Digital Mall.com, the local one-stop online shop, is planning to expand its customer offerings based on its long-standing implementation of Microsoft technology. A comprehensive site redevelopment is complete and planned for launch in July. This will see added features such as multiple store shopping with single payment, various delivery options, as well as advanced customer service facilities - saving costs and adding convenience for Digital Mall.com shoppers.
Digital Mall.com currently connects 15 000 to 20 000 concurrent users during peak times to the `click and mortar` retailers such as Incredible Connection, Look & Listen, Click & Pay, Nando`s and the Virtual Florist. June sees the launch of Toys `R` Us and Reggies, effectively cornering the online toy market in South Africa.
The functionality contained in Microsoft Site Server 3.0 Commerce Edition which the site is based on, allows for real-time tracking of orders, customer history searches and analysis of the best selling products across all product categories. DigitalMall.com has built on the transaction capability offered by the Microsoft platform by using www.iveri.com`s online credit card component.
The site is broken into various categories such as music, books, flowers, computers / electronics and gifts. Long-term relationships are established with `big brand` retailers to provide their expertise, goods, as well as general retail knowledge and experience. There are two main data stores which hold product and customer information, allowing for personalisation of membership. Each store has its own browser-based site manager which provides integrated access across all of the sites. The data mining functionality of the software allows for intelligent searches of profiles on the database, so that targeted information can be sent to users who have requested it.
The 18 month old company has used Microsoft technology since its beginnings. "We base our shopper interaction on the permission-marketing principle - only pushing information to those who have requested it to avoid the negative irritation factor and allow for relevant, anticipated messaging," says Garin Toren, marketing and sales director at DigitalMall.com. "Microsoft`s technology allows us to intelligently utilise the shopper information we have available, so that we can provide better service to our customers - the retailers who are part of our shopping location."
"By building on the standard functionality provided by the Microsoft Site Server 3.0 Commerce Edition platform, we are able to manage and build our customer relationships," says Toren. "With Microsoft technology, we have the ability to take the administrative pain away from retailers who want to go online, by managing their e-stores for them."
To include the human element in the shopping experience, DigitalMall.com has a 32-person customer interaction centre at its offices in Rivonia, to provide assistance where required. Through the Microsoft technology platform, DigitalMall.com was the first local shopping site to offer WAP purchasing. Dotcoza, the Internet recluse, has also frequented the grocery site and recently voted it one of the best three local sites. An element recently added to the Virtual Florist site, is online gift vouchers which can be purchased and redeemed by shoppers on the site, or sent as gifts to others.
"Microsoft is committed to the commercial Internet market," says Mark Berman, principal technology strategist in the dot.com group at Microsoft South Africa. "DigitalMall.com is definitely what we define as a `hot dot` -a successful commerce site which is powered by Microsoft technology. Site Server 3.0 Commerce Edition provides a comprehensive suite that delivers advanced member management, personalisation and content management - putting DigitalMall.com in the prime position to offer its differentiated services to traditional retailers that want to take their business online."
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Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software for personal computers. The company offers a wide range of products and services for business and personal use, each designed with the mission of making it easier and more enjoyable for people to take advantage of the full power of personal computing every day. Microsoft South Africa was launched in January 1993 in Johannesburg and now has sales offices in Durban and Cape Town.
If you are interested in viewing additional information on Microsoft South Africa, please visit the Microsoft Web page at www.microsoft.com, the Microsoft South Africa home page at http://www.microsoft.com/southafrica/ or the IT Web Website at http://www.itweb.co.za, South Africa`s only daily online source of information and technology news.