way they
market, build relationships and deliver brand value," said Beth Smith,
Vice President of WebSphere at IBM. "WebSphere Commerce is designed to
help retailers around the world execute marketing campaigns and build
rich customer relationships that span sales channels and interaction
models."
IBM WebSphere Commerce 7 is immediately available starting at about $30,000 for 100 Processor Value Units (PVUs).
