Exact Abacus Blog

New Website For Exact Abacus

2011-02-28T06:22:00.000-08:00

Leading eCommerce Software Solution provider, Exact Abacus, last week unveiled their brand new company website.

Developed on their own 3ex.net platform and designed on the eCommerce web design software inhouse, the new Exact Abacus website is a great platform for the company to display exactly what the software is capable of and how the platform can help to deliver greater business efficiencies for its clients.

The 3ex.net software, by Exact Abacus, allows companies to manage their eCommerce Website via a sophisticated Content Management System, which is linked to the intrinsic business functions within the platform. Once the orders have been taken via the eCommerce Websites, users can expect to manage all sales order processing, customer relationship management, warehouse management, call centre services and fulfilment services all via the same 3ex.net platform.

Cockfight Barn Launches New Website

2011-02-07T01:30:00.000-08:00

Exact Abacus has recently launched the brand new website for Cockfight Barn, a traditional brick built, 250 year old barn in the conservation area in Croston, Lancashire. Developed on the 3ex.net Lite package, the Exact Abacus web design team have developed the conceptual design, HTML build and implementation into the 3ex.net system.

The Cockfight Barn website is a simple content management website that allows the company to manage all regions within the website as well as being able to increase/decrease the number of pages throughout the website, all of which are controlled by the 3ex.net Content Management System.

For further information about Cock Fight Barn visit www.cockfightbarn.com

3B-IT Unveil New Technoshack eCommerce Website

2011-02-07T01:29:00.000-08:00

Leigh based, 3B-IT have recently launched their brand new eCommerce website, Technoshack, on the 3ex.net platform. Established in 2005, 3B-IT are a fully independent reseller of IT Hardware.

Technoshack is the consumer web platform for 3B-IT and will be retailing a wide range of technological hardware, from cables to cameras.

Built on the 3ex.net eCommerce platform, the Technoshack website is the first step to developing a sound online channel for 3B-IT. The 3ex.net eCommerce software allows the user to develop a fully functional transactional website, with extra functionality available on request.

For further information about the Technoshack website, visit www.technoschack.co.uk

Product Updates: January 2011

2011-02-03T02:44:00.001-08:00

In a busy month of product updates, here are some of the key pieces of functionality added to the 3ex.net system in January.

Multi Faceted Navigation A key update for eCommerce websites is the development of multi-faceted navigation. We have developed the Multi Faceted Navigation to allow for users to be far more specific in their search terms. Now the user will be able to browse by colour, price, size, function, and/or whatever else you would want to set as a product variable. This functionality is a big step in improving customer experience and will also help to improve your conversion rates on site, given the correct search variables.
Repeat Ordering We have developed the functionality to allow users to login to their profile on a website and create a repeat order from their past purchases. This will be particularly useful tool for FMCG goods and durables, and will help to aid conversion.
Allow Multiple Related Data Answers to be Entered Within the back office, you are now able to configure related data elements to allow multiple answers, useful for example to capture multiple customer interests against one related data element. This also works with the multi-faceted navigation, thus a product with multiple answers against one element can appear in different searches.
Detach Product Uplifts from Account Agreement Within the back office we have now developed the ability to have Product Uplifts as a separate entity within the 3ex.net system. This will allow for a more flexible structure within the product management.

If you are interested in any of these updates or you would like to see a demonstration, please call us on 01772 455062 or email us productupdates@exactabacus.com

JillyBeads Select Exact Abacus for eCommerce Website and Back Office Solution

2011-02-03T02:43:00.002-08:00

Morecambe based jewellery company JillyBeads Ltd has selected Exact Abacus as its new online supplier. Exact Abacus will be working with JillyBeads on the creative design for a new eCommerce website, to be built on the 3ex.net back office software, which will also act as the main systems for the businesses warehouse, customer relationship management and stock control functions.

JillyBeads Ltd is a family run business which was formed out of a love for beads and jewellery making, together with a desire to run an online business. The new 3ex.net system will allow the owners to access the latest information about the company all over the world, whilst the warehouse team in Morecambe are able to use the back office system to full effect to manage all stock, processing and fulfilment requirements.

For further information about JillyBeads visit www.jillybeads.co.uk

Terry’s Fabrics Select 3ex.net as New Back Office Software

2011-02-03T02:43:00.001-08:00

Stoke-on-Trent based Terry’s Fabrics have selected Exact Abacus’s 3ex.net as their new back office solution for their highly successful online business. With thousands of fabrics held on site, Terry’s Fabrics needed to make sure that the back office software was compatible with their existing online business and that it would enhance their existing back office solutions. 3ex.net did exactly that.

