Will I have to install special software on my computer so that I can use the Administrator utility of AHOY.COM solutions?

No. All AHOY.COM solutions are built on Web technology so all you need is a Web browser - either Internet Explorer (5.5 or greater) or Netscape 7.0 (or greater) are recommended.

How does the eCatalog search work?

Enter one or more keyword(s) into the search box that is displayed. The built-in search engine will return a list of products containing a keyword in the title and/or description fields. To limit the search results you can narrow the search to only the products in a selected category.

How many product options can each product have?

A product can have up to four options, so you will have lots of flexibility in specifying product variability. A product option can contain numerous values, each of which can have its own product code and price.

Is it possible to make the AHOY.COM eCatalog pages look like the rest of my Web site?

Absolutely. We built our eCatalog & eCommerce Solution with flexibility and ease of customizability in mind. The appearance and layout of all of the pages are controlled by templates that can be modified to your specific requirements.

I know I can process orders offline using my credit card terminal - will I also be able to process credit card payments online?

Yes. The eCommerce solution can be configured to integrate with VeriSign's Payflow Pro service to allow for online credit card validation and processing.

Can I add and manage information about products in my eCatalog?

Absolutely! You can easily add products and product images to your eCatalog. We built a very flexible database structure so your product detail information can include varied pricing, options and availability.

Can the eCatalog be set-up with products - but without prices?

Yes. Our eCatalog is extremely flexible. It can easily be set up as a product catalog without prices and online ordering. Manufacturers find this option useful since they often do not sell direct to customers. Keep in mind, even if you launch your eCatalog initially without product prices and online ordering functionality - they can be easily (and quickly) be turned on in the future if you decide you need those features.

What do I need to start a new online catalog?

All of the tools you will need to manage products and orders online will be provided to you. A secure certificate will need to be purchased for your catalog if you will be accepting online credit card payments.

How are product images added to the eCatalog database?

Adding images is easy. From the product administration menu you can upload a .jpg image from your computer or a computer on your network. The application will automatically create three versions of the image: a thumbnail, a main product image and an enlarged product view. Remember, you can upload as many images of each product as you would like.

Can I add more than one image for a product?

Yes, multiple images can be added for a product. For example, you can showcase a product in different colors, from various angles, or with available product options.

What forms of payment can be made via the eCatalog & eCommerce Solution?

Web site visitors who make a purchase on your eCatalog pay with any of the major credit cards that you accept. The credit card information is collected in secure mode.

We can also custom configure your eCatalog to accept other payment methods, such as by check or purchase order.

Can I have more than one category hierarchy?

Sure, you can set up as many categories and sub-categories as needed. Using categories and sub-categories makes it easier for visitors to your catalog to browse for products.

Will visitors to my online catalog be able to search for products?

Yes. Products in the online catalog can be searched by keyword. The database fields that are searched include: product title, description and additional keywords. The additional keywords field enables you to predict 'other' words that might be used in a search and associate those words with your products.

How are shipping costs handled?

A shipping matrix is maintained by the catalog administrator which allows for multiple shipping vendors and pricing options. The shipping cost of an order is calculated based on total order amount. Additional shipping and additional handling fees can be also added on a per-product basis.

Will visitors to my eCatalog be able to create a customer account?

Yes. When a customer places an order on your eCatalog for the first time he or she will be able to create a customer account that will facilitate a speedier check-out process when future orders are placed.

Can I temporarily hide a product that is out of stock?

Yes. You can temporarily deactivate a product so that it is no longer visible to Visitors to your Web site. The record will remain in the database, so you won't have to enter all of the details again when it is back in stock. Alternatively, you can identify specific options that are not available.

How do I view orders that have been placed on my online store?

Orders are managed from the eCatalog & eCommerce Solution Administration interface. From the Aministration menu you can search for orders, view orders that are pending and update orders that have been processed. You can also view the history of orders placed by an individual customer.

Can I use HTML to format product content?

Yes. Description fields are all able to handle HTML content. Using HTML will allow you to change font colors, add images, etc.

How many categories and subcategories can be created?

An unlimited number of categories and sub-categories can be added.

Can I temporarily remove products and categories?

Yes. Products and categories can be either deactivated or placed in a staging status. The deactivated status is used to remove a product or category from the online catalog visible to site visitors while a specific product or category of products is out of stock temporarily. The staging option is typically used when adding groups or collections of products so that the items can be viewable as a collection - but only to the administrator.

Can I change the order of categories and products?

Yes. The administrator controls the order in which categories, sub-categories and products are displayed.

Can I view sales reports?

Yes. The reporting function allows the administrator to view daily and monthly order report summaries by date.

Is a confirmation email sent to the customer after an order is placed?

Yes. The standard eCatalog is configured to send a confirmation email to the customer once the order is placed. An email confirmation is also sent to the administrator to alert him or her that an order has been placed. Either (or both) of these email confirmations can be turned off if you do not want to send them.

Will credit card orders be placed in secure mode? Will the credit card information be stored in my order database?

Yes. The standard eCommerce configuration enables you to accept payments via credit card on a secure server so when we set up your online store we will coordinate the purchase of your secure certificate for you.

Credit Card information for an order is only stored until change the status of an order to "processed". At that time the credit card information associated with the order is removed and replaced with just the last four digits for future reference.