For Web Developers
As a web developer, you probably have a set of criteria that is used in helping your client select the right ecommerce system for their business. This page addresses many of the questions that web developers often have:
Layout - Can a Nexternal Storefront be configured to look like the rest of my client's site? Absolutely. The Layout section of the Order Management System is where web developers can modify cosmetic aspects of the online store. One of the more powerful sections is the bordering html area. This is where the "skin" of the shopping cart is created. When a client signs up to use the system, one of Nexternal’s design engineers will synchronize the look of the store with that of the site. As the web designer, you are welcome to go in and make changes as you see fit. Within the core application (inside the skin) there are also many parameters that can be modified to ensure a professional looking store. Additionally, most of the markup within the store is given CSS IDs or classes for advanced manipulation.
Search Engine Optimization - Will the store be optimized for search engines? Nexternal’s software includes a powerful tool called the Search Engine Friendly Catalog (SEFC). This tool will create a separate static file for every product and category in the store that is inherently designed to be attractive to the search engines. This tool works very well and a Nexternal rep would be happy to provide you with examples. The SEFC is hosted on your client's web server. The Nexternal OMS can be configured to update the catalog automatically once per week via FTP. It's a good idea to link to the SEFC from other pages of the website to ensure that they build a pagerank consistent with the rest of the site. The SEFC will be set up by a Nexternal design engineer free of charge.
Offloading Liability & Security - I am quite good at web design, but would not consider myself an internet security expert. Does Nexternal make sense for me? Most web site designers are not internet security experts. Building your own ecommerce system or even configuring an open-source ecommerce system so that it is absolutely secure is no easy undertaking. Most web designers would rather use a hosted ecommerce solution and not be associated with any liability as it relates to internet security, specifically when dealing with ecommerce sites.
Reliability - If my client's store has a problem, I don’t want the client calling me to trouble shoot it. This is another great advantage of Nexternal. The reliability and performance of the store is managed by Nexternal, not by you.
Updating the Catalog - I don’t want the client calling me every time they need to add a product or change something in the store. Through the web-based order management system, merchants can make changes themselves. If they have a question or problem, they have a dedicated Nexternal Account Executive that they can at no additional charge. You are also welcome to call the Nexternal Account Executive. Product and customer data can also be imported through an Excel worksheet.
Additional Marketing Tools - I am putting a ton of work into my client's site and want them to be successful . What other marketing tools are available in Nexternal? Nexternal has a robust suite of marketing tools from comparison marketplace feeds (Google Base, Shopzilla, Nextag, etc) to an email wizard. Many times web designers have retainer relationships with their clients to develop HTML email marketing campaigns.
Affiliate Program - Does Nexternal offer an affiliate program that makes sense for web designers? Yes. Nexternal will pay you $150 for every client that you refer to Nexternal that signs up. Click here for more information.