Retailing ready-made curtains, curtain fabric window blinds and curtain poles, 90% of the products stocked on the website are held on site to allow for quick delivery. In addition Terry’s Fabrics also have two stores in Staffordshire and Stockport, which the 3ex.net back office solution will also need to integrate with.

For further information about Terry’s Fabrics visit www.terrysfabrics.co.uk

Maximising Your eCommerce Website

2010-12-23T01:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas will soon be upon us, and consumers will soon be scrambling for the January sales. No longer is this a seasonal pilgrimage to the depths of the high street though. Consumers are savvy to multi channel retailing now and recognise that they need not queue outside Next at 4am in the freezing cold to grab a bargain or two. Instead they can log on at home and get their bargains in the comfort of their own chair with a brew in hand. This year the number of consumers looking for online deals is set to break records once again. Therefore it is paramount that your website provides the best possible shopping experience from a search engine query all the way through to the checkout stage if you are to transform causal shoppers in to buyers.

The following are 10 practical tips for enhancing conversion rates during the holidays:

1. Research Your Perfect Consumer: Knowing your primary customer is the most critical element of any eCommerce strategy. Your website should reflect the customer, in terms of keywords, within the website copy and advertising/marketing materials to help push your natural search engine optimisation

2. Product Categorisation Appropriate product categorisation is fundamental to the success of any eCommerce website. Products need to be easy to find, and accessible within a maximum of three clicks. Too many categories or clicks can frustrate shoppers and turn them away. However, having too few categories may have the adverse affect, in that you may not retain the shoppers attention and not keep them on the site as long as you would like. Multi-categorisation of products can help when looking to improve on site search, and also allows you to reach different audiences.

3. Interact With Your Customers: Make your customers visit more personal by understanding their past browsing/buying patterns and providing recommendations each time they visit. Utilising recommendations can help you place the relevant products to the individual customer on each visit and help you to gain further conversions.

4. Ensuring Support is Available: The amount of companies using live chat as a way of support on eCommerce websites is every increasing and can help reduce customers frustration when they are on the site. Social networking tools such as Twitter and Facebook are also on the increase as a pathway for customer support.

5. Managing Your Natural Search: Search Engine Optimisation is a key tool to help ensure that your storefront lands at the top of the search engines. As opposed to Pay-Per-Click, SEO is a long term strategy that can take 6-12 months until you start to see the benefits. Although paid searches are an quick win in terms of getting you to the top of the search engines, consumers tend to trust organic search much more because of product reviews and commenting. A couple of easy amends that can help to make a difference are:

HTML Page Title: One of THE key pieces of information. Page titles should be populated with search-engine-friendly terms relevant to your business.
URL Structure: The URL should include both the category name and product name within its structure.
Keywords/ Meta Tags: Whilst this is important, the keyword field actually carries less weighting than many companies are lead to believe. We would suggest focusing on the page title first and the structure of the site before spending hours on the meta/keyword information.

6. Keep Your Web Content Up To Date: Google loves fresh content, which is one of the key reasons to the increase in blogging over the past few years. Regular content updates can help to increase your websites authority with Google which helps to aid a sites natural ranking. Regular updates are a key element to sustaining and improving your position in the search engines. Without regular updates, Google starts ignoring you altogether. In addition to a blog, why not look at adding product reviews, relevant editorial content or videos as this content is crawled by search engines as well.

7. User Generated Content, Aiding Search: As we covered in October, product reviews are playing more of an important role of eCommerce website conversion. Shoppers are growing more aware of customer reviews and trust these more than the ‘official’ product reviews. Google sees user generated content as high authority collateral and can help to improve your search rankings.

8. Speed Kills: If your website is slow and takes time for pages to load, you are highly likely to lose shoppers from your website, thus reducing conversion. Importantly, Google is now looking at processing speeds of websites when determining page rankings. Ensure that your website is not loading up large images on launch and if it is find out why. There are a number of different technologies available to prevent your website loading a large number of images up.

9. Multiple Payment Gateways: The last thing that you want is for a customer to get all the way through the shopping process to fall at the last hurdle. Offering multiple payment gateways is a great way to breed confidence into the customer, thus helping to complete the conversion. Customers are wise to stores holding details, so options like Sagepay, Paypal and Google checkout act as a great tool to allow customers to checkout without needing to provide you with personal information.

10. Keep Your Eye on the Goal: Be sure to maintain records and analysis of the checkout click through rates, and exactly where customers are exiting the process. A simple site analysis can help spot why customers could be dropping off. For example, check that the “Checkout” button is easily visible, that the “Add to Baskets” are obvious and that your checkout process isn’t taking too many phases to complete.

