Flipboard App Joins the World of eCommerce Just in Time for the Holiday Season

Perhaps you’ve heard of an app called Flipboard? If you’re not part of the millions of people already using Flipboard, this app, available from the Apple App Store or Google Play, allows users to create their own personal magazines filled with what is interesting or relevant to them. Social networks can be added and RSS feeds can also be populated with favorite blog sites. This app is a one-stop solution for managing a user's personal preferred Internet content. Users can simply install a “Flip It Bookmarklet” button to their web browser that makes it easy to add content from the web to their magazines or browse through the app and add or remove links via their mobile device.

Today, Flipboard announced its latest addition: eCommerce.

This new addition allows Flipboard users to create custom catalogs filled with goods they would like to purchase or just goods they simply like. These items can be added from almost any site online. When a product listing is selected, the user is either taken directly to the website or to a product layout inside Flipboard. This is determined based on whether or not the seller of the good is a partner, which leads to the second portion of the announcement. Several partnerships were formed to roll out this new feature, including Banana Republic, eBay, ModCloth and Etsy. Celebrities are getting involved with Flipboard’s shopping vertical as well, including actress Alyssa Milano and chef Daniel Boulud. These public figures are creating their own custom shopping catalogs that users can browse. Purchases can also be made from Flipboard with just a few clicks.

This new addition opens up a while new vertical for the app. Users have already created millions of custom magazines; now they have the option to create custom catalogs. These might be, “Running Gear,” “Top Holiday Gift Ideas 2013,” or “Home Decoration Inspirations.” The possibilities are endless.

Does your business have a web store? Don’t miss out on great opportunities like these by not growing your business online. With the holiday season fast approaching, we have options that can get your online storefront up and running quick and easy so you can start to experience the benefits of eCommerce. Contact our sales team today to learn about eCommerce options for your ERP platform.

New Live B2B Ecommerce Websites from Azox

A&M Marine, Inc. has gone live with Azox eSource B2B this week. The business sells marine accessories and parts and has utilized the standard package offered by Azox to create an online catalog for users to log in to and browse their product offerings. Users can place orders from this environment and return users have the option to use the Express Lane feature that helps expedite the order process.

Express Lane is a feature offered by Azox that allows a user to upload either a comma delimited (CSV) or tab delimited (Text) file containing item numbers and quantities to populate a list. Once the file has been successfully uploaded, the user then clicks the “validate” button and as long as all numbers are correct, the list can be added to the shopping cart. This is a useful feature for customers who regularly order the same products.

Azox also went live with another B2B ecommerce website this week. The second live site was developed for Goodness Greeness, which is a business focused on providing fresh, organic produce in the Midwest. This website also requires that users log in before seeing the company’s products. Once logged in, users can browse and place orders from this secure environment. Goodness Greeness uses the Express Lane features as well to make it easy for return customers to place reorders quickly.

Azox is an established ecommerce solution provider in the Microsoft Dynamics community. The ecommerce solution from Azox is available in four different environments; business, consumer, employee and mobile. For more information about these solutions, visit this web page. In addition to ecommerce, Azox also offers a payment processing solution and online bill pay. These solutions all offer seamless integration with Microsoft Dynamics GP. Schedule a personal demo with our sales team today to see any of these products in action.

Our Latest Live Ecommerce Projects: One B2B Website with Sales Portal Environment and One B2C Website

Check out our latest finished products! Azox has gone live with two new ecommerce websites this week.

The first launch was for B&G Sales, a business specializing in closeout sales. From home goods, gifts, toys and holiday items to lawn and garden products, collectibles and more, what you can find on this company’s new ecommerce website is expansive.

B&G Sales has a B2B (business-to-business) web store as well as an E2B (employee-to-business). These environments were built using Azox eSource B2B and Sales Portal. When a customer is logged in to B&G Sales’s web store, they are able to browse products by category, for example, furniture or pet supplies. When a product is selected, on the item detail page, deeper information is available specific to that piece of merchandise including a description, inventory availability and price. When a selection has been made, the customer can add items to their cart and proceed through checkout. Customers can also access their own account information when logged in to the B&G Sales’ B2B ecommerce website.

