1. Rosetta Marketing
President Article for Submission 07/18/2013 Freelance Writer: Karen Parmelee
1
7 Strategies to Launching an Effective Commerce Experience: Less Time, Bigger
Impact
alt title:
Run to the Future: 7 Rules to Launch an Effective Commerce Experience
by Mark Eckman
There's a changing mentality for building effective, successful Commerce experiences.
The future is here, and the sooner you get on board and tackle these obstacles, the sooner
you can enjoy the benefits of smart, simple, and effective Commerce business models.
Businesses are increasingly defined by effectiveness with social media, mobility,
analytics, and the need for global growth. Rosetta is helping to shape this agenda and
offers these key steps to ensure your success.
A good business model used to rely on three check-points: On Time, On Spec, and On
Budget. In our work on hundreds of Commerce implementations, we have learned how
companies can do even better than what was once the high-bar measure of success.
Our tactics require foresight, planning, discipline and broad-based commitment. While
there is work involved, the pay-off will be huge.
1. Think outside the box, or inside your new box.
Try thinking inside the new box. This is a new way of planning that encourages use of
existing standard design which can be activated through simple installation and
configuration. Your job is not to reinvent the wheel, but rather to identify the perfect
existing wheel for your needs. Save time and money. Always the smart thing to do.
In this stage of the process, it is most important to evaluate your business requirements
and find the provider to fulfill them. Simplicity is golden. Stick to the purpose at hand.
In employing this process for one client, we selected 5 of 26 potential enhancements,
which shaved 3 months and hundreds of thousands of dollars off the cost for the program.
2. Remember, features support business function.
Features work to support business objectives. This establishes the "True North" for the
program. Create a one-pager summarizing why you are doing the project. Define desired
business outcomes and objectives. For each, identify a few key metrics that can be
indicators of success. The one-pager will serve to recalibrate the efforts in a meaningful
way.

2. Rosetta Marketing
President Article for Submission 07/18/2013 Freelance Writer: Karen Parmelee
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3. Realize that you are not Amazon.
Amazon set the standard for online retailing. Look at them, learn from them, and realize
that conventions become conventions for one reason: they get results
As an example, three separate clients insisted they had a unique way of existing that was
key to their brand. Upon launching, in all three cases, these features underperformed and
ultimately were replaced by something more conventional and better performing. It is
okay to stand on the shoulders of the giants who came before you.
4. Standardize and simplify.
A majority of Commerce work is beneath the surface. Resist the temptation to create
complexity where it is not needed nor adds value. In Rosetta's experience, opportunities
for simplification and standardization fall into these key areas.
A.) Front end design;
B.) Back end integration;
C.) Prudent platform choices;
D.) Standardization.
Visualizing trade-offs can be very valuable. Illustrate the decisions and press the need to
remain on task, on target, with the business goals in mind. This is remarkably codifying
for all departments. You'll appreciate the sanity and simplicity provided by mastering
these steps too.
5. Recognize where you are already late - and work like crazy to catch up.
Most clients tend to think that they are different. When it comes to setting up a
Commerce platform, they are not. The key to your success lies in accepting this fact and
not panicking once you realize you're late.
In general, these areas are typically better handled by an agency with commerce chops:
A.) Product Catalog: Populating the initial product catalogue with web-ready,
customer friendly material is a significant undertaking.
B.) Overall Data Clean Up: Data conversion and data migration are frequently
constrained by and confused with data clean-up, reconciliation, and other key
functions.

3. Rosetta Marketing
President Article for Submission 07/18/2013 Freelance Writer: Karen Parmelee
3
C.) API's and Integration: We often build full test harnesses or stubs so that
Commerce and ESB development can occur in parallel. This is like driving in
the passing lane for your whole trip.
D.) Final Content and Copy: Many customers require multiple rounds of review
and approval in order to finalize their content for the site. Getting this done early
will create time for the business to become familiar with the new operational
design.
E.) Development Environments and Environment Support Services: Fully
functional environments should be available no later than five weeks from this
kick-off session. Because you simply, positively need to be up and running in the
next best thing to overnight.
Now you're upgraded to first class and your business is ready to provide the best
experience and deliver measurable results.
6. Paint the town red.
Code Blue gets immediate attention in hospitals. Code Red in status reports is a call for
immediate action too.
Status reports hold the keys to the kingdom and need attention paid to them. Don't clutter
them. Don't politicize them. Make them work for you. They are the quickest, surest way
to take the vitals of performance and fix what is not delivering.
7. Get the details right, and insist that your team stay on top of them.
A digital platform is an always-on representation of your brand. The launch plan and
final product should reflect your organizational culture and expectations. These specific
tests will work rigorously for you in reaching your goals.
A.) Usability Testing
B.) Design and User Interface Testing
C.) Development Testing
D.) Functional Testing
E.) Systems Integration
F.) Scalability and Reliability Testing
G.) Security Testing
H.) User Acceptance
Avoid the graveyard of failed Commerce implementations., These 7 simple steps ensure
and quicken your walk in the land of Commerce. You'll be running in the 21st Century in
no time.