All of these tips can help to improve your eCommerce website site conversion. Some are simple changes that will help you immediately within the upcoming sales period, others are a little more of a lengthy process, but will ultimately lead to greater conversion.

Exact Unveil New NE Services Websites

2010-12-17T05:58:00.000-08:00

Exact Abacus has recently unveiled five new eCommerce websites for Hull based NE Services Ltd, one of the largest and longest established suppliers of adult products.

NE Services had wanted to develop a new range of websites for their products, of which all would be supported from one back office solution. The 3ex.net solution by Exact Abacus offered exactly that.

The project consisted of five new websites being designed and developed on the 3ex.net platform, utilising the white label eCommerce software that is included within the platform.

The implementation of the 3ex.net back office solution allowed NE Services to control all five websites from the same platform via the integrated content management system, and also further allows NE services to control all orders (via multiple channels), stock levels, customer enquiries, warehouse management and fulfilment.

For further information about NE Services visit www.nesmailorder.com

Purekit Go Live With 3ex.net Back Office Software

2010-12-17T05:57:00.000-08:00

Exact Abacus has successfully installed the new back office system for Outdoor Kit retailer Purekit in record time, some 372 hours after the ink drying on the contracts.

Purekit offer a superb selection of outdoor kit to support all activities and budgets. With products ranging from running shoes through to travel luggage the website contains something for everyone.

Exact Abacus were commissioned by Purekit to install 3ex. net, so that the existing website would integrate with the software and all orders and back office requirements would run off the same platform. The implementation of the 3ex.net back office software allows Purekit to manage all orders being generated from the website from sales order processing through to supply chain management, stock control and warehouse management.

For more information about Purekit visit www.purekit.com

Exact Abacus Launch New eCommerce Website for Harrison Cameras

2010-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

Sheffield based Harrison Cameras has recently launched their brand new eCommerce website. The website offers a comprehensive range of leisure and professional cameras, along with a wide range of ancillary products, including; lenses, bags and cases, albums, tripods, darkroom, and studio lighting.

The Harrison Cameras website and back office has been designed and built by Exact Abacus using the 3ex.net Pro platform. The eCommerce platform has tied in with the new Harrisons warehouse, allowing for a smooth integration with all levels of the software, from sales through to order processing, fulfilment and distribution.

You can view the new website at www.harrisoncameras.co.uk

Exact Abacus Unveil All About Underlay eCommerce Website

2010-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

Huddersfield based All About Underlay has recently launched their brand new ecommerce website. The website provides an impressive range of underlay solutions for all home room types, from traditional sponge rubber underlays to PU foam underlays, and includes specialist underlays for laminate floors and underlay for underfloor heating. With a multi-function navigation, the All About Underlay website will provide a fantastic underlay solution for your own unique requirements.

Developed on the 3ex.net Pro platform, All About Underlay commissioned Exact Abacus to deliver eCommerce website design, and a comprehensive back office solution. The 3ex.net Pro platform allowed for exactly that, with functionality based in one single platform including order processing, customer relationship management, and warehouse management.

In addition to the website design and back office solution, All About Underlay have also commissioned Exact Abacus to manage their Customer Service and distribution & fulfilment process through the 3ex.net system via Exact’s call centre and warehouse facilities at the head office in Chorley.

You can view the new website at www.allaboutunderlay.co.uk.

Exact Abacus Reveal Outdoor Casuals eCommerce Website

2010-12-03T09:00:00.001-08:00

Exact Abacus has recently launched the brand new eCommerce website for Outdoor Casuals Clothing Company, who are part of the All About Everything Group. The website will offer a superb range of quality casual clothes to suit all, including women’s and men’s sweatshirts, hoodies, rugby shirts, polo’s, shirts, jackets, bodywarmers and gilets.

The Outdoor Casuals eCommerce website has been designed and built by Exact Abacus using the 3ex.net Pro platform. The 3ex.net platform provides a solution for companies demanding a truly integrated front-end eCommerce and back office software platform. Key product features include eCommerce, CRM, purchasing, stock control and finance modules.

The Outdoor Casuals Clothing Company will also be using the services provided by Exact Abacus for fulfilment and call handling.

You can view the new site at www.outdoorcasuals.co.uk

Exact Abacus Launches Manage at Home eCommerce Website

2010-12-03T09:00:00.000-08:00

Exact Abacus has recently launched the new eCommerce website for Manage at Home, which is part of the Siddall and Hilton Group. The purpose of the Manage At Home site is to provide an extensive range of products, such as mobility aids and ergonomic utensils, to help aid individuals in their daily routines.