Sales Portal, the other ecommerce environment used by B&G Sales, is an internal portal for customer service or sales representatives to use to better serve customers. From this E2B environment, staff members are able to access customer accounts to help them place orders, view account history or update personal information. Invoices can also be sent from this environment.

The second website Azox launched this week was for Sky Lantern, another B2C (business-to-consumer) ecommerce website for Big Fireworks, one of our existing customers. Sky Lantern’s B2C website sells lanterns, LED products and ice fountains. This website is open to all users, but in order to make a purchase, an account must be created. Users are able to browse the products listed on this site by category. As with the other website launched this week, when a product is selected, greater detail is provided, including pricing information and inventory availability.

Azox is a leading provider or ecommerce and payment processing solutions for Microsoft Dynamics users. To learn more about out ecommerce products, follow this link.

eSource 3.5: The Latest Ecommerce Solution from Azox

Azox has launched eSource 3.5, the latest version of our ecommerce solution for Microsoft Dynamics GP. In addition to updates and other general fixes, several new features will be added.

URL Rewrite
This new feature will allow you to customize your web store’s URLs. This allows you to create URLs that are search engine friendly and look more relevant to the web page. This will allow you to promote specific web pages in your marketing with an easy-to-remember link. It will also help with your web store’s SEO.

Product Reviews
Consumers often rely on another customer’s review just like they would a personal recommendation. With this new feature, your web store will be able to support product reviews. In addition to helping consumers make buying decisions, product reviews also add more quality content to your site, which helps with SEO.

One Page Guest Checkout Payment Methods
Add even more convenience to one page guest checkout with the addition of payment methods. This module now supports ACH and PayPal payments.

Address Validation
The latest version of eSource will include address validation for those that elect to use one page guest checkout.

Improved Navigation
When consumers browsing a category of products on your ecommerce website displayed on multiple pages, just three page numbers were provided at the bottom of the page to help with navigation. In the new version of eSource, five page numbers will be displayed, in addition to first and last page links. This will allow customers to navigate your site easily.

Updates and other improvements have been made as well, such as the ability to arrange dimension group fields in columns based on product description, HTML or swatch. Dimension Groups is an eSource module that allows similar items to be linked together as one. For example, a pair of jeans that comes in four colors with five different sizes for each different option could be displayed as one item using this tool. This module update makes it an even more versatile feature.

For more information about our ecommerce solution, payment processing or online bill pay, contact our sales team and schedule a demo. Azox also hosts monthly webinars that provide attendees with an overview of our products. For more information on these or to sign up for free, follow this link.

Azox September Webinars: Integrated Ecommerce Solutions for Microsoft Dynamics

Next week Azox is hosting three webinars, as we do each month. There will be one webinar to highlight each of our products. The first will be an overview of our ecommerce solution for Microsoft Dynamics. That webinar is followed by one that highlights our payment processing solution for Microsoft Dynamics and the third covers our Online Bill Pay solution, which is also built for Microsoft Dynamics. Follow the links provided below to register for these online events.

Integrated E-Commerce for Microsoft Dynamics GP
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. EST

Azox ecommerce solution provides businesses with a tool that allows them to sell their products online. This solution integrates seamlessly with Microsoft Dynamics GP. During this webinar, attendees will see how they can provide customers with real time inventory and pricing information, shipping cost before an order is placed and more. They will also be shown various features available with an ecommerce web store from Azox including advanced search capabilities like filters, which help refine results, WSYWIG editor with drag-and-drop web parts, one-page guest checkout and more. Join us for this webinar to see a live version of our ecommerce solution.

Secure Credit Card Processing in Microsoft Dynamics GP
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
1:00 – 1:30 p.m. EST

Azox Credit Card Extension is a solution that allows you to process payments securely in Microsoft Dynamics GP. This solution provides the ability to accept payment via credit card, ACH or credit memo. You are also able to pre-authorize, post-authorize, sale, void and credit payments. Azox Credit Card Extension is PA-DSS Certified and keeps sensitive data offsite through the use of tokenization. Further, by implementing this solution you will be able to store multiple credit card and ACH accounts for each customer. To see this solution in action, join us for this webinar.

Advantages of Online Bill Pay for Microsoft Dynamics GP
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
2:00 – 2:30 p.m. EST

This solution from Azox allows you to provide your customers with a secure portal that they can log in to and monitor their invoices. This solution not only provides your customers with convenience, but it allows you to collect payments faster. Once logged in to the secure portal, customers will be able to view, print and pay invoices. Customer payments are acknowledged and recognized real time. To learn more about the benefits of adding online bill pay to your ecommerce website, join us for this webinar.

For more information about Azox, visit our website.

Upgrade eSource to Get the Most Out of Your Ecommerce Website

If you are still on an earlier version of eSource, our ecommerce solution for Microsoft Dynamics GP, you are be missing out on features that can take your website to the next level. In addition to improving the code and vulnerability testing, which has enhanced the overall operation of eSource, many new features have been added.

Adding and editing products is now easier than ever with built-in CMS and what you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) interface. These features allow you to see text and graphics onscreen while editing, rather than looking at hard code. This will give you an idea of what the final product will look like and is very user friendly.

eSource has had filtering capabilities for some time now, but with the latest release these are even better. Now users are able to filter and sort product search results with multiple criteria in each category. This means, if you sell shoes for example, a potential customer would be able to search your web store for shoes that are Nine West pumps in brown, black or white, are size eight with two to three inch heels, depending on what attributes you set up.

Online bill payment is another highly sought out feature that you may be unaware of. This add-on allows merchants to accept customer payments online via credit cards and ACH. For customers, online bill pay provides a portal for them to log in to and view the remaining balance on an invoice, apply a credit memo to an open invoice and review payments that have been made.

Another feature of eSource that helps with online advertising is web-based promo pricing. Some examples of this include coupon codes, offering free shipping, buy one, get one specials and markdowns. These are all different pricing options that you can take advantage of when you upgrade your version of eSource to the most current release.

Please take this survey to let us know how eSource is working for you!

Other standard features of eSource include wishlist/saved cart, one page/guest checkout, store locator and support for both crystal and SSRS reports.

Updates that are specific to the latest release of eSource, version 3.4, include guest user checkout, which allows a customer to make a purchase without making an account and CAPTCHA for forgotten logins and passwords.

To learn more about the benefits of upgrading eSource, join us for a webinar May 15, 2013 from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. EST. For more information now, contact our sales team or view this eSource version comparison document.

The Latest Ecommerce Websites from Azox Built on Microsoft Dynamics GP

Azox has recently completed new ecommerce sites built on Microsoft Dynamics GP for two different customers, Panama Jack and Pakedge.

The ecommerce websites developed for Panama Jack include a business-to-business site and a business-to-consumer site with a mobile friendly version. Panama Jack sells sun care products including sunglasses, hats, casual apparel for men and women, shoes, bags and totes, beach chairs and umbrellas along with bikes and skateboards. The company also sells indoor and outdoor furniture and décor. For their web store, Panama Jack elected to use several add-on features of our ecommerce solution to make browsing easy for users and also to cross sell products. These features include dimension group and related products. Dimension group is a feature that allows similar items to be grouped together based on defined characteristics, such as size, color, brand or manufacturer. This makes it easier to present a large number of SKUs. The other feature, related products, displays items similar to the product currently being viewed as a suggestion to users. This encourages them to dig deeper into a web store and possibly make additional purchases. Panama Jack also uses Azox Credit Card Extension for secure ACH/credit card processing in Microsoft Dynamics GP and an array of other features.

The second ecommerce website built on Microsoft Dynamics GP was developed for Pakedge. This company opted for a business-to-business web store for distributors that also has a mobile version of the site. Pakedge sells devices and software to distributors, including switches, routers, IP power and related accessories. Pakedge also opted for the related products features along with one page guest checkout, RMA return, promo pricing and shipping rate calculator. These features of Pakedge’s web store provide distributors with a secure environment that makes ordering and reordering products a streamlined process. Pakedge also uses Azox Online Bill Pay to allow distributors to make payments on invoices via a portal as well as Azox Credit Card Extension for secure ACH/credit card processing in Microsoft Dynamics GP.

