>You ever hear of David Jewelers?
Glenn, I'm on your mailing list... remember?
Have you ever heard of BroadVision or Wal-Marts Sam's club?
>SAMSClub.com, a Wal-Mart company, Launches Large-Scale Shopping Destination
The world just got larger for the 40 million Members of the SAM'S Club chain of discount superstores. SAMSClub.com opened for online shopping this past summer and will be fully integrated with every SAM'S Club location nationwide in October."Our Members have been asking for convenient new ways to shop for products and services and expand their ability to make purchasing decisions," says Scott Sandlin, SAM'S Club's director of e-business."SAMSClub.com extends our brand and allows our Members to shop for products that are carried in the clubs as well as for those they couldn't previously get."
Already available online now are over two thousand items, which can be delivered directly to the Member's doorstep or be picked up at a local SAM'S Club using the club's unique"Click and Pull" service. The online club is adding products every day, moving toward a consistent offering of about ten thousand items in the general shopping category. The site also offers special order catalogs, representing eight thousand additional products. As a members-only club, SAMSClub.com expects many changes to the site to be routine, based upon Member feedback."The Internet world is about change," says Sandlin."People want to know that their site is changing dynamically to improve their shopping experiences. This is our Members' site; we will make adjustments in response to their needs."
In order to facilitate dynamic change and provide a highly reliable Web site, SAMSClub.com knew that it needed a strong e-commerce partner. With high transaction levels, multiple shopping options, and a wide assortment of catalogs, the solution also had to be flexible and scalable. The most important criteria, however, would be the capability to allow SAMSClub.com to build a personalized relationship with every Member. The BroadVision Retail Commerce suite steps up to these tasks.
"We believe that personalization is key in the future," says Sandlin."We chose BroadVision for its incredible ability to manage one-to-one Member relationships." Members can personalize how the online club displays on their desktop, shop by departments across the entire network, or select departments in a local SAM'S Club, for example. Because the BroadVision tool has a user-friendly interface, Members can easily customize their shopping experience and opt for a variety of targeted products and promotions. When Members come online, SAMSClub.com will automatically show them their frequent shopping list from Click and Pull. And, soon, as new products are offered in those same categories, the club will automatically let Members know about them.
Taking a closer look, SAMSClub.com has three core shopping alternatives. General shopping, the first option, extends the reach of the clubs for all types of products-high- and mid-range jewelry, purses, DVDs, books, computers, and more. Dynamic fulfillment services are provided by McLane Company-a sister company of SAM'S Club-and several SAM'S Club suppliers. Inventory quantities available are adjusted as orders are placed; shoppers never see an out-of-stock item. If Members have a problem with any shopping alternative, they can send an e-mail, call the customer interaction center, or visit a local SAM'S Club for help.
Using the Click and Pull service, the second core option, when Members go online they are actually shopping from the live inventory data of the local SAM'S Club. When orders are ready, automatic e-mails alert the Members, who can pick up orders at their convenience.
The third option, Catalog Selections, presents catalogs for a variety of categories, including the Daycare Catalog-which has everything one needs to outfit a day care center-office furniture, vending machines, and domestic items such as linens and related goods. The BroadVision platform offers SAMSClub.com a total e-commerce solution: create and maintain catalogs, process all transactions, manage dynamic inventory, and fully integrate the site with the clubs' systems and back-end fulfillment systems. |
