Ariba PunchOut: 20 Questions to Ask (Part 3/4)

Need an Ariba PunchOut Website, but Don’t Know What to Look For?
20 Important questions to ask an eCommerce software company before buying (Part 3/4)

Q11) What if my customer wants Advanced Ship Notices (ASNs)?
While an automatic email confirmation is great, it doesn't tell the customer WHEN they can expect delivery of what they ordered. Some buyers may ask for an additional, more detailed email, stating when you will deliver the order and if there are any back orders pending. Again, ask to see a copy of the ASN.

Q12) Can I use it to manage all my online orders?
Hopefully you'll eventually start receiving hundreds and even thousands of orders a month from your new customer. As the orders start to increase, you'll want a central place where you can manage these orders. A web-based interface that allows you to search for a specific order, generate reports, and easily create Advanced Ship Notices. Ask to see this admin interface.

Q13) Can I manage the site by myself?
The site should provide access to an administration side where you can make changes to your catalog items and pricing schedules easily. This is another advantage of going PunchOut over using CIF or cXML catalogs - you can do updates on the fly without having to ask your customer to upload the new catalog. This is especially important for vendors that update their prices relatively frequently (maybe once a month or more). Have them show you what's involved in making a change.

Q14) Can I download the orders into my system?
If you expect a large number of product orders and have a capable order fulfillment system, you may want to integrate the website with your computer system at some point in the future. By being able to download orders periodically as CSV or EDI 850 formatted files, you can possibly have the web orders imported directly into your system to prevent re-keying. Even if you don't need it now, it's good to know that capability is there if you do need it.

Q15) Are there transaction fees?
Most B2B eCommerce vendors have transaction fees nowadays, but they should be no more than $1 or 1% per order. The advantage of this kind of pricing structure is that your software vendor will have a vested interest in your ongoing success. If your site is down… they make less money. If they add a new feature that increases sales… you BOTH make more money. This type of arrangement gives way to a win-win relationship in the long run.