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WebSphere Commerce
Developer(s)IBM
Stable release
7.0 with fix pack 1 (7.0.0.1) / 5/14/2010
Operating systemCross-platform
TypeInternet application
LicenseProprietary
WebsiteIBM

IBM WebSphere Commerce is a software platform framework for e-commerce, including marketing, sales, customer and order processing functionality in a tailorable, integrated package. It is a single, unified platform which offers the ability to do business directly with consumers (B2C), with businesses (B2B), indirectly through channel partners (indirect business models), or all of these simultaneously. WebSphere Commerce is a customizable, scalable and high availability solution built on the Java - Java EE platform using open standards, such as XML, and Web services.

Versions

It all started back in 1996[1], with the product called Net.Commerce, starting with versions V1.0, V2.0, V3.1, and V3.2. In 2001 the Net.Commerce product was renamed to WebSphere Commerce Suite, releasing versions V4.1 and V5.1. In 2002 WebSphere Commerce V5.4 was created, followed by V5.5 in 2003 and V5.6 in 2004. The last major release versions are:

There are three editions of WebSphere Commerce.[5] Each edition provides an increasing set of functionality in comparison[6]:

  • Express[7]
  • Professional[8]
  • Enterprise[9] (note: this was previously known as WebSphere Commerce Business Edition)

Since WebSphere Commerce is highly customizable solution, IBM provides an integrated development environment which you can use to build and test your customizations, extend the business logic, change the look and feel of your website, and create new logic to meet your requirements. The product used for developing and customizing the platform is called IBM WebSphere Commerce Developer. So there are also 3 editions of the developer product, matching their runtime environments (so called WebSphere Commerce Developer Express, Professional, and Enterprise). [10]

As with other IBM products, WebSphere Commerce Developer uses IBM Rational Application Developer (RAD) for WebSphere software as the foundation of the Java IDE. RAD extends Eclipse environment with visual and other development features.[11]

WebSphere Commerce Developer V6 is based on RAD V6, for WebSphere Commerce Developer V7 it is IBM Rational Software Architect (RSA) or RAD V7.5.4, and for WebSphere Commerce Developer V7.0.0.1 it is RSA or RAD V7.5.5.1

Primary components of the solution

As with most Web applications, WebSphere Commerce has 3 main components:

  • A database
  • An application server (Java EE)
  • A web server

Databases which are supported with WebSphere Commerce are:

  • DB2 on different platforms (Windows, AIX, Solaris, Linux and i5/OS). DB2 is provided with the product (except i5/OS, which already provides DB2)
  • Oracle
  • Cloudscape (for WebSphere Commerce Developer only). It is provided with the Developer product.

The only supported application server is IBM WebSphere Application Server and that is provided with the WebSphere Commerce product.

The supported Web servers are:

  • IBM HTTP Server. It is provided with the product (except i5/OS)
  • Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS)
  • Sun One/Sun Java System Web Server

Operating Systems

The following operating systems are supported for WebSphere Commerce:

Pages detailing prerequisites, supported operating systems, databases and servers per each release:

Features and benefits

All editions of WebSphere Commerce 6 (Express, Professional and Enterprise) include the following features:

  • Starter Stores for direct B2C and B2B business models
  • Multi-cultural and localization support
  • Order Management
  • Marketing and Merchandising Tools [12]
  • Analytics and business intelligence using either Coremetrics[13] or WebSphere Commerce Analyzer (WCA) additional software
  • Operational reports
  • Customer care
  • Payments using WebSphere Commerce Payments or new Payments plug-in architecture
  • Catalog import utility
  • Web-based framework tools called WebSphere Commerce Accelerator, including:
    • Product Management Tools
    • Store Style Editor
    • Change Page Text Editor
  • Fast-path documentation
  • Open standards support - Built on accepted, industry standards like Java technology, JavaServer Pages, Enterprise JavaBeans (EJB) and XML, WebSphere Commerce can be easily integrated to your existing, in-house developed middleware and systems including IBM CICS, IBM WebSphere MQ, IBM IMS products and SAP R/3.
  • Developer tools, standards-based, rapid application development environment that uses and extends IBM Rational Application Developer based development environment.

