OSCARnet improves the B2C experience

“We are continually developing OSCARnet to keep our online OP purchasing tool ahead of the competition and recent work has focused on the business-to-consumer market. We are concentrating on developments for our top level OSCARnet Pro to maximise functionality for our Pro dealers. All the new developments are optional, so a dealer can choose to ‘switch on’ those options which they feel are right for their business,” explains Gary Fletcher, Head of UK IT at Spicers. Four developments are new this week.

Improvements for the B2C market
OSCARnet developers have now made it easier for a consumer to register and place an order: the system asks for just an e-mail address and password rather than an account number and user name.

In line with major online stores such as Amazon, OSCARnet’s shopping basket can be displayed on the page and is refreshed each time something is added. The system can now also display a single summary screen showing the complete order and total cost and a clickable button for users who want to continue shopping.

‘Related Products’ display to boost orders
When a purchase is made, OSCARnet can now display related products. Users who buy CDs, for example, will be prompted about CD cases or labels if they have been purchased alongside CDs in an order from another user. These products will be displayed under ‘Customers who purchased CDs also purchased…’. OSCARnet can predict order patterns by analysing orders that go through the database on the previous day. This is a proven way to increase order value.

Saving time with ‘Best Price’
Using this option, OSCARnet will automatically display the dealers’ best price on any product by analysing pricing information from the system. In the past, dealers have had to spend time searching through pricing tables to work out their best price on products.

Compulsory Purchase Order Number for controlled purchasing
Large organisations need tight controls on online OP purchasing. Using this option, a Purchase Order number is requested by the system so only designated purchasers can place orders.

All these updates are available for OSCARnet Pro users; Compulsory Purchase Order and Best Price are available for OSCARnet Plus dealers. For more information call Spicers’ E-commerce team on 0870 607 0673 or e-mail css@spicers.net

For further press information call Catherine Taylor, Spicers’ Press Office, on 01480 880171 or 07788 480123.