The growing recognition that being in business today implies doing business via the Internet is giving rise to a daily increase in the choice of vendors and products. Here is a random alphabetical sampling of products and services — from helping you bring your business on-line to taking advantage of Web-based purchasing and supply chain management. Please note that inclusion does not represent endorsement by this publication.
Ariba, Inc. claims its open, end-to-end infrastructure of interoperable software solutions and hosted Web-based commerce services enables efficient on-line trade, integration and collaboration between business-to-business (B2B) marketplaces, buyers, suppliers and commerce service providers. The reach and functionality of the Ariba B2B Commerce platform is designed to create Internet-driven economies of scale and process efficiencies for leading companies around the world. Ariba can be contacted in Calgary at 403-303-3392; or at Vancouver at 604-408-4324; or at www.ariba.com
Toronto-based Skulogix claims its BrandFlow merges e-commerce opportunities with the long-term requirements of a brand. According to the company it has a three-component architecture: Smart Fulfillment, Order Management and Exchange Engine. Smart Fulfillment is an automated carousel fulfillment system that can pack 10 million items, the company says. The system manages and replenishes inventories to meet fluctuations in demand. Order Management services include pre-and-post sale call centre support, transaction processing and clearing, and detailed on-line channel performance reporting. Exchange Engine is an on-line channel manager used to control the on-line distribution channel for branded vendors. 1-877-313-3320; www.skulogix.com.
According to Vancouver-based Multiactive Software Inc., ecBuilder is a simple 10-step ‘point and click’ software application for Windows 95 and Windows NT. Multiactive says the program allows the user to point and click their way to a commerce-capable Website. The software includes a 10,000-item catalog, a shopping cart to process orders, security encryption, credit card transaction processing, and order management. The software uses wizards and templates to make the entire site construction go smoothly, says Multiactive. 1-800-804-6299; www.multiactive.com.
With the release of two new server programs, companies iPlanet E-commerce Solutions and the Sun-Netscape alliance say they are aiming at simplifying the work of connecting business applications for e-commerce. The two programs, Integration Server 2.1 and ECXpert 3.5, are designed to work with Sun’s Java application server, directory server and other programs to coordinate e-commerce transactions. The software lets a company link its own applications with those of suppliers or trading partners. iPlanet can be reached at 403-262-0517 in Calgary or 416-542-6100 in Toronto; www.IPlanet.com.
Goacom Infosys Pvt.Ltd. makes the borderless world of the Internet come true by developing, designing, and hosting Websites anywhere in the world. According to Goacom, they offer the following e-commerce services: secure server (SSL), payment service available from customers anywhere in the world to your organization, on-line shopping carts and a hotel reservation and payment system. Goacom, in Goa, India, can be reached in Canada at 905-451-2527; www.goacom.com.
Big Blue’s e-commerce site at www-3.ibm.com/e-business/ provides information on e-business and its terms, IBM products, case studies, resources, up-coming events, and press releases. IBM also has a site dedicated to those in the retail industry who are interested in products or information about distribution at http://houns54.clearlake.ibm.com/solutions/retail. IBM Canada 1-888-746-7426; www.ibm.ca.
Novell Inc.’s iChain 1.5 provides security and management infrastructure for e-business, the company says. Components include: an authorization server to provide multi-factor authentication to network resources, Web single sign-on and fine-grained access controls, a caching server, eDirectory 8.5 that provides integrated management by storing user information, company roles, digital communities, and access rules in a single centralized location that can be shared with other applications and business processes; community services – including a free Web download – that allows for the creation of communities of users and the ability to define policies and rights for those users, and custom portals that can be created for communities based on areas of interest. Novell has eight offices in Canada, including Calgary at 1-800-319-6533; www.novell.com.
InternetSecure Inc., Oakville, ON, is an Internet credit card processor providing merchant status for popular card brands and comes with fraud detection software. Merchants have their own unique merchant numbers and names, which clients see on their monthly statement as “Your Company Name via InternetSecure”. According to the company, since 1996 they have rejected 22 per cent of all transactions presented to their merchants based upon duplicate entries, keying errors and mischievous activity ensuring that merchants only deal with valid orders. InternetSecure claims their merchants experience the lowest charge-back rate on the Internet, currently at less than one-third of one per cent of approved transactions, which is comparable to a non-Internet retail merchant. 1-800-297-9482; www2.internetsecure.com.
