Supported Software and Technology Components

These are the components you need for a complete ecommerce solution:

  1. Storefront This is the website where your customers go to buy things. It can be anything from a simple online payment form to a catalog site with a virtual shopping basket. The storefront software options integrate with the back-end Back-Office and Transaction Processing tools.
  2. Back-Office Your merchant staff use these web-based tools, known as OMARS, to view and manage incoming orders, get reports, and even enter new orders (e.g., orders received by telephone, paper mail, or walk-ins).
  3. Transaction Processing The back-end ClearCommerce software that captures and sends the transaction data to MIT's bank for verifying and processing payments on your customers' credit cards.

How do these components fit together?

In all cases, we will provide you with a standard set of Back-Office and Transaction Processing tools. If you require a Storefront in addition to these back-end tools, we offer several options geared toward your specific needs.

Options for Storefront

Name Description Comments Cost
ShopSite Enterprise software for building catalog product pages and shopping baskets. Performs some product/service inventory functions.

Allows for multiple selection options.
Shopping cart performs calculations.

 $325 or $925 per store, one-time (see note 1)
Custom Web Form You develop a web form that follows specific naming and posting conventions to submit orders to the transaction processing servers. Good option for collecting payments for which limited information is required from the buyer, e.g., payment of invoices. (see note 2)
Cgiemail Web Form Custom web form using cgiemail that sends detailed order information in email, before calling transaction processing.

Supports multiple payment options.
Good option where there are few products/services offered.

 (see note 2)

Note 1: This is a pass-through cost for each ShopSite store license from the vendor. Information Services & Technology (IS&T) will set up the storefront on an IS&T-maintained server and provide access to the merchant. The merchant is responsible for configuring the store products and pages. IS&T can help configure the store for an additional cost.

Note 2: The merchant is responsible for developing the web forms according to our specifications. IS&T can help develop the forms or integrate the API for an additional cost.

Back-Office Services

Product Name Description Comments Cost
Order Management and Reporting Services (OMARS) Web-based interface to enter, manage, and report on credit card orders.

Requires Transaction Processing solution
Access is restricted using MIT digital certificates
IS and CAO will configure OMARS for each merchant.

 No additional charge

 

Transaction Processing

Product Name Description Comments Cost
ClearCommerce

Enterprise software that sends transaction information to MIT's bank for verifying and processing payments on customers' credit cards.

 Merchant staff typically never need to interact with ClearCommerce directly, but nonetheless rely on its services.
One ClearCommerce store ties to one FDMS Merchant ID.
IS and CAO will configure the ClearCommerce storefront for each merchant.		 $340 per store, one-time

 

For a more detailed overview of these components and considerations when planning and building an e-commerce site, see the E-Commerce Cookbook.

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Last updated, 11/15/2005