Azox ecommerce websites are easy to update using our built in CMS with WYSIWYG editor. They also offer advanced filter and sort capabilities on product search results pages in addition to many other features. You can obtain a complete ecommerce solution when you choose eSource paired with Azox Credit Card Extension and Online Bill Pay. To learn more about our ecommerce websites built on Microsoft Dynamics GP, visit our website or contact the sales team and schedule a personal demo online.

Azox Monthly Webinars: E-Commerce and E-Payment Solutions

Join Azox for one of our informative monthly webinars this March! Each month we host three different webinars, one focused on each of our products, which include e-commerce, secure credit card processing and online bill pay. This month our webinar schedule is as follows:

Advantages of Online Bill Payment for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Thursday, March 7, 2013

11:00 – 11:30 a.m. EST

Azox Online Bill Pay provides your customers with a portal that they are able to log in to and view, print or pay invoices online. This add-on solution allows your business to get paid faster and integrates seamlessly with your Microsoft Dynamics GP back office software.

SecureCredit Card Processing in Microsoft Dynamics GP

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

2:00 – 2:30 p.m. EST

Credit Card Extension from Azox makes it possible for a web store to accept ACH and credit card transactions securely online. Through use of tokenization, sensitive data is stored off site, which lessens your business’ liability. Azox Credit Card Extension is also a PA-DSS certified solution. Implementing this add-on will allow you to get more out of your Microsoft Dynamics GP investment.

IntegratedE-Commerce for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Thursday, March 28, 2013

12:00 – 12:30 p.m. EST

The e-commerce solution from Azox helps with inventory management; features advanced searching capabilities and provides valuable analytic information about customer shopping and browsing habits. This solution will help you reduce the cost of your online selling operations and improve the overall customer experience. Azox e-commerce solution integrates completely with your Microsoft Dynamics GP back office to provide customers with a secure online shopping environment that allows them to place and track orders, check their account status and pre-print invoices and packing lists.

If you are in the marketing for an e-commerce or e-payment solution, be sure to sign up for one of these webinars to learn more about what Azox has to offer. If these dates don’t fit your schedule, contact us today to setup a demo or watch for next month’s webinars.

Azox First French Site Built on Dynamics GP Now Live!

Azox has successfully completed its first French store for Mitutoyo! This ecommerce website utilizes eSource B2B with a variety of features to sell meteorological testing equipment to customers. One desired feature of this Microsoft Dynamics GP ecommerce solution was a navigable site. To successfully provide smooth navigation and make finding products easier, Mitutoyo needed advanced search capabilities. There are a few features that helped Mitutoyo provide this to customers. First, the company has their inventory organized into a catalog. This catalog groups similar products together based on assigned attributes. To further improve browsing, Mitutoyo also uses filters. Filters allow customers to search for items by specific criteria, like product attributes and features. While browsing this web store, customers will also be presented with related products in order to up sell or cross sell additional items. Mitutoyo’s site also features saved carts, analytics and multi store. Saved carts allow customers to store items in a custom-named cart and access later for purchase. Analytics, allows for tracking of customer behavior within the web store and multi store allows Mitutoyo to have more than one web store, each with a different URL, that all pull data from the same back office.

Another project completion this week for Azox was the launch of an online bill pay site for EZE Castle, a provider of IT services, technology and consulting for hedge funds and alternative investment firms. The online bill pay solution from Azox creates a portal for customers that allows them to view, print and pay invoices online. Cash, credit card or ACH transactions can be processed instantly any time.

If you are a Microsoft Dynamics GP user in the market for an epayment or ecommerce solution with seamless integration to your back office software, contact Azox today. There are four ecommerce environments to choose from, B2B (business-to-business), B2C (business-to-consumer), Sales Portal, a customer service site, and Mobile Store. Azox also provides online payment processing solutions including, online bill pay and credit card processing, which allows a company to accept cash, credit card and ACH transactions online.