In addition, the V6 Professional and Enterprise versions include also the following additional features:

  • Gift Center[14] for WebSphere Commerce provides retailers with a complete multichannel gift registry solution [15] .
  • Sales Center[16] for WebSphere Commerce gives call center representatives the functionality they need to service and upsell cross-channel customers. [17]
  • Cross-channel Order Processing [18] provides cross-channel business processes to efficiently serve customers, contact-center representatives, gift registrants, distribution channel partners and others. Interfaces integrate with external systems such as POS, kiosk, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and fulfillment systems (Multi-channel order management).
  • Workspaces and Attachments
  • E-mail Template Editor
  • Auctions
  • Sales Catalogs
  • Collaborative Content Management[19]

However, only the V6 Enterprise version includes also the following features:

  • Contracts and Entitlements [20]
  • Starter Stores for indirect business models:

All three versions of WebSphere Commerce Developer V6 (Express, Professional and Enterprise) include:

  • Development database (Cloudscape database) that is pre-configured to work with WebSphere Commerce and has all of the starter store archives pre-published for fast start.
  • Support for switching to DB2 and Oracle as the development database.
  • IBM Rational Application Developer providing an open, comprehensive development environment for building dynamic e-business applications and Web services specifically for WebSphere Commerce, such as for example:
    • Roles based development
    • WSDL design
    • Schema design
    • Service skeleton and proxy generation
    • Interactive Service Explorer
    • UDDI search and publish capability
    • Local and remote WebSphere unit test
    • Test case generation
    • WS-I conformance testing
  • IBM WebSphere Application Server V6.0 providing a premier J2EE and Web services application platform to help build, run, integrate and manage dynamic business applications.
  • Tools and plug-ins:
    • Enterprise bean conversion tool
    • JSP batch compiler
    • WebSphere Commerce JSP viewer
    • Optimistic Locking plug-in validating that CMP entity beans can use optimistic locking and migrating EJB projects to use optimistic locking
  • Starter Stores facilitating quick and easy online store modification to include those WebSphere Commerce features they want to present to their customers.
  • Enhanced store configuration services allowing Line-of-Business users to more quickly and easily modify the online store to include those WebSphere Commerce features they want to present to their customers with no IT involvement required.
  • Store Creation Wizard provides for easy creation of hosted stores. Key Capabilities include:
    • Store Profile
    • Styles
    • Store Files Mgmt
    • Store Text
    • Store Logo
  • Extensive online help for application developers with API and command reference information, fully integrated into the development environment.

Additional features are continuously provided through Enhancements

Enhancements to version 6.0

In addition to features provided with WebSphere Commerce V6 additional new features are provided regularly by WebSphere Commerce Enhancements for version 6.0. These enhancements are delivered as installable Feature Packs, sample reference applications or documented solutions in white papers.

WebSphere Commerce enhancements at a glance:

Feature Pack 1, Feature Pack 2 and Feature Pack 5: Customer empowerment

WebSphere Commerce Feature Pack 1 

   * Coremetrics for IBM WebSphere Commerce auto tagging utility (ie. enhanced Web analytics)
   * Coremetrics Tag Library support for WebSphere Commerce versions,5.6 and 5.6.1
   * Coremetrics reports for WebSphere Commerce
   * WebSphere Commerce and content management system integration with WebSphere Portal 5.1.0.4
   * Enhanced search and navigation by integrating to IBM OmniFind Discovery Edition

WebSphere Commerce Feature Pack 2 

   * WebSphere Commerce Web 2.0 store solution (note: replaced by Feature Pack 5 Madisons store solution)
   * WebSphere Commerce integration with sitemaps
   * Reports for IBM Sales Center for WebSphere Commerce[25]
   * Reports for e-mail campaigns
   * WebSphere Commerce and content management system integration with WebSphere Portal 6.0
   * Contract terms and conditions