The Manage at Home website has been designed and developed by Exact Abacus using their 3ex.net Pro eCommerce platform. The 3ex.net Pro solution is designed for entrepreneurial businesses looking to take their ecommerce offer to the next stage. The Pro product provides a comprehensive shopping cart and standard range of website tools to take your business to the next level.

Manage at Home will also be using the Call Centre services provided by Exact Abacus for their customer support services.

For further information about Manage at Home please visit www.manageathome.co.uk

Busy Peas Launch 3ex.net Software

2010-11-30T03:04:00.000-08:00

Exact Abacus recently pressed the go live button on fulfilment services for Busy Peas which will aid the company’s growth going forward.

The Busy Peas brand revolves around an adorable range of clothing, toys and books for babies, toddlers and infants with the specific aim of bringing fashion and education together. This philosophy of intelligent integration continued when the company started the search for their preferred fulfilment solution.

The 3ex.net product provides a full back office solution which allows for a seamless process from sale to dispatch. Key services include; warehousing, product receipt and storage, order picking, packing and despatch, handling customer returns and handling returns to suppliers/vendors.

Busy Peas will also be using Exact Abacus to provide customer services, further integrating their back office management and fulfilment process. Visit Busy Peas at www.busypeas.co.uk

Exact Abacus recently pressed the go live button on fulfilment services for Busy Peas which will aid the company’s growth going forward.

The 3ex.net product provides a full back office solution which allows for a seamless process from sale to dispatch. Key services include; warehousing product receipt and storage, order picking, packing and despatch, handling customer returns and handling returns to suppliers/vendors.

Busy Peas will also be using Exact Abacus to provide customer services, further integrating their back office management and fulfilment process. Visit Busy Peas at http://www.busypeas.co.uk

Exact Abacus recently pressed the go live button on fulfilment services for Busy Peas which will aid the company’s growth going forward.

Busy Peas will also be using Exact Abacus to provide customer services, further integrating their back office management and fulfilment process. Visit Busy Peas at http://www.busypeas.co.uk

White Label eCommerce: Make Your Life Easy

2010-11-23T02:38:00.001-08:00

Imagine seeing breaking news at 9am and launching a site by noon to take advantage of any related merchandising offers. The winter of 2009/10 springs to mind – anyone with a warehouse full of snow shovels could have cleaned up!

White labelling software allows you to get a website up and running within the space of half a day, with some simple CSS changes. Using software such as 3ex.net, you need not worry about databases and integration with your new site as everything sits on one platform. This is white label eCommerce working at its optimum level.

Gone is the need for multiple integrations within your back office software, the 3ex.net white label eCommerce software houses everything. All of your stock is controlled within one platform, allowing you to run multiple sites off the same platform. Furthermore, all of your client data, and order processing is managed from within the same source. The white label eCommerce option simply offers you such a streamlined tool that there should be no requirement to staff up to launch a new website, as everything will be following the same simple 3ex.net system.

If you haven’t already considered eCommerce White Labelling then think if your businesses could benefit from seasonal performance, or if you have clearance goods, or even if you have a top selling range that you want to promote separately. If you find yourself thinking that there is an opportunity then think 3ex.net White Label eCommerce.

Rewarding Reviews

2010-11-10T01:20:00.000-08:00

New research conducted by ODC Services has found a desire from consumers to be more involved in the review of products and services provided by online retailers.

Over 60% of the 2,000 UK online shoppers who took part in the research, said they would be more likely to shop at a site that rewarded them for writing reviews or recommending products to friends. The research also highlighted that almost one third of the consumers (32%) thought that it was better if a product had been recommended or reviewed.

Rewards in this sense however are not just about money, only 11% wanted transactional rewards. Others wanted both transactional and/or experiential rewards, such as access to new products before other people, or getting involved in product development.

With 53% of shoppers reviewing a product or service online in the last month, the trends are clear that online influencers and the sharing of consumer opinion is becoming a large part of purchase the purchase process.

Whilst this research has only been released within the past couple of weeks, Exact Abacus have been well aware of this trend through the e-commerce websites that they have built in their Preston base. As a leading web design agency in Preston, Exact Abacus developed the functionality to allow their clients to add user generated reviews to their website. The functionality sits perfectly on the 3ex.net e-commerce platform and has already been proven to increase conversion on the site as well as helping natural search engine optimisation (SEO).

e-Commerce Driving Christmas Growth in 2010

2010-11-10T00:52:00.000-08:00

A recent report from Logan Tod’s annual online shopping index predicts that sales online over the 2010 Christmas shopping season are likely to hit the £1.26 billion mark, with UK customers spending 23% more online than they did for the same period in 2009.

