Johannesburg, 17 Oct 2012
The need to enable online shopping sparked local toy wholesaler Ideal Cycle and Toy's search for a comprehensive and affordable online ordering system that is fully integrated into Accpac. The search led to XM Oxygen, which provides the perfect solution.
Ideal Cycle and Toy Wholesalers provides an extensive range of toys and bicycles to retailers across South Africa. The family business, which was started in Springs in 1936, also distributes a growing range of branded toys, including Yookidoo, Casdon, University games, Hedstrom and Zoob to stockists such as BabyCity, Baby Boom, Makro, CNA and Toyzone.
The company recently introduced new computer systems in order to streamline operations and enable customers nationwide to place their orders online. "We struggled to find an online ordering system that was reasonably priced and had a high level of integration into our existing accounting package, Sage ERP Accpac," says Ideal Cycle and Toy Joint CEO Paul Marcus. "Most of the online ordering systems that were reasonably priced were not designed specifically for Sage ERP Accpac, which caused challenges when we needed to update our database structure or our accounting package," explains Marcus.
"Our decision to go with XM Oxygen was as a result of the excellent customer service we have received from the XM Oxygen personnel around the globe, who always have time for us and make us feel important. The fact that XM Oxygen only integrates with Sage ERP Accpac means that they are experts on this package, as their whole business depends on the integration. The pricing of the system was also more reasonable than its comparisons for the benefit it provides, and there are no extra charges for updates, as it is all included in the monthly amount," explains Marcus.
"Ideal Cycle and Toys' new online ordering portal allows customers to place orders, check up on their order status and check up on the status of their accounts," says Sage ERP Accpac solution provider Rolinda's Ian Goldsmith. "XM Oxygen will also provide Ideal Cycle and Toys with a tool to increase their sales without adding a large, extra overhead," says Goldsmith. XM Oxygen went live at Ideal Cycle and Toys at the end of August.
"The inclusion of e-commerce into any business offering effectively creates a new sales channel, which is exactly what Ideal Cycle and Toys has done," says Keith Fenner, Vice-President of Sales for Africa, Softline Accpac, part of the Sage Group. "The advent of the cloud and growing connectivity in South Africa and Africa at large lays the foundation for solid e-commerce growth. XM Oxygen is seamlessly integrated into our Sage ERP Accpac offering and enables credit card processing (B2C) and on-account ordering (B2B), with order track and trace as well as a host of real-time inventory and customer-centric features," explains Fenner.
"For over three generations, Ideal Cycle and Toys has built its reputation by offering our customers excellent customer service and turnaround times. Our new online ordering system, which is fully integrated with Sage ERP Accpac, is just one way that we are continuing to do this. XM Oxygen will also allow our reps to spend more time on servicing our clients while XM Oxygen does the work," concludes Marcus.
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