EURONICS PRESENTS ITS NEW ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY
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EURONICS PRESENTS ITS NEW
ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY
Euronics’s decision to overhaul its web portal was spurred by a new focus on
exploiting cutting-edge technology. Hence the need for an efficient ecommerce
platform integrated with the corporate and information functions to offer complete
support for the retail outlets.
Reply led the project, bringing in Technology Reply, Italy’s first certified Oracle OPN
Specialized Platinum Partner. Through our experience and the contribution from our
partner Oracle, Reply has developed an innovative solution providing quick, direct
access to the ecommerce functionality while integrating seamlessly with third-party
systems and external platforms.
In its completely revamped portal, Euronics has achieved the twin objectives of
ensuring continuity with existing clients while winning over a new target customer
group through the online channel. The refreshed site now handles a continually
updated catalogue of over 17,000 products.
SCENARIO
Euronics Italia, a leading distributor of electrical appliances and consumer-electronics
products, was set up in 1999 as a new facet of the established GET brand. In over twenty
years, the group’s development trajectory has seen it welcome additional partners,
making great capital in particular from each one’s authoritative local presence.
As the markets evolved and the competitive dynamics intensified and the business
became more international, so the need to build a European group became clear. Thus
was born the organisation that now has a pan-European presence with over 11,500
stores: Euronics International. Today, with growing investment in the main national
and local media, the company is strengthening its brand and promoting itself with
vigour.
Reply
www.reply.eu
2 EURONICS: THE NEW ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY
THE CUSTOMER’S CHOICES
Euronics Italia has recently embraced a new concept in retailing its products. In this
fresh approach, the distribution channel – coupled with constant, direct dialogue with
consumers and end users – plays a key role in the company’s evolving marketing
strategy. This context demands meticulous CRM processes and an innovative use of
technology.
For Euronics, it was essential to redevelop the portal radically in order to have an
advanced ecommerce platform integrated with the corporate and information areas
offering comprehensive support to the retail outlets. Euronics also needed to ensure
service continuity for existing customers while engaging and stimulating a new target
group via the online channel.
The project had very ambitious implementation timescales and budget objectives. The
restyled portal’s various features had to include the integration of specific order-
management functionality for Euronics’s partners while slashing technology
infrastructure costs.
For a highly innovative project with major business impact, Euronics Italia chose the
proven combination of a leading-edge software partner and a competitive, reliable
technology partner: Oracle and Reply.
THE SOLUTION
Reply handled all aspects of the project, from redesigning the internet portal and the
integration with the physical shops for order management to containing the hardware
infrastructure costs through platforms and services exploiting the potential of the Cloud.
In light of the architecture and technology to be used and the complexity of the
customer’s requirements, Reply assembled a task force of in-house certified
professionals. In particular, Technology Reply – Italy’s first certified Oracle OPN
Specialized Platinum Partner – deployed its expertise to develop all the functionality
for the portal on the Oracle ATG Web Commerce and Oracle Endeca Search platforms,
both leading ecommerce solutions in their respective fields.
The order-management system and the integration with the stores and logistical
partners were progressed using the latest J2EE technologies linked via web services.3 EURONICS: THE NEW ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY
The first phase of the project entailed developing the ecommerce portal’s core
functionality. This included the integration work with the physical stores and logistical
partners for order management. In phase two, the portal search facility was optimised,
by replacing the existing engine with Oracle Endeca Search for better performance in
free-text search and in filtering the product categories.
THE ECOMMERCE PORTAL. The new Euronics Italia ecommerce portal offers the
following core functionalities:
‒ Browsing a continually updated catalogue of over 17,000 assorted products, including
each product’s technical sheet
‒ Product comparison
‒ Shopping-basket management
‒ Checkout integrated to the payment gateways to complete the order transaction
‒ Managing user accounts in a personal area complete with address book, order history
and wish list.
In addition, several ad hoc features vital for Euronics’s business have been introduced,
including “Book and collect” and “Flyers and stores”. Both integrate with the Google
Maps online mapping service.
When a customer wishes to buy a product online and
collect it in store, the quick-to-use “Book and collect”
feature gives them a list of the shops and how far
away they are. The customer can then make the
booking and go to collect their purchase.
With “Flyers and stores”, users can find the nearest
outlets to their selected address. They can look up
detailed information about individual stores,
including opening hours and any promotional flyers
available.
The portal also integrates with third-party systems
to provide a range of advanced contemporary
features. These include social-media functionality
through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, product reviews with Reevoo, comparison
engines, and the Euronics newsletter.4 EURONICS: THE NEW ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY
INTEGRATION WITH PHYSICAL STORES AND OTHER PARTNERS. End customers
now want retailers to offer a unified experience across the various channels for
interacting with each brand and a multichannel experience bringing together the digital
world and the physical shops. That is why Euronics asked Reply to develop the “Book
and collect” feature. On completing their purchase, the consumer can use the
ecommerce portal to raise an order to the physical stores, thus fulfilling their request
completely across all its various stages:
‒ Assigning to a physical store
‒ Integrating with the various logistical partners
‒ Informing the customer of their order status with the option to follow the shipping
process in real time
‒ Reviewing each product bought
EURONICS ON EBAY. A very interesting feature for Euronics Italia’s business was the
integration with eBay, the world’s best-known online auction portal. By exploiting the
ability to integrate with third-party systems, we created the Euronics presence on eBay.
It offers a variety of products across all consumer-electronics categories and has won
rave reviews from customers.
SEARCHING WITH ORACLE ENDECA. The portal’s free-text
search facility and the advanced-search filters available in the
category pages (by brand, price, etc.) were developed in the first
phase of the project, by integrating with Google Commerce
Search, Google’s SaaS tool providing search functionality within
the Google Merchant platform. In phase two, the search engine
was enhanced to use Oracle Endeca Search. A daily update
procedure now feeds the whole product catalogue into Endeca.
What is more, the main features of interest from each product’s
technical data sheet have been exported to create advanced-
search filter categories.
The free-text search section is available on every page in the portal and was designed
to provide users with a suggestions feature offering ideas based on the chosen search
term. Suggestions concern products, brands or categories of goods. Oracle Endeca has
also made it possible to include additional functions, such as autocorrect and synonym
handling.5 EURONICS: THE NEW ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY
REPLY VALUE
The solution designed and developed by Reply shows how consolidated experience in
the relevant sector and certified technological expertise can create complex, innovative
systems for major retailers to meet end consumers’ needs.
Through marketing, developing the sales network, and a focus on new technologies,
supported by Reply, Euronics has once again confirmed its position as one of Italy’s top
electronic-goods chains.
Technology Reply is the Reply group company specialising in consultancy, design and
implementation of solutions based on Oracle technology. Through its certifications and
its participation in the Beta Programs and the co-development ventures pursued directly
with Oracle Corporation, Technology Reply has been continually innovating and providing
enterprises with worthy support for over 17 years. With all its expertise, Technology
Reply can assist companies throughout the process of transforming their information
systems into innovative solutions, from design to implementation. Technology Reply is
Italy’s first certified Oracle OPN Specialized Platinum Partner.
For more information: www.reply.euYou can also read
