As the technology world continues to increase in complexity, some companies have opted to offer a simplified product that appeals to key markets. Playaway, based in Solon, Ohio, is one such company. A division of Findaway World, Playaway has created the first preloaded, digital audiobook that comes with its own earphones and batteries. These pocket-sized, easy to use devices are being purchased and utilized by libraries, schools, hospitals and the military throughout North America. Since the company’s inception in 2005, Playaway has experienced considerable growth, especially within the library sector and the military. By the end of 2008, over one million Playaway devices had been sold. To support the expanding business, the Playaway team decided to redesign their website so that ordering Playaway devices would be as easy as playing them.
The Challenge:
Develop a full featured eCommerce solution to support future business growth and opportunities.
For several years, Playaway had been using a custom developed eCommerce platform with limited functionality. To help promote its business-to-business initiative, the company decided to replace the existing eCommerce website with one that would support Playaway’s long-term business growth while meeting its online marketing demands. After several months of strategic planning, Playaway contacted Briteskies, a trusted IT consulting firm with deep local IBM WebSphere Commerce experience and knowledge of comparable open source solutions. Our team was equipped to handle development challenges that proved to be roadblocks for other eCommerce companies.
The Solution:
IBM WebSphere Commerce, Enterprise Edition, Version 7.0: advanced capabilities and improved design.
Our team helped Playaway select the newly released WebSphere Commerce Enterprise Edition, Version 7.0 as the ideal platform to meet the company’s needs. The Briteskies team was one of the first to use Version 7.0 for its rich features, advanced capabilities and an improved storefront design. Although it required a more substantial investment, the Enterprise version was necessary because of its business-to-business capabilities, contract pricing and extended sites. For this implementation, the Briteskies team integrated Playaway’s Apache Lucene search web service with the WebSphere Commerce platform to provide advanced search functionality. By using IBM WebSphere MQ, Playaway loosely coupled WebSphere Commerce with its NetSuite Enterprise software for product availability, pricing and order processing. The development team also utilized WebSphere Commerce marketing capabilities to enable Playaway’s marketing department to easily control content on the website. In just six months, Playaway was able to launch its new WebSphere Commerce platform and successfully implement its business-to-business initiative. As a stepping stone for growth, the new website provides a solid eCommerce foundation for future business ventures and opportunities.
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