Ability SmartSite™ - Ecommerce Software Features

Ability SmartSite ecommerce software fully integrates with your order management system (OMS) eliminating the need for double entry of product information. Ability SmartSite operates independently from your OMS, so if your OMS goes down, your ecommerce website will continue to take orders until it's back up.

Ability SmartSite lets you import customer records, discount tables, inventory feeds, and product records from your order management system into your ecommerce website.

Ability SmartSites included SSL support for both the front and back ends.

In order to receive a better credit card rate, merchants are required to encrypt all credit card information stored in any system. Our ecommerce software ensures that all PCI rules are followed.

Ability SmartSites use an XHTML table-less layout that allows you to display products with the most flexibility and the least amount of excess code.

Use a single back end to run multiple sites with products unique to each site, or shared between various websites.

Don't overwhelm your system with too many requests. Choose the optimum site caching requirements to deliver maximum performance.

All Ability SmartSites are built to be 100% accessible by search engines. Never worry about your pages getting indexed again.

All Ability SmartSite menu, category, sub-category and other pages are built to provide ultimate search engine optimization results for your ecommerce website.

Ability SmartSites have automatic generation of both meta title and meta description tags based on product information and ability to manually change individual tags as necessary.

Ability SmartSite's expandable menu allows search engines see the full menu, however, visitors only see the main level categories until they click for subcategories. It's user friendly and SEO friendly.

The URL Redirect Module allows you to redirect a URL on your site to a different URL on your site so you don't lose traffic when you remove products or change page names. You select the redirect type (301, 302, etc.) and can add, remove or update redirects at any time. You can review a 404 error (page not found) report for your site so you can review and redirect those pages if necessary.

A Google Sitemap streamlines the indexing process for Google and is recommended for faster indexing of new pages. Ability SmartSite provides automatic creation of Google Sitemaps on a daily basis or what ever frequency you choose. You can use Google Webmaster tools to specify the file name so Google knows where to find it every time it crawls your site.

Productive URL's are automatically generated using keywords from menu in them rather than long strings of unreadable code. Your visitors and the search engines can see what is important on your pages just from the URL.

Automatically redirect links with tracking codes, session id's and source codes to the canonical URL to avoid duplicate content issues.

Many of the features of Ability SmartSite can be set for automatic start and end dates. Never worry about promotions or pricing not changing or forgetting to change it back after the promotion has ended.

Ability SmartSite's flexible creative allows for easy updates to your look and feel without redesigning your whole site. Let us do your designs or have your design team create new looks using CSS.

Create unlimited informational, static pages for your ecommerce website using Ability SmartSite's content management system.

Rotate your banners automatically every time a customer visits your site. You can update banners whenever you wish - without programming changes! You can also pre-build multiple banners for special sales and events, and then set the display dates.

Customer comments can increase trust in your business boost conversion rates. Simply enter multiple comments, then a random comment will display on every category, subcategory, search, and item page. Choose to use an HTML blurb, text or whatever promotion you would like to display. Not only does this ecommerce solution build trust on your site, it also means fresh, spider-able content on each and every page with minimal time invested. Rotating Comments can also be used for “did you know” features or special offers.

Add rich media and files including .PDF, .HTML, .DOC, .MOV, .WMV, .EXE, and more to your site. Make sure you have the documents, audio and video your customers demand.

Ability SmartSite automatically generates a search engine friendly site map from your menu structure.

Alert shoppers to important information. Create clickable, customizable, easy-to-understand icons specific to your ecommerce website.

Assign administrative levels, system roles and users with different security and access levels.

Ability SmartSite 4.0 gives you the option to display home page content specific to the type of visitors on your site. First time visitors, returning visitors who have not logged in and returning visitors who have logged in to an account will see content based on their specific customer segment. Your shoppers will be able to personalize their browsing experience by choosing to expand or collapse banners based on settings that are stored to display by preference each time a visitor returns to the site.

Manage and modify product details through Ability SmartSite's browser-based content management system.

Show off the details of your products with images from multiple views or up close details. A new image window is created to avoid duplicate content issues.

Choose which prices to show your customer. You can add Our price, List price, Retail price, Competitor's price, etc. to increase conversions. You can also calculate instant rebates or add surcharges when desired.

Choose how to best display the options for your products. You can use radio buttons, drop-down menus and more.

Display items in a grid format so customers can easily choose multiple pieces or sizes from one page. Grid display simplifies the presentation of products with multiple options, by giving shoppers a visual display of choices all from the same item page.

Boost an item’s visibility by making it appear at the top of the search results on your ecommerce website. Choose to manually override sort orders to show a particular item before the others.

Appeal to budget-conscious shoppers by offering a Bargain Bin. This area has a coordinating, but different look from your site to highlight the closeout pricing. You can move merchandise into the closeout area with one click.

Display your top brands prominently. You can manually define your top brands and the order they appear or display them based on an algorithm. Home page brands can display brands from every category, while category pages will show only the brands applicable to that category.