The increase is accredited to price sensitivity as customers are looking to get the most for their money in difficult times. So what does this mean for the online retailers?

The increase in sales during this period means that there is a far greater emphasis put on a retailer’s fulfilment and distribution network, as well as their customer support teams. Without a strict procedure, retailers could find themselves in a tricky situation whereby they are working long overtime hours to ensure that all fulfilments are completed.

For any business retailing online, the key to running a tight ship is the back office systems that are being run for the relevant websites. Many companies are running a number of different pieces of software to manage the various component parts of back office software. However, the ideal solution is to run a fully integrated back office system, which contains the e-commerce website, customer relationship management, stock control, order processing and fulfilment processes without the need to pull any data from other sources.

Companies using this kind of system, such as the 3ex.net system by Exact Abacus, are able to provide a more streamlined process to their online business and reduce the margin for error on order picking, processing and fulfilment, making for a happier Christmas for all concerned.

Partner Scheme is Go!

2010-07-16T02:31:00.000-07:00

After spending 26 years servicing clients direct, we are making yet another bold move and developing a reseller channel with the 3EX.NET product. By combining the feature-rich and standardised ecommerce platform with the skills, experience and coverage of a network of partners, we predict an acceleration in the sales of 3EX.NET. It strikes us that most creative houses are in need of a solution that helps them focus on brand development, acquisition and conversion WITHOUT having to employ programmers and develop custom code. That is where the inherent flexibility of 3EX.NET and its ecommerce module comes in. This, along with the comprehensive back office makes for a compelling proposition - a 'total' approach to running an ecommerce business. It must be good, because within 14 days of the scheme officially starting, we have already signed up our first partner, a Leeds-based digital agency with a wealth of clients and ambitious growth plans. More to follow....

Backing the right horse?

2010-06-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Our seminar at last week's eCommerce Expo North show was a very insightful event. We were considering the basis of our next technology decisions and it seemed that far from crystallising, many delegates were in need of inspiration. Most people acknowledged the critical importance of joined up systems and were perhaps surprised to hear that truly integrated back office and front-end solutions like our own 3ex.net existed. But what market and technological conditions will be prevalent in 3 years that we should be preparing for now? Amongst many others, we are seriously investigating the potential of mobile commerce - not mobile web browsing (impractical in our minds) but apps that could change the way consumers interact with merchants. The problem is that like Windows vs Apple on the desktop, there is no clear leader in mobile OS yet. Choose any from Symbian, Android, Windows Mobile, iPhone, RIM - all have their followers and distinct features, but no interoperability. As a developer the big question is which runner and rider (if any) will ultimately dominate?

Commerce for a Cause

2010-04-08T03:54:00.000-07:00

Just been taking a look at the newly-launched Green Baby website http://www.greenbaby.co.uk/, developed on the 3EX.NET platform and launched in record time. It is a nice looking site and our first to use a 'one column' format and dynamic hierarchies (our term for navigation). What is more, it really is satisfying seeing a job well done for a company that has built a brand on the principle of fair trade in a niche market segment. We are Green Baby's 'total outsourcing partner', a bit of a mouthful, but it means that we provide the customer service and fulfilment functions backed by a back office and ecommerce platform that is shared between both companies. This means that the client retains close control over their business, without the fixed costs. And that proves the whole point about what we do - enabling entrepreneurial businesses establish an grow without punitive software and logistics costs. All you need is a good idea....

Window Dressing

2010-02-22T07:38:00.000-08:00

The biggest challenge for our R&D team is creating an integrated environment that enables clients to enjoy almost carte blanche at the 'front end'. We compete against many web design/development applications and a loyal band of 'open sourcerers' who believe that control over code is sacrosanct and the only means of creating a bespoke eCommerce website. Our tools in trade are CSS and ASP.NET Master Pages which enable a developer to create custom look websites. What is really neat is that the 3EX.NET application gives a non-technical user total control over the positioning and content of each page/web element. The ability to fundamentally change the look, feel and structure of a site at will, coupled with a powerful back office suite puts 3EX.NET users at a distinct advantage over a generation of online retailers struggling to stitch together disparate systems and databases. Add in the ability to create and run white label websites in minutes and the possibilities are endless.

The blitz

2010-01-14T02:16:00.000-08:00

We really did not want 2009 to end. The meetings, proposals and negotiations on new contracts continued to flow until xmas eve and in some cases during the break. We have also just commenced a radio advertising campaign on North West commercial station, RockFM, which has already generated a staggering number of hits on our website.
So all lining up to be a very busy first quarter. The project team is flat out completing installs and we should see some exciting new websites seeing the light of day by the end of January. Of particular interest currently is the white label capability of 3EX.NET which really opens up a world of opportunity by enabling users to create a new site in minutes. See more information at http://www.exactabacus.com/White+Label+Ecommerce+Software.htm
How about a site selling snow shovels - i reckon it would do a roaring trade at the moment!

