creating a "next generation" e-commerce experience
DESCRIPTION
Learn how to create compelling and consistent e-commerce experiences. See a demo of an e-commerce experience that leverages a common commerce platform together with rich client application technologies that work on a range of Web and mobile platforms.TRANSCRIPT
Creating a "Next Generation" e-Commerce ExperienceJean-Yves Martineau - FounderCactus Commerce
Scott Cairney - VP of Product ManagementCactus Commerce
Outline
Who are we
Trends to watch
Cross-channel strategyNew channelsKey inflection points in cross-channelWhere to begin for a sound strategy
User experience & e-commerceWhy UX is so importantWhere we are in the hype cycle
Commerce Server 2009 – platform enablingIntroducing Commerce Server 2009
Q&A
"This announcement from Microsoft is a breath of fresh air into Commerce Server's image," says Gartner research VP Gene Alvarez. “
InformationWeek, August 8, 2007
We Understand the Flow of Goods
Marketing/Brand
Management
Technology Dev
Marketing & Brand
Agencies
The Future of e-Commerce
Trends to Watch
Driver of Change: Abundance
In the 1950’s, everyone dreamed of owning a car and a home…
Today:2 out of 3 Americans own their own home13 percent of homes purchased are 2nd homesNumber of cars exceeds drivers
Self-storage$17B+ business
U.S. spends more on trash bags than 90 other countries spend on everything
Gross commoditization makes process optimization woefully insufficient
“A focus on cost-cutting and efficiency has helped many organizations weather the downturn, but this approach will ultimately render them obsolete. Only the constant pursuit of innovation can ensure long-term success.”
- Daniel Muzyka, Dean, Sauder School of Business, Univ. of British Columbia
AccelerationA Brief History of Economics
Source: Dan Pink, A Whole New Mind
Agricultural Age
Industrial Age
Information Age
Conceptual Age
“If you don’t like change, you’re going to like irrelevance even less.”
- General Eric Shinseki, Chief of Staff. U. S. Army
“UPS used to be a trucking company with technology. Now it’s a technology company with trucks.” - Forbes
The "Infolust" Trend
Looking at the “always-on” generation
Also known as the click-to-knowsUsing search engines everyday to get instant information on everything including your people and your products
Instant gratification
Proliferation of smart devices
Ubiquitous high bandwidth access
The clash with the “real world”…
New Channels
Augmented reality
Wearable tech
Ultra-mobile computers
Digital signage
Etc.
Multi-player Mobile Game
Engage consumers with a multi-player game controlled through their mobile phones
Interactive Windows
Interact with the audience 24/7 – outside or inside the store
Browse a catalog 24/7 – outside or inside the store
Mobile Augmented Reality
Use mobile devices to augment reality and interact with customers
User generated tagging of the physical world
The FutureAugmented Reality to Guide Consumers Through Complex Tasks
Replacing car parts
Renovation projects
Assemble IKEA furniture
The Future of e-Commerce
How to Engage and Improve Customer Satisfaction
Mobile Becomes Ubiquitous
Apple iPhone, 3 SkypePhone, Amazon Kindle, Google Android, Windows Mobile…
3G+ = 10% of 3.2B global mobile subscribers in C2007E –
21% (critical mass inflection point) of 3.9B in C2009E(iSuppli)
91% of mobile users keep phone within 1 meter reach 24x7 (China Mobile 50K survey)
15-20% of mobiles have GPS, 50% within 5 years(Morgan Stanley Research)
Watch for new generation of Internet leaders to capitalize on growing access to fast Internet access on mobiles
Incumbent carriers + handset manufacturers still desire to control markets – financial dislocations / costs / opportunities may be substantive as wireless industry evolves over next 2-5 years
ATT CQ1 – Wireless data revenue up 57% Y/Y to 22% of wireless service revenue vs. 16% Y/Y. ~13% of devices are 3G and carry 20% higher ARPU than 2G base + iPhoneARPU 2x AT&T average
B2B Companies Using Web 2.0
web 2.0 reality in B2B
tier description exampleshyped butseldom used
Immersive online experiences that require a high degree of socialization or specific technologies to make the most out of features and functions.
