A R4 million Informix i.Sell solution is up for grabs for a company that outshines fellow competition with its vision and e-commerce business plan.
The man behind this unique competition offering is Ron Pienaar, MD of Ornet Solutions, an Informix solution partner.
"It`s always fascinated me that people have stuck to paradigms of how they do things," he says. "Often this is the reason we don`t derive value."
To mark its launch in SA, Pienaar looked for a unique method of marketing, and came up with offering the biggest giveaway in the history of IT in SA.
In the i.Sell competition, currently running on ITWeb, Informix SA and Ornet Solutions are giving local companies the chance to win an i.Sell solution package worth about R3.6 million, plus a year of support and services.
Pienaar views the competition as a means of breaking existing paradigms found within local e-commerce. These include market expectations that differentiate local e-business from global counterparts. He says that South Africans tend to seek the benefits of personalisation without providing personal detail; they look to be on the bleeding-edge of technology but still harbour a risk-averse management style.
The i.Sell solution is a new product both for Informix and the South African market, says Pienaar. He highlights several entry barriers, such as the industry`s perception of Informix as a database vendor, not an application company. Cost is also a factor, as i.Sell is a high-end electronic storefront solution that integrates database and application server technology with e-commerce software, tools, consulting and services.
i.Sell is aimed at the high-end market segment, says Pienaar. "It`s for top 200 companies - not necessarily top retail companies, but rather those wishing to bring out an e-commerce offering."
Pienaar explains that the competition judges are looking for a company with an interesting and innovative e-commerce value proposition. This could be in the form of additional services, products or information - something that differentiates the company from other entries, he explains.
Other criteria are a company`s understanding of what i.Sell can do and how it can be used to enhance a business.
The competition runs on ITWeb until 17 March.
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