axis vMerchant

B2B (Trade) Functionality

In addition to the general functionality offered by axis vMerchant, the following identifies some of the key areas of functionality aimed primarily, or specifically at, dealing with trade accounts in a B2B environment. In this context, B2B means dealing with customers that have special pricing/discounts and/or buy on account.

Customer-Specific Pricing

The simple principle of axis vMerchant is that, because of its close integration with axis diplomat, whatever special pricing mechanisms are in use within axis diplomat for a given customer then, when that customer logs in to the website, they see their net prices.

These pricing mechanisms can include customer-wide discounts, product-specific net pricing, customer group/product group discounts*, quantity-based discounts* and quantity-based pricing*.

Customers configured to use a different currency* will automatically see prices in their local currency when they log in.

Cash with Order or On Account Purchases

Depending on how the account is configured in axis diplomat, your customers can purchase on account or be offered a variety of payment options at the checkout as per retail customers. This latter option is ideal for customers who have special pricing but no credit account.

My Account

Whilst a "My Account" section can be made available to retail customers on a B2C site, a number of additional facilities can be made available to your trade customers:

View/Amend Requisitions*, Statement of Account, View / Amend Users and Management Reporting* are all B2B-specific features available for your trade customers.

Statement of Account

Customers that purchase on account may view their current statement online. Optionally, you may allow customers to settle outstanding invoices using any online payment method(s) that your website supports.

View / Amend Requisitions

On websites powered by an axis diplomat system featuring the eProcurement module, specific users can be configured with spending and requisition limits; if they wish to place an order that is above their spending limit but below their requisition limit, they are allowed to place a requisition (or order request) which can then be approved (and possibly amended) by their manager, turning that requisition into an order.

By clicking on any of the entries in the table, the manager is able to convert the requisition to an order (amending it first if required).

View / Amend Users *

Also available on websites powered by an axis diplomat system featuring the eProcurement module, managers are able to setup their own additional users, giving them spending limits and allocating them passwords.

Suppress Account Details

Not all of the information available via the "My Account" section of your website may be appropriate for all users - you can, therefore, restrict information by unticking the "Allow access to account information" option on specific contacts. The manager is also able to adjust these settings using the "View / Amend Users" option. Users that are not allowed access to the account information do not see the Statement of Account, Management Reporting or Orders and Product History for other users.

Management Reporting *

If your website is linked to an axis diplomat system with the eProcurement module, you can also provide your clients with a complete suite of reports that they can run for themselves to analyse their own spending patterns.

This is particularly well-suited to those in the consumables, stationery and facilities management arenas, where your customer's purchasing sits outside of their normal purchasing channel and managers need to keep track of what their employees and/or branches are buying.

By providing your clients with the management tools that they need to help manage their own purchasing, you build stronger ties with your clients, aiding both the retention of existing customers and the recruitment of new ones.

Click here for more information on the axis vMerchant Management Reporting Functionality

* these items may require additional modules within your axis diplomat system