+ wikis+ mobile+ viral video+ social networks+ virtual worlds (e.g. Second Life)
emerging Integrated tools that add new media functionality; especially focused on the infusion of motion, sound and elective participation.
+ blogs+ rss feeds+ podcasts+ video-on-demand+ distributed services
everywhere Established web tools entrenched in the day-to-day functions and communications of companies.
+ proprietary web sites+ email marketing+ online advertising+ search engine optimization+ search engine marketing+ webinars
Source: 2007 Survey of National Advertisers and BtoBOnlinecom
Multi/Cross Channel
Forrester - February 2008 “B2B CMO Investment Priorities For 2008”
Linked
An Example
The Imperatives
•Business imperativesBottom up functionalitySimplicity, more practicalityImproves efficiency and speed
User imperatives Web basedEasy to useInherently social
Brand imperativesConsistent and compelling application of voiceCredible brand behaviorClear connection to promise
So Why Is UX So Important?
There’s so much out there on the Internet and there’s no sign of anything slowing down
Technology alone doesn't give you a competitive advantage anymore
Wide bandwidth availability ubiquitously provides a vehicle for richer content; if you don't use it, your competitors will
User Experience
Business Logic
DATA
User Experience
MAGIC
Key Inflection Points
The various channels and devices should be designed to work together, complimentarily, not in silos
The experience itself must be consistent with itself throughout the devices
Moving from text intensive to visual cues and motion to communicate brand and emotion
The digital world’s influence on the “real world”
Key Inflection Points
Not all actions that are possible on one channel are suitable on other channels
Don’t underestimate the importance of meta-data and semantics in your design
Next generation design strategies: inclusive design patterns that cross cultural bounds
Where To Begin?
Build your differentiation through innovation:Don’t focus on the technology first, focus on the end game – what’s the resulting experience?
Gaining cross team alignment is key
Take time to structure the underlying meta-data you will need to represent your experience well
Use interactive story boards to gain early feedback and make cheap adjustments before you put in the “guts” to make it all real
How do you go about innovating, anyway?
Concepts Applied
Visual tools introduced into CS2009, a mainstream Microsoft e-commerce product
Enables a broader set of less sophisticated users govern a production quality set of channels
Uses existing habits in the Microsoft-user world to lower the barrier to entry
Enables a more streamlined experience between marketing and technology
Commerce Server 2009
introducing
What’s New In CS2009?
For site designersStandards-based design with new design tools
Standardized creation and editing of site designsNew tools and technologyPre-built components for rapid site creation
For developers and architectsNew multi-channel unified foundation, web parts, new extensibility model
Out-of-the-box site functionality: web partsUnified programming modelClear separation between business and presentation layersNew extensibility pointsAdditional.NET 3.5-based shopping features built-in
What ‘s New In CS2009?
For your shoppers and purchasersBetter experience
Contemporary out-of-the-box e-commerce site
For merchandisers & marketersWebsite-based information and presentation management
On-the-site product information editingCS2009 templates for presentation managementWeb set up of different “channels”
For IT professionalsUnified interaction surface for different integrated business systems
Unified surface to interact with all your product systems
New SharePoint Commerce Services and Web Parts
MarketingAdvertisements and DiscountsVirtual Earth Store LocatorReviews and Ratings (2 web parts)
SearchSearch BoxSearch Results and Paging (2 web parts)
ProfilesAddress ListAddress DetailCredit Card ListCredit Card DetailMy ProfileRegistration WizardChange, Forgot Password (2 web parts)Live ID*
CatalogProduct QueryProduct Detail DisplayImages ViewerSite Map
OrdersAdd to CartShopping CartMini-cartCheckoutOrder DetailsOrder HistoryMy ListsMy List Details
ManagementChannel Configuration*Property List SelectionProduct ProviderInline Product Editing**
* These items are technically not Web Parts, but they use SharePoint controls and are available in the Default site or can be integrated into other sites.