The kid in the candy store...

2009-11-26T02:35:00.000-08:00

2009 has been a very interesting year from a Research & Development perspective. As 3EX.NET software has reached maturity, we have seen the increasing influence of new clients/users over the direction and future roadmap of the product. In the early years we were fed a diet of basic staples such as user definability, processing rules and database normalisation. However over the last six months, we have seen some really sexy new fuctionality being introduced into the product. We have just had a sneak preview of Release v2.6 and one cannot help but get excited about the potential of extended White Label website functionality, an upgraded HTML editor, inbuilt sripting engine and automated demand forecasting. This, coupled with strong demand for 3EX eCommerce software generated from October's trade exhibitons sets us up nicely for a flying start to 2010.

PCI DSS Compliance...a Clients Tale

2009-10-16T04:56:00.000-07:00

One of our clients, WCF, who run mail order brands including James Meade and Country Collection have recently achieved PCI compliance. WCF use Exact Abacus' Customer Relationship Management software and Company Secretary, Jo Ritzema, has kindly provided some hints and tips gained from their 18 month long process.

"Where needed, do engage a QSA that you can connect with, as you will be spending lots of time with them. It also helps if the QSA firm will commit to the same consultant throughout the scoping, gap analysis, consultancy and audit phase so that you avoid covering the same ground multiple times and the consultant grows to understand the culture and nature of your organisation.

Spend as much time as possible at the start of the project trying to segregate the Cardholder Data Environment from the rest of your corporate network and therefore reducing the scope of compliance. A few thousands of hardware spend can save you many thousands in consultants time.

Assign a Project Manager who is not involved directly in IT, your IT Manager will have too much on his plate with technical issues to guide the overall direction of the project.

You will gain more credibility if you adopt some of the main principles of PCI across your entire network, even if outside the scope of the CDE (eg, passwords, change requests, user authorisation requests). Indeed there are some PCI security principles that are useful elsewhere.

Fight against buying too many technical solutions if they are not right for your organisation. Research all makes and models, a cost effective solution is out there somewhere.

Do buy Tripwire and syslog, for reasonably low cost outlay you suddenly get lots of ticks in lots of boxes! Make sure all the IT equipment that you buy is capable of creating and outputting the logs required.

Remove system administrator access privileges from as many users as possible. Clean up menu structures such that users only have access to what they need. Menus are easy to re-add if you have been a little over zealous. And you get to find out what people really use!

Be wary of answering yes if doing a self-assessment without a thorough understanding of the requirements of the standard. A comparison of our gap analysis versus that of the QSA showed some major discrepancies.

A couple of days pre-audit consultancy is useful to take the mystery out of the audit process and enables you to be prepared with “audit evidence” before the audit commences. The audit is draining enough even when you are prepared.

Always refer back to the “intent of the standard” when answering the questions rather than blindly following the words of the questionnaire. Do not be afraid to question the standard with your QSA if you feel that its needs are too onerous for your size of business.

Be wary of using standard policy and document templates. We started with one and ended up changing completely as found it was too general to address what ended up being quite specific requirements.

Cross reference every section of the IT Policies and Procedures to the PCI guidance, it saves hours during the audit when trying to find the relevant section and is a nightmare to do retrospectively once the policy has been written.

Do involve your staff with the project and ensure that it is not seen as an IT project. Briefing sessions with staff helped address their concerns and ensured that they understood the reasons behind what seemed like fairly big changes. We did not even have changing user passwords or a visitors’ book when we first started the project.

Don’t assume that once compliance is obtained you can breathe easy. With log reviews, change requests, user authorisation changes, risk assessments, etc it will be easy to fall short on the second audits if initiatives are not maintained. Ensure that your IT department understand that maintaining compliance is just as important as obtaining it.

Do not assume that your bank can give you any guidance on the detailed requirements of the standard but they can tell you what items have the most priority to them so that you can focus on those items first. Getting clean ASV scans for any websites is a good way to immediately gain some time from the bank whilst you focus on the more onerous requirements of the standard.

Accept that you will need CCTV in some parts of your organisation!"

Thanks go to Jo for taking the time to share her experiences, which we hope will be of benefit to other clients.

It's Show Time!