Give your customers the ability to rate and review products, as well as seeing what other shoppers had to say about products. Customize the ranking scale and questions to appeal to your shoppers. Personalize the web shopping experience so shoppers can create their own product information, send in their own "action photos" of products, and interact with other customers by reading product reviews and browsing forum-style discussions. Quickly and easily perform manual or automated monitoring tasks to eliminate inappropriate content before it shows on your site.

Increase total order values by increasing product cross-selling. Display items that have been purchased by other customers and automatically generated from an algorithm – no additional work for you. You are able to increase cross-selling opportunities and provide additional value to shoppers. Content is constantly changing to keep search engine spiders coming back.

Increase cross-selling by displaying Related Items or Recommended Accessories on any item page. You can manually set related items and recommended accessories on your product pages. You can increase cross-selling by manually selecting related items and recommended accessories on your product pages. You can choose the display order of the items and even display in-stock or out-of-stock products – it's your choice.

Create cross-sell kits within your Ability SmartSite to increase average order value. You can choose to give shoppers a fixed price or percent-off discount when they purchase items together. You can also choose how to display cross-sell kit items – as a package or in a promotional area – whatever works best for your shoppers.

Choose to display in-stock items before out of stock items. Your customers can still choose a back ordered item, but "out of stock" won't be the first thing they see.

Communicate when an out of stock item will be in stock, how a drop ship works, how many items are left in stock, or other pertinent merchandise information. Add shipping cutoff times and in-stock quantities to provide your customer with everything they need to know.

Don't lose a sale just because an item is out of stock. Send email notifications to customers as soon as their favorite item is available and ready for purchase. This powerful ecommerce solution boasts high conversion rates and noteworthy increases in revenue.

Visitors can refer their friends via a friendly form on your site

Ability Commerce's CSS-based design and resource file architecture are designed to easily support site translation.

Ability SmartSite has an easy feature for your online shoppers to request a paper catalog. Additionally, once a visitor has requested a catalog, the "request catalog" button disappears so you don't have multiple catalogs going to a single visitor.

Boost conversions on your site while giving detailed product information with the pop-out animator. Your customers can see additional product information only when needed, simply by hovering their cursor over a product link. Your home and category page layouts stay clean, long load times are reduced and frustrating back-and-forth clicking are avoided. Plus, the pop-out text adds content richness and keyword density to any page, adding excellent search engine optimization without the clutter.

Enter manufacturer rebate information, by product, onto your site. Then, automatically calculate the customer’s price after the rebate, displaying the lowest possible price, in the appropriate area, of your site. This feature works with promotional pricing, showing the correct price after rebate even when multiple pricing options are available. Process sales at regular price, but show price after rebate on the site.

Allow your shoppers to search your site using keywords, item number, incorrect spelling, and slang terms.

Keyword searching is the #1 way customers find what they're looking for on your site. Filtered search results offer your customers the flexibility of narrowing their results by category or brand, speeding up the checkout process.

Allow shoppers to sort their results by user-defined popularity, demand-based popularity, name, price, or newest added.

Give your customers the ultimate aid for searching your site. IntelliSearch provides a listing of commonly searched terms based on the letters typed in by that visitor. Commonly searched terms are based on previous customer searches. Direct visitors quickly to the items they are searching for without even typing the full word!

Log and track all of the searches performed on your site. View common misspellings and frequently searched terms to understand the keywords your customers are actually using to find your products. Use this data to adjust search results, improve search marketing efforts and get ideas for new products.

Search wizards create an "expert technician" right on your site that guides users through their product selection, delivering targeted search results. By setting up a Search Wizard, you can ask your customers a series of simple questions designed to provide them with the best option for their needs. Results are targeted to shopper needs and it’s a great customer service tool!

Add discounts based on quantity, customer, item, order, or free with purchase.

The cart page is your last-chance to suggest add-ons or pump up conversions with a timely marketing message. Up-sell areas, fully controllable by marketing staff without the need for programming changes, are easily added. Use them for up-selling, shipping promotions or last-minute info you want shoppers to see.

Guest Checkout increases conversions by giving your customers the option to choose whether they want to create a profile or only provide essential information for purchase.

You can customize and update error messages to clarify the checkout process, boosting conversion rates and reducing customer service problems.

Give your customers an easy way to send gifts. Ability SmartSite will allow your shoppers to add a gift message and create an invoice without pricing, then ship to a different address than the billing address.

"Cookie" user information so items in shopping carts remain in the carts if a visitor leaves and returns to your site later. The cart default is set to persistent carts, but cookie length may be customized.

Automatically calculate national and international shipping rates based on your OMS shipping tables and the customers address/zip.

Ability SmartSite lets you choose to give your shoppers free shipping based on dollar amounts, then goes a step further by allowing you to limit items that do not meet free shipping requirements.

You can choose to have a flat rate for shipping if you desire.

Give your visitors a free item when they order a user-defined dollar amount or specific product.

Increase conversions by showing the value of extended warranties, support plans and insurance on product and checkout pages.