38
“Mobile” Template
Commerce Server Core SystemsCatalog, Orders, Profiles, Marketing, Analytics,
Staging, Web Services, BizTalk Adaptors
Commerce Server Business
Management Tools
Catalog Manager, Marketing Manager, Customer & Order
Manager
* SharePoint installation required
Commerce Server 2009 SharePoint
Commerce Services*
Site ManagementChannel Mgmt
Presentation MgmtInformation Mgmt
Workflow
Commerce Server 2009 Multi-Channel Commerce Foundation
Unified run-time calling model, meta dataMulti-Channel Awareness
Core e-Commerce Shopping Features
Commerce Server 2009 Web Parts
E.g.: Shopping, Checkout, Profile, …
Commerce Server 2009Default Web Site*
Live!Service
s
Commerce Server IT Pro and Designer
Tools
“Color-Neutral” TemplateSite
Templates
Contemporary
Template
Custom UX: Customize Web Parts
OR Direct to CS2009
Commerce Foundation
Custom
Logic
Commerce Server 2009 Schematic
Commerce Foundation
39
Commerce Foundation: Extensibility points
Commerce EntitiesEncapsulates a single business concept such as a product or a catalogEncapsulates both properties and relationshipsCan be extended to include new properties and new relationshipsSupported by meta data that provides descriptive information about the Commerce Entity that can be retrieved via the API.
OperationsProvides CRUD capabilities on Commerce EntitiesConsists of one or more Operation SequencesMay be extendedThe response of the operation may be extended
Operation SequencesOperation Sequences can be plugged/unplugged on a per-channel basisOut-of-the-box Operation Sequences can be replaced by custom onesOperation Sequences are reusable components that can be created and reused on other projectsThird parties may create new operations that may be purchased rather than custom built
Operation
Message Flow
Opera
tion
Sequence
Opera
tion
Sequence
Opera
tion
Sequence
Opera
tion
Sequence
Web Browser
Mobile Application
Etc...
Public API
Broker
CSSub
Systems
SQL Server
Presentation
Application
Data
Presentation Tools
Presentation Tools
Cloud Services
var productQuery = new Query<CommerceEntity>(“Product”); productQuery.Properties.Add(“Id”);productQuery.Properties.Add(“DisplayName”); productQuery.SearchCriteria.Model.Properties.Add(“Id”, “1243”);productQuery.SearchCriteria.Model.Properties.Add(“CatalogId”,”Adventure Works Catalog”); Response response = OperationServiceAgent.ProcessRequest(requestContext, productQuery.ToRequest())
Commerce Entities Overview
Commerce Server 2009 exposes a single generic class which represents all Commerce Server entities called a “CommerceEntity”
Commerce Server 2009 exposes a single generic class which represents all Commerce Server entities called a “CommerceEntity”
Different types of Commerce Entities are distinguished by the “ModelName” property
Example query:
Operation-Based Programming Model
Operations span all Commerce Server sub systems:CatalogOrdersProfilesMarketing
New operations can be created that communicate with other non-Commerce Server services:
Other Microsoft productsNon-Microsoft products Cloud-based services
Multi-Channel Commerce FoundationScott Cairney
demo
Web Parts: SharePoint Integration
UI Components built as ASP.NET 3.5 Web Parts, providing a number of significant advantages:
Web part connections can be used to marshal requests to Commerce Server
Web parts may be made aware of the zone on a page in which they can reside
Web parts may be personalized by an end user
Web parts can be arranged on a page by a business user in the browser using Windows SharePoint Services or Microsoft Office SharePoint Server
XSLT Templat
e
Product XML
Web Parts:Customization – XSL Transforms
XSL transforms stored in a template
Templates may be managed in a document library when the web part is used with SharePoint
Allows multiple templates to be built, tested and applied by a business user
Multi-Channel
Foundation
SharePoint Site
HTM
L
Query
Resu
lts
Query
Pro
pert
ies
HTM
L
Template Document Library
Product Query Web Part
Commerce Server Contemporary Site PreviewScott Cairney
demo
Business User ExperienceJean-Yves Martineau
demo
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after
the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.
© 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Windows, Windows Vista and other product names are or may be registered trademarks and/or trademarks in the U.S. and/or other countries.
The information herein is for informational purposes only and represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation as of the date of this presentation. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information provided after
the date of this presentation. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR STATUTORY, AS TO THE INFORMATION IN THIS PRESENTATION.