Canadian e-commerce services provider Qlogitek says it is offering mobile wireless text messaging capability for its Web-enabled L’eBIZ business-to-business electronic procurement document exchange service. The company says the new mobile messaging system will inform the user that action is required on their part from their trading partner. As an example, a message might read: “You have five alerts on L’eBIZ from Zellers for action.” L’eBIZ wireless messaging services are offered over Bell Mobility cell phones and pagers, and cell phones from Cantel Rogers AT&T, Clearnet and Telus. L’eBIZ users are assigned unique ID and address by Qlogitek to the L’eBIZ registrant’s records. When incoming electronic procurement documents pass through the L’eBIZ system into the registrant’s computer system, the messaging service notifies the user by their mobile device. QLogitek, Toronto, 1-800-699-8204; www.qlogitek.com.
Toronto-based Microforum provides e-commerce software such as ECS 2000 for on-line store or business-to-business needs, CALMS a suite of products for lending transactions over the Internet/Extranet, CEPort an XML-based mobile device publishing system that enables the rendering of Web content across multiple devices, such as Web-enabled phones, Web-appliances, PDAs and set top boxes. 416-467-4000; www.microforum.com.
Microsoft’s much ballyhooed .NET programming model introduces XML-based Web Services, which developers can customize for use in any Web environment, the company says. The .NET building-block services provide user identity, personalization, calendar, messaging, search, and an XML store. According to Microsoft, by using this programming model, Website managers can provide new levels of “intelligent interactivity” for users. Microsoft, in Redmond, Wash. can be reached in Canada at 905-568-0434 or www.microsoft.ca. For more on .Net e-commerce initiatives visit www.microsoft.com/business/ecommerce/ Retailers should visit www.microsoft.com/business/retail/.
Toronto-based Getronics Canada has launched NetWorkPlace, a portfolio of services designed for start-ups or organizations looking to merge existing systems with new technologies and applications. NetWorkPlace deploys 19 defined steps they see as necessary for enterprises to build and maintain their e-business infrastructures. These steps are spread out over three phases – plan, deploy, and manage/maintain – each with its own specific service offering. Getronics claims to be able to implement a new network, migrate necessary data, roll out new systems and provide security solutions, then ensure the networked computing environment operates at peak efficiency with full support. NetWorkPlace can be bought as a package or the services can be bought individually. 416-298-9400; www.getronics.com/ca.
Intelli-Gage from Nitorum Corporation of Norwalk, Conn., helps automate and manage an organization’s human resources procurement process, including specifying position requirements, automating workflow, submitting position requirements to vendors, reviewing candidates, scheduling interviews, tracking employee time, and the payment process. According to Nitorum, the service can work as a stand-alone e-procurement system, or an organization can integrate it with their existing systems, such as Ariba, ERP, financial, or Human Resource Information Systems. 203-849-6000; www.nitorum.com.
Toronto-based OnX Incorporated claims to be a “one stop e-business guide with an extraordinary team of professionals in all areas of e-business.” The company says it delivers competitive value by transforming your business models, processes, brands and digital systems to help you realize the opportunities of the Internet. OnX.com says it will provide services to take your business from the initial strategy development, to creative and marketing, and e-business technology services to help you take advantage of the e-business economy. The company has offices also in Vancouver, Ottawa, Montreal and Quebec City. 905-881-4414; www.onx.com.
Verian Technologies of Charlotte, N.C., has announced its latest version e-procurement software ProcureIT 5.1. According to Verian, the new version allows an ASP to install ProcureIT and in turn host the software for other organizations that do not have the financial abilities or the needed hardware to implement the system themselves. The company says the new version will have enhanced contract management and utilization, the ability to create reports using a template built by Verian that will eliminate the need for a third party reporting tool and have a more streamlined process for managing employee purchases, approvals and other administrative processes. The new version starts at US$90,000. Verian Technologies’ customers are entitled to a free upgrade. 704-547-7301; www.procureit.com.