Give your customers the option to purchase electronic or hard copy gift cards and gift certificates on your website and redeem online as well as by phone or in person.

Accept all credit cards as well as open account payments. Validate credit cards (Mod-10 Check Digit Routine) and display appropriate error messages to customers who mistype their number so they can correct it immediately and ensure their order is processed.

PayPal Express Checkout lets shoppers access all the features of their PayPal accounts, using the security and brand recognition of PayPal™ to increase conversions. Additionally, if you sell 'prohibited items' as defined by PayPal, you can choose to disallow PayPal as a payment option to comply with their specific rules.

Allow your customers to buy your items through Google Checkout. Full turnkey solutions allow you to integrate your ecommerce software with this online giant's brand recognition. Additionally, if you sell 'prohibited items' as defined by Google Checkout, you can choose to disallow Google Checkout as a payment option to comply with their specific rules.

Give your customers the option of installment billing. You can choose any number of payments based on any dollar amounts. Ability SmartSite can display all the information that your shoppers need to make their choice. Then, we'll pass it back to your OMS for processing. It's a great way to increase sales while providing a special service to your shoppers!

A loyalty program with membership discounts can boost your repeat-purchaser count dramatically. Ability SmartSite™ will recognize visitors who are members of your "price club," identify items which qualify for a membership discount, and display pricing and total discount amounts on all your site pages. Final discounts on cart and checkout pages clinch sales and boost conversions.

Import your international shipping, tax and currency tables from your OMS directly into your ecommerce website.

You can use Ability SmartSite to calculate and charge Value Added Tax (VAT). You can also choose if and how to display VAT on website pages.

You can display multiple currencies on Ability SmartSite pages. Not only are multiple currencies displayed, but you can also select the default currency from those available. Your shoppers are given the option to display pricing for a different currency by selecting from those displayed. Exchange rates can be updated from the Ability SmartSite administration panel.

Adjust address fields and labels to follow the accepted address format for a particular country. If you have customers in several countries, there is an option to allow your customers to choose their country and the form automatically changes to meet the accepted address format for the country chosen.

Integration of Post Code Anywhere, a third party address validation tool, has also been completed and tested for UK address validation. Shoppers who enter an incorrect address are given options of correct addresses so fulfillment is easier.

Further enhancements allow for major UK and European credit cards and the necessary format for them.

Configure "allowed countries" in more than one way. You can choose to disallow all purchases to a country or choose specific items to not allow within a country.

Ability Commerce's CSS-based design and resource file architecture are designed to easily support site translation.

Allow your customers to view order history, maintain their own account information and update their email address and password online.

Provide onsite order tracking for customer orders.

Ability SmartSite lets your customers review their past orders and re-order with just a click.

Customers who forget their password can click to retrieve it from front end or you can retrieve it from your admin panel.

Allow shoppers to maintain their wish list and distribute to all of their friends whenever they want from an address book maintained in the wish list. Shoppers can also search for other shoppers' wish lists by email address.

Increase conversions by allowing shoppers to save multiple ship-to addresses. Customers don't have to look up shipping addresses if they have used them before. They can just click their choice and continue checking out.

Allow your customers to see a list of their previously used credit cards. They can also easily add, delete or modify credit card information.

Allow your customers to sign up to receive special pricing, offers or news. Ability SmartSite will store your signups in a database so you can send emails from your store or export your list to your preferred email service provider.

Create email protocols to automatically send personalized emails to shoppers based on their preferences and purchasing history. You decide the frequency and communication rules that work best for your shoppers.

Allow customer service reps to alter and process orders that would have otherwise been rejected upon order submission.

Allow your call center to access customer account information by email, name or address. Call center staff can update your customers' email, password and account information from the admin panel. Additionally, you can review the last actions a customer took on your ecommerce website and view how many shoppers are currently logged in.

Hold web orders when your OMS is down or if you are batch processing to your OMS.

Create and maintain contests to increase shopper interaction and site stickiness. You can select your winners and even post them on your site to maximize your promotion impact.

Capitalize on the fact that you know exactly what a customer has saved in his wish list, then target emails based on that knowledge. You can automatically generate and send emails offering a discount, or simply reminding them to take another look at that most wanted item.

Boost conversions by automatically generating and sending emails to customers who abandon their carts before completing checkout. You designate the preferred time delay after abandonment, your offers, and your promotional language.

Automatically generate a "private sale" email to site visitors, offering them a discount on items they've browsed, accessories for items they've previously purchased or items of interest based on ordering or browsing history. This type of "targeted" email is highly effective in generating repeat customers and delivering a personalized experience for your visitors.

Ability Commerce's "Price Match" gives you an advantage for attracting price-sensitive shoppers. Customers can contact your customer service department via email if they find a lower price on an item with another site. Your customer service team can verify the pricing and send the appropriate automated email response to the customer. Approved price matches send an e-mail that includes a link allowing the shopper to instantly purchase the item at the matched price.