Do You Know How To Write An Ecommerce RFP?

I’m pleased to announce Elastic Path’s latest white paper is now available for download titled “How To Write an Ecommerce Request for Proposal.” There comes a time when a growing online retailer has outgrown an existing platform - whether homegrown or licensed, and decisions must be made regarding which ecommerce platforms satisfy the needs of the business. This white paper presents a clear process for:

1. Evaluating your business
2. Determining your requirements
3. Guidelines for writing an RFP that will help you make the best decision
4. Evaluating vendors’ responses

You’ll also find a sample RFP outline and template to get you started. Though Elastic Path is an ecommerce software vendor and the company behind the Get Elastic blog, this white paper is written for any online retailer evaluating any ecommerce platform.
We hope this helps you in your decision-making process, regardless of which ecommerce software provider you end up choosing.

We’ve also got other white papers that might interest you, including:

Build vs. Buy in 4 Easy Steps

Making a decision to go at it alone and build your next-generation ecommerce platform in-house or leverage the ecommerce platforms available from vendors is sometimes a daunting task. This Build vs Buy white paper looks at the pros and cons of each method and gives you the tools to help make a decision that is most appropriate for your unique organization.

The Ecommerce Checkout Report: Tactics of the Top 100 Online Retailers

Do you want to see which checkout tactics are most used by successful online retailers? How does your conversion rate stack up to those who employ similar tactics? Does a shorter checkout process really decrease shopping cart abandonment? Should I use an order confirmation screen? Does live chat improve conversions? These are a few of the 23 tactics we evaluated as we studied the checkout process of the Internet’s Top 100 Online Retailers.

Clicks to Customers: The Real ROI in B2C Ecommerce

The online Business to Consumer (B2C) marketplace is increasingly impatient, which is a reflection on the pressures merchants feel from their customers. Online retailers expect their technology solutions to flex, bend and meet their complex needs and become profitable in short order. Rather than expecting to realize a return on investment over the course of time, retailers want instant gratification and Return on Investment (ROI) in typically less than six months. Twenty-one percent of retailers expect to see revenue results from their online tools (e.g., site search, interactive product imaging and Web 2.0 technologies) within weeks. Only 22% are willing to wait more than six months to realize a return on their online tools.

Blogging for Retailers

With all the noise surrounding blogs and social media, this white paper will guide marketers and executives into the blog o’sphere, with a focus on online retailers. It demonstrates “Web 2.0” fundamentals and breaks down the tangible benefits, provides an overview of blog platform options, a glossary of terms and a mini-course to have your online retail operations thrive by leveraging the power of blogging.