2009-09-21T01:46:00.000-07:00

The next 6 weeks promises to be very busy for our sales and marketing team as we prepare to exhibit at three trade exhibitions and evaluate future attendence at two others. Our strategic focus on eCommerce software takes us to the Internet Retailing Show at the Hammersmith Novotel on 13th October. The following week we will have a stand and seminar at the eCommerce Expo at Earls Court on 20th and 21st October.
Our vast experience implementing back office systems coupled with the 3EX.NET CRM and Stock Control modules leads us to the Warehousing Futures event at Nottingham Belfry on 6th October.
At all shows we look forward to developing new ideas and relationships with forward thinking people.

Lancashire eCommerce Breakfast Seminar

2009-09-02T06:21:00.001-07:00

We are just finalising the agenda for the inaugural Lancashire eCommerce breakfast seminar. Judging by the strong response so far, it is obvious there is a hunger for quality impartial advice and networking opportunities amongst companies with many online experiences, good and bad.
For us, it is a chance to preview our ACE service for customer acquisition and conversion. As the 3EX.NET Ecommerce software platform continues to acquire new users, we have put much thought and effort into developin the ACE framework which sets benchmarks, monitors site performance and provides ongoing recommendations for the improvement of our clients' strategy.
The seminar will take place at the Leyland Hotel on 10th September, commencing at 0900. Event Partners include Apple Creative (www.apple-design.com) , Business Link and South Ribble Borough Council.

'Tis the season...for delivery!

2009-08-12T02:44:00.000-07:00

It may not seem obvious, but our business is highly seasonal. After ingesting a number of new contracts during the first half of the year, the autumn is always 'delivery time' for new back-office systems and websites in readiness for the crucial Christmas trading period. At present we are working flat out to implement new back office and website systems using the latest version of our 3EX.NET eCommerce software platform. This product is far quicker to implement than previous generations of software thanks to it's thoroughly-designed structure and standardised, re-usable functions. The real benefit is that it enables us to concentrate on the real fun part - web marketing. Analysing the statistics, trying new acquisition methods and refining conversion processes is an ongoing task and we learn something new every day. It really does make coming to work and engaging with our client partners a challenge and pleasure.

Life's Grand up North!

2009-06-12T05:29:00.000-07:00

We exhibited at the eCommerce Expo North in Manchester last week and based on the number of visitors and vibrancy around the seminar rooms and exhibition hall, it would appear that London is not the sole hub of online creativity in the UK. Thanks must go to the show organiser Justin Opie and his colleagues for having the vision and courage to expand outside London. We presented a seminar to over 100 delegates who it has to be said, were eager to learn and thankful that they did not need to travel 200 miles for free education from the likes of Google, IMRG, Paypal and, of course, Exact Abacus! Let us hope that the success of eCommerce Expo North heralds the regionalisation of trade events and helps make free knowledge more accessible to marketing/IT professionals and entrepreneurs based beyond the M25.

London Buses....

2009-05-28T08:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it is fair to say that by Mid-March, we wondered whether the post-Lehman slump in confidence would ever bottom out. Steeling ourselves for a prolonged and painful journey through 2009, we looked forward to better times. And yet, here we are at the end of May and currently working through the strongest sales pipeline we have enjoyed for years. Driven by the innovative and new 3EX.NET eCommerce software, sales cycles, typically 6 months, have fallen to 6 days in one case last week. One wonders why there has been this sudden switch-on of energy within the market. Perhaps people shut their eyes expecting a crash that never came, or is this just a blip? Certainly people are still consuming and some of our clients have experienced double digit year-on-year sales growth in the first quarter. Who knows what economic weather system will pass overhead next, but for the moment, we are not complaining!

I have seen the future...

2009-03-12T06:42:00.001-07:00

...and it promises to change the way in which we deliver ecommerce websites for good. Our QA Manager, Phil Smith, has just demonstrated how he was able to create a transactional website, complete with design and content within hours. Good so far, but when he then went on to show how the site integrated with our 3EX.NET back office software, pulling back logic, orders, baskets etc, one could only imagine the possibilities. Suddenly, we are catapulted into the business of deploying rich content, high functionality websites in days, rather than months. When a further 'white label' site (with cloned content) was created at the click of a mouse, I was ready to fall off the chair! This is where, after 7 years of R&D effort, 3EX.NET really does get very exciting.
Click here to read more about our eCommerce Software.

2009 - A Year of Difficulty or Opportunity?

2009-01-06T02:57:00.000-08:00

Whilst finishing the last box of Celebrations and watching The Battle of the Bulge over the Christmas break, one wondered how we would fare in 2009. It is clear that, almost without exception, bricks and mortar retailers are suffering in the downturn. However, the picture amongst pureplay eCommerce retailers is a little more hazy. Virtual operations come and go without the recognition of a boarded-up high street store. So is there an appetite to invest in IT and webstore overhauls at this time? Let us be positive and say that high-quality and integrated trading platforms pay for themselves. Many businesses make up for IT deficiencies by increasing human labour. In difficult times, labour becomes a dispensable cost. To an ecommerce retailer, IT is indespensable. It is for this reason that I am actually very positive about 2009. Smarter systems will help companies retrench and survive without damaging the customer experience. The challenge is to make quality IT accessible in the way that, say, broadband has become to every household in the UK. The answer is to make the case for software-as-a-service or SaaS, on which our business has been modelled for over 8 years. We know that it works from both a supplier and client perspective - maybe the invention came before the necessity in this case?

Beyond the O/S?

2008-09-25T03:40:00.000-07:00

As a leading-edge software developer, we try to identify the winds of change earlier than most. Software development lifecycles often stretch into decades, so all design and architecture decisions made today must be framed by the expected landscape in 2, 5 and even 10 years time. Of particular interest to us at the moment is the concept of 'cloud computing' where all applications are delivered through a richer browser and the connect between device and operating system is finally broken. Googles recent launch of the Chrome browser got us thinking "why do we need another browser and have we underestimated its value?" In this context, perhaps the browser will become the environment in which we will eventually manage every task including word processing, email, business applications and the management of files, on any device such as mobile, PC or TV. Indeed Google are providing an ever increasing range of productivity tools designed to compete with Office. Is Microsoft's grip on the computing experience beginning to weaken and is competition for the desktop necessarily a good thing when standards proliferate? Anyone who has tried to use Corels' excellent WordPerfect and Microsoft's Word in tandem will appreciate the dilemma!

The Road to PCI DSS Compliance

2008-09-01T05:56:00.000-07:00

After many false dawns, the industry finally seems to have come alive and realised the real benefits of securing their trading platforms. The once relaxed attitude to card data security has been replaced by a desire to attain and maintain compliance with the PCI DSS directive at almost all costs. As a tier1 solutions provider, Exact Abacus have been on the compliance trail for over 2 years, gradually locking down networks and working with our QSA to make our datacentre inpenetrable. Furthermore, we are looking well into the future and considering what the impact of upcoming PA DSS standards will be for us and our clients. In all, over £250,000 invested in our compliance programme to-date and a planned £100,000 per annum going forward to maintain that compliance. We take PCI DSS very seriously and have put 'our money where our mouth is' to prove it!

It's the Economy....

2008-08-15T01:16:00.000-07:00

Dare we utter the 'r' word? What impact will the slowdown have on service companies like ours?
Whilst the economic barometer is not forecasting sunshine in the near future, confidence amongst our clients and prospective clients seems to be holding up well. As an outsourcing specialist, we may be well positioned to win business from companies looking to reduce costs and batten down the hatches. Certainly our innovative software licensing scheme is winning friends in the marketplace and there is no shortage of interest in 3EX.NET.

IT Talent Trek!

2008-07-29T02:45:00.001-07:00

As a result of the surge in demand for our 3EX.NET web and back office solutions we are faced with a nice problem - we need to recruit more staff. Specifically, we are looking for application and web programmers with skills in microsoft technologies including .NET, C# and SQL Server.
Our Product Development Director, Stephen Livesey, has duly commenced the search for the North West's brightest talents who will drive our business forward and thrive in a young and vibrant working environment.

See our careers page for more information.

In search of a better project method...

2008-07-07T06:33:00.000-07:00

Recent specification exercises have given us an opportunity to refine our project method and reduce delivery lead times. Using a combination of PRINCE2 structure, common sense and our experiences managing major change projects, we have created a framework document to ensure analysis meetings are productive and customisations fully specified. The discovery process is overlaid with the 3EX.NET baseline system to ensure clients see how ideas can be developed within the application.

Work in progress, but we are confident that it will make everyones life easier in the medium term.

3EX.NET launched at ECMOD 2007

2008-07-04T05:40:00.000-07:00

UK-based solutions provider Exact Abacus, are pleased to announce the launch of their new enterprise-class software product, ‘3EX.NET’, at the European Catalogue and Mail Order Days event (ECMOD) at Earls Court, London. Five years of research and development backed by twenty-four years of experience in the mail order and e-commerce industry culminates in this new breed of software. Available as a licensed product or hosted service (Total SaaS™), 3EX.NET is fast, stable and scalable. 3EX.NET consists of six integrated modules; Supply Chain, Demand Management, Stock Control, eCommerce, Financials and Marketing.