E-commerce Solutions From Art Works Studio
	Components
	An e-commerce solution from Art Works Studio would consist of the following integrated components:
	A database driven catalog delivery system.
	We will set up a flat-file database format which can be produced from FileMaker Pro, MS Access, Oracle or any other database program you may be using currently or in the future. You will be able to generate a new web database on a regular schedule or as the data changes and upload it to your site through a web browser interface which will be designed into the system. Without real-time connection between all transaction points and the centralized database, true database integration is impossible. Any online e commerce system will require regular transfer of orders and updated data between the web server and the centralized data store. The solution that we develop will make this process as simple and easy as possible. Many database programs, including FileMaker, boast of their compatibility with online shopping systems through their ability to generate HTML pages containing formatted data. In truth, this is useful only in very limited ways because of the static nature of the generated pages. Our system will use the tab delimited text output from any database program to dynamically create catalog web pages. Not only does this give you unlimited freedom in managing your internal database, but it also provides a very simple way of designing a single interface and incorporating the latest data at the time of a customer’s request for the catalog page.
	A custom shopping cart ordering system.
	We will develop an order taking system that will provide a simple way for customers to order products and services from your online store. This system will be fully integrated into the catalog delivery system in order to allow customers to simply select a few options for a product and click an “add to cart” button. When they are done shopping they can click on the “Check out” button where they can review and modify the contents of their cart, fill in shipping and credit card information, and submit the order. All aspects of this system will be completely customizable. Special discounts, limited time offers, and other promotional programs can be easily implemented at any time.
	Secure order retrieval system.
	When a customer submits an order, the order and the accompanying credit card information is encrypted and stored on the secured web server. An e-mail notification is then sent to you with a link to the password protected web page that will (upon password validation) decrypt the order and display it for you so you may enter it into your internal order handling system. As an additional layer of security, the code that decrypts the order information is itself encrypted, and the decryption key for that is coded into the password you will use to access the orders! Through a combination of a secure web server and the above security measures, your customers can be completely confident that their information is safe from prying eyes throughout the ordering process.
	Benefits
	An e-commerce solution made up of the three fully integrated components described above has the following advantages:
	Custom written and specific to your company.
	An e-commerce solution from Art Works Studio will be developed to your specifications, to meet your specific needs. We will be able to incorporate a consistent, well-designed user interface throughout, enabling you to present a coherent and familiar image at all stages of the shopping and ordering process. As your product and service offerings evolve, your e commerce system will be easily adapted to accommodate whatever changes you may wish to implement. Where most shopping cart systems provide a very generic interface when you view your cart or submit an order, our system will be located entirely on your site and continue the well developed “look and feel” from the catalog pages through to the “Thank you for your order” page. This has the effect of instilling confidence in the minds of your customers that their sensitive information will be protected and that their order will be processed in a timely manner.
	Complete portability.
	Unlike “off-the-shelf” products that require proprietary software running on the server, our solution will be written entirely in Perl and HTML. As such, it will be completely platform independent and require no special features from your hosting service provider. As your business grows and your needs change, you will be free to move your site to whatever server best meets your requirements or offers the best price. For example, we can set up your fully functional e-commerce website on one of the hosting service providers that we work with, including a secure server and full CGI capabilities, for $59.95/mo.
	Lowest possible development costs.
	By combining the design of your new website with the development of the e-commerce system, we can provide a fully integrated and cost-effective solution which will give you the very highest quality in both design and functionality. Our solution will also avoid the extra expense of licensing any proprietary software from a third party.
	Lowest possible maintenance and operating costs.
	Regular database management functions will be accomplished entirely by your own staff through a web based interface. The order retrieval system will also integrate seamlessly with your existing order processing system. The entire system will be designed to allow for changing discounts, shipping costs, and product options by re-setting a few global variables. All changes in pricing and availability, and the addition of new products or services will be handled in exactly the same manner as you are currently using. The changes are made in your existing database, and the online database is synchronized by generating and uploading a new text file.
	Remote sales force access and other special features.
	Due to the completely custom and fully customizable nature of an e-commerce solution from Art Works Studio, special features such as remote access can be easily added at any time. We could implement a password system that would give your sales people and company representatives in the field easy access to wholesale prices, production schedules, or any other internal data maintained in your current (or future) database system. In much the same way, we could also implement a method whereby your dealers and resellers could have access to a different pricing structure from the general public. These are only a few examples of the special features that can be added at any time.
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