PURCHASING plus+, from Toronto-based Palmas, is software designed to help streamline an organization’s purchasing and supply chain management functions. Single-user, multi-user and client/server versions are available for 32-bit operating systems including Windows 95, 98, NT and 2000. According to the company, the software saves time and money by automating its purchasing, and unlike similar programs it has been designed with the purchasing professional in mind. The company claims that the software and its add-ons (called modules) are easy to integrate and can run as a stand-alone system or integrated with other business systems. The company claims PURCHASING plus+ can send information to or receive information from any other system including financial/accounting systems, manufacturing systems, inventory systems, asset management and maintenance systems, job costing systems and ERP systems. The system is priced from $2,400 to $90,000. 1-800-506-3366 www.palmasdev.com
SAP Canada, a subsidiary of SAP AG, in Germany, offers SAP R/3 to improve the supply chain processes from supplier and manufacturer to wholesaler, retailer and consumer. According to SAP R/3 offers benefits for the retail industry, including: real-time global stock planning, merchandise planning, integrated financials, and warehouse and supply chain management. 416-229-0574 www.sap.ca/ SAP Canada’s retail industry site is at wwwext03.sap.com/canada/industries/retail/.
Vancouver-based Strategic Profits Inc. (SPI) targets its line of Internet business solutions at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and non-profits. SPI offers a secure on-line Web transaction called TouchLink Payment Gateway in conjunction with their business relationship with Royal Bank of Canada. SPI was the first to the market in Canada with such services. SPI has also partnered with Industry Canada, Royal Bank of Canada, GE Capital IT Solutions and Open Market to provide Communitystorefronts.com, a marketplace for shopping and fundraising securely on-line. SPI claims to offer on-line educational training, Web hosting, Web design, database development, shopping cart/secure CGI order form solutions, Internet marketing strategies, digital certificates and whatever else is required to help merchants and non-profits go on-line. 1-800-811-7811 www.strategicprofitsinc.com.
Global Logistics Technologies Inc. (G-Log) and Optum Inc. have announced a partnership to provide an integrated intelligent fulfilment solution. This Web-based solution will incorporate G-Log’s GC3 inventory routing product and Optum’s TradeStream, an inventory tracking solution, to enable businesses to optimize their order fulfilment. Users will be able to interactively manage logistics, transportation and inventory across the global trading community. Organizations can manage the flow of orders and inventory as the goods are in transit and dynamically re-route, expedite, merge or divert orders based on real-time conditions. Optum in Toronto can be reached at 1-877-467-8486. G-Log in Shelton, Conn., can be reached at 1-877-462-4564 or at www.glog.com . The Tradestream Website is at www.tradestream.com.
xwave, an Aliant Group company, offers IT services to clients through three service lines: integration, infrastructure and fulfillment solutions. These areas offer clients a broad delivery capability to plan, design, build and operate IT solutions that span both corporate and operational systems and to provide their infrastructure needs. With more than $300 million in revenues and 2,300 people, xwave has 10 offices from St. John`s to Edmonton in Canada, plus Dallas, Texas and Dublin, Ireland. xwave in Halifax can be reached at 902-474-5300; www.xwave.com.
ZixIt Corporation provides products and services that enhance security, privacy and convenience for users of the Internet. Principal services include: Secure Delivery.com, an Internet secure-messaging portal, and ZixMail, a secure document delivery, private email and message tracking service that enables users worldwide to easily send and receive encrypted and digitally signed communications using their existing email systems and addresses. In January, the company announced today the compatibility of these products with Lotus Notes. 214-515-7357; www.zixit.com.
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CREDIT FOR ILLUSTRATION:
By Marina Zlatogorov, Microforum
CAPTION FOR ILLUSTRATION:
Many of the wide range of proprietary products designed to facilitate the Web-based activities of retailers and wholesalers are from Canadian companies.