WebSphere Commerce Feature Pack 5 

   * Delivers a Web 2.0 starter store, called Madisons, with a streamlined purchasing process (this store replaces the Feature Pack 2 Web 2.0 store)
   * Delivers Buy Online, Pickup In-Store cross-channel support by using Distributed Order Management (DOM) solution integration

Feature Pack 2: Front-office integration

  • WebSphere Commerce Portal integration

Feature Pack 4: IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce

  • IBM Management Center for WebSphere Commerce business user tool

Feature Pack 1: Back-office integration using SOA enhancements

  • Improved Service Orientation and Web services support for back-office integration, including JCA adapters for Web Services, reference applications and pre-defined Web Services for integration with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Order Management Systems (OMS)
    • WebSphere Commerce and SAP system integration
    • WebSphere Commerce and Sterling Customer Order Management PCA (Sterling COM PCA) integration

Feature Pack 2: Paymentech plug-in for WebSphere Commerce

  • Paymentech plug-in for WebSphere Commerce
  • Compliance with Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards

See also some Further information about Enhancements:

Announcement page: IBM WebSphere Commerce Enhancements for Version 6

Version 6.0 Information Center: What's new - WebSphere Commerce Enhancements for version 6.0

Training on WebSphere Commerce 6.0 Enhancements on IBM PartnerWorld: WebSphere Commerce 6.0 Enhancements T3 - Replay Note: Requires IBM User ID and PW.

Download page: IBM WebSphere Commerce Enhancements for version 6.0 Note: Requires IBM User ID and PW.

Solutions

  • Automotive: Automotive Dealer Collaboration Support critical business activities including parts and inventory replenishment, warranty claims management and collaborative communications.
  • Electronics: Electronics Sales and Service industry solution customer-focused strategies, processes and tools designed to help increase loyalty, revenue and profit.
  • Government: e-Government Portals Deliver portals that provide relevant, time sensitive information and self-service transaction capabilities to citizens, businesses, suppliers and employees
  • Industrial: WebSphere Commerce for B2B and Channel Management Enhance B2B revenue and reach through closer, more responsive customer and partner relationships
  • Retail:
  • Cross-industry: Strategic Sourcing and e-Procurement Reduce costs and cycle times across both direct and indirect spend categories.
  • POS Solution:
    • CrossView - Cross-Channel POS Customer Centric Point of sale software that enables merchants to have a single view of customers, orders, products, pricing, promotions and inventory across the enterprise.
    • Simply Retail Solutions (SRS) Full featured POS solution with integrated multi-channel, multi-store, multi-currency and multi-lingual support, giving visibility to product, customers and transactions across the enterprise.

Notes

  1. ^ IBM Archives 1996, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  2. ^ WebSphere Commerce InfoCenter v5.6.1, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  3. ^ WebSphere Commerce InfoCenter v6.0.0.9, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  4. ^ WebSphere Commerce InfoCenter v7.0.0.1, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  5. ^ WebSphere Commerce, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  6. ^ [1], IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  7. ^ WebSphere Commerce Express, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  8. ^ WebSphere Commerce Professional, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  9. ^ WebSphere Commerce Enterprise, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  10. ^ WebSphere Commerce Developer Editions, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  11. ^ Rational Application Developer for WebSphere Software, IBM. Accessed on 2010-06-10.
  12. ^ Marketing and Merchandising Tools, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  13. ^ Coremetrics Cross-Channel Analytics, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  14. ^ Gift Center, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  15. ^ Gift Center demo, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  16. ^ Sales Center, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  17. ^ training on IBM Sales Center customizations on IBM PartnerWorld, note: for IBM Business Partners only, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  18. ^ Cross-channel Order Processing, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  19. ^ Collaborative Content Management, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  20. ^ Contracts and Entitlements, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  21. ^ Extended Sites, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  22. ^ Value Chain, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  23. ^ Demand chain, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  24. ^ Supply chain, IBM. Accessed on 2008-11-19.
  25. ^ IBM Sales Center for WebSphere Commerce, IBM. Accessed on 2009-10-11.
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