The British are coming! Or rather, the British software systems are starting to make their way to U.S. shores.
Two systems making their debut on our annual software roundup this year are imports from the UK: 1) Omnica, a new solution developed on the Microsoft Axapta platform, and represented in this country by nFocus in Deerfield, IL; and 2) the ActiveSeries, a suite of veteran SQL/Server applications installed in several dozen U.K. facilities, represented here by Datamann in Wilder, VT (which also has the MOSP application).
Both systems have been fully Americanized for U.S. dollars, U.S. addresses, U.S. sales taxes, and U.S. transaction processing such as credit card and manifesting. They also incorporate U.S. terminology, which is different enough from the U.K. to be annoying if left unchanged (for example, “general ledger” instead of “nominal ledger”).
How viable are these applications? Very! The U.S. partners are responsible for support, so you don’t have to worry about vast time zone differences.
Both developers are willing to make modifications if necessary to meet user requirements. And while Omnica is a new entry, the people who developed it have over a decade of experience in direct commerce software.
Finally, just a “sanity check,” the U.K. landscape for direct commerce is very similar to our own, even though it didn’t really emerge until the early 1990s. While one or two previous attempts by U.K. software vendors to make a go of it stateside failed, they were tepid affairs without U.S. partners. This time around, I think we have two winners.
As usual, the functional grades and ranks in the accompanying chart are based on the vendors’ own input (with very rigid ground rules), giving you a chance to see where they believe their strengths lie.
Ernie Schell is director of Ventnor, NJ-based consultancy Marketing Systems Analysis.
| staff | installs/user base | prices | e-commerce | functionality | rules | modular rankings | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software | Total staff | Programmers | Support staff | Total supported installs | Total installs on current version | Number with fewer than 12 users | Number with 12-24 users | Number with 25-50 users | Number with 51-100 users | Number with more than 100 users | Avg. orders per day | Percentage of b-to-b users | Percentage of b-to-c users | Percentage that sell to both | Percentage doing at least 15% retail | Percentage that are primarily e-commerce | Avg. number IT staff on site | Hosted solution | Software installed less than $15K | Software installed $15K-$25K | Software installed $25K-$50K | Software installed $50K-$100K | Software installed $100K-$250K | Software installed more than $250K | Transaction-based fee pricing | Integrated shopping cart | Complete e-commerce module | Shared database for call center and Web | Support for real-time Web order import | Display all SKU sizes/colors in OE | Fulfillment functionality | Support single inventory in multiple warehouses | Integrated manifesting | Supports non-U.S. addresses | Supports multiple currencies | Integrated accounting module | % of users with few/minor modifications | % of users with major modifications | Interfaces | Basic business rules | Complex business rules | Enterprise integration | Order entry/customer service | E-commerce | Contact/campaign management | Warehouse management | Fulfillment | Merchandise planning/forecasting | Customer database management | Marketing database/analytics | Retail management/POS |
| Abison CCS | 8 | 6 | 1 | 6 | 11 | 4 | —- | 1 | 1 | —- | 325 | 0% | 10% | 90% | 100% | 0 | 1-2 | N | 20% | 44% | —- | 36% | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | R | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y | 0% | 0% | Y | Y | N | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-2 | B-2-1 | B-1-1 | B-2-1 | E | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | B-NA-5 |
| ActiveSeries | 35 | 5 | 5 | 78 (UK) | 63 | 10 | 30 | 28 | 8 | 2 | 1-2,000 | 15% | 80% | 5% | 75% | 95 | 3 | N | —- | 10% | 25% | 50% | 10 | 5 | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | 95% | 5% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | B-2-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-4 | C-2-1 | A-1-4 | C-2-4 |
| AssistCommerce Suite | 19 | 7 | 7 | 55 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 38 | 12 | 7 | 2000 | 25 | 75 | 80-90 | 20 | 10 | 2-3 | O | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 65% | 35% | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | 60% | 40% | N | Y | P | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-4 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | A-1-1 | C-2-5 | A-2-4 | B-2-3 | D-3-5 |
| Avexxis | 20 | 15 | 8 | 65 | 20 | 3 | 8 | 17 | 34 | 3 | 500 | 0 | 90 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1 | Y | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | Y | N | Y | 30% | 70% | Y | Y | N | N | A-1-1 | B-1-5 | D-3-5 | B-2-1 | A-2-1 | B-2-4 | C-3-3 | D-3-5 | C-2-4 |
| Cadence Order Management System | 45 | 10 | 6 | 38 | 35 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 2 | 50 | 70 | 20 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 1-2 | N | —- | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | N | N | N | 50% | 50% | Y | Y | Y | Y | B-1-4 | A-1-3 | E | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | C-3-4 | C-2-2 | E | E |
| Commerce Management System | 15 | 3 | 6 | 250 | 250 | 124 | 89 | 25 | 12 | 0 | 70-100 | 20 | 70 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 1 | N | 60% | 20% | 15% | 5% | —- | —- | N/A | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | 85% | 15% | Y | Y | N | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-2 | A-1-1 | B-2-3 | A-1-1 | C-3-5 | A-2-2 | A-2-3 | B-2-3 |
| CORESense | 50 | 12 | 3 | 65 | 50 | 40 | 15 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 150-300 | 10 | 90 | 10 | 100 | 70 | 0-1 | O | —- | 30% | 60% | 10& | 5% | 5% | 25¢ | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | 70% | 30% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1- | B-2-1 | A-1-1 | D-3-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | A-2-1 |
| CWDirect | 500 | 115 | 35 | 82 | 66 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 5% | 80% | 15% | 60% | 15% | 2-5 | O | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15% | 50% | 30% | 5% | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 50% | 0% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | C-3-2 | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | C-3-2 | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | A-1-X |
| CWSerenade | 500 | 115 | 35 | 4 | 4 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 0% | 80% | 20% | 50% | 50% | 2-3 | Y | —- | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | NA | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 50% | 0% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | C-3-2 | B-2-1 | A-1-1 | C-3-2 | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | A-1-X |
| Direct500 | 30 | 24 | 4 | 8 | 10 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 500-2,500 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 1 | N | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | 100% | 0% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | B-2-NA | A-2-NA | B-2-NA | A-2-NA | C-2-NA |
| Directions | 6 | 4 | 4 | 30 | 6 | —- | 15 | 5 | 10 | —- | 50-500 | 