EURONICS PRESENTS ITS NEW ECOMMERCE PORTAL BY REPLY

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1 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. Reply 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.

2 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 ordermanagement 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 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 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 advancedsearch 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 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: