Entertaining with EDI

As retailers begin leveraging the Internet to build on-line sales, marketing, and order-entry systems, EC is becoming big business for VARs. Consider The Web Factory, a London-based developer of custom EDI and Web solutions, and the work it did while helping Total Home Entertainment (THE) construct an EDI solution for round-the-clock access to its product line.

THE supplies over 12,000 retail outlets in the U.K.--and 2000 located elsewhere around the world--with 200,000 home entertainment products, such as videos, C Ds, and books. Most of the 5000 orders processed each day originate in the U.K.

"THE saw small, independent retail stores as its new signific ant growth area," explains John Ridd , channel director at The Web Factory. "But its existing EDI model was prohibitive to these small outlets in terms of access and affordability. The Internet opens up EC to large and small businesses alike."

Working with The Web Factory, THE set out to provide an on-line system that would let customers from around the world dial in, place orders, and receive automatic confirmation.

"We wanted to take our proprietary EDI applications and move them into the open, standards-based world of Internet EC," explains Dick Francis, managing director, THE Group. "Using the Web as an access mechanism enables us to do lots more than just take and confirm ord-ers. We can also encourage a sense of community on our Web site and make it a central meeting place where our retail stores can find useful information to manage their businesses."

For example, THE can post data about new and best-selling products from its Oracle database directly to its Web si te. Hot links to the company's top 10 retail stores help smaller outlets gather merchandising tips and network with associate companies.

"Small retailers can't afford a marketing department," adds Francis. "We want to share the data our retailers need to be successful. By giving them up-to-the-minute data, we can be instrumental in augmenting their profits and, indirectly, our own."

While most of today's Web sites are constructed around Unix, The Web Factory often recommends Windows NT on the AlphaServer systems it resells from Digital Equipment. "We see Windows NT on the AlphaServer platform as an ideal combination for creating an open, highly accessible system," Ridd explains. "Digital and Microsoft have put together a wide range of Internet products that mesh nicely with the Windows-based back-office systems that many companies already have."

Effective deployment of new technology, coupled with good old-fashioned business sense, is keeping THE on the forefront of the retail industry. "Hav ing an Internet community-support system adds to our potential profits while enhancing our corporate image," Francis says.

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John Ridd

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"Digital and Microsoft have put together a wide range of Internet products that mesh nicely with Windows-based back-office systems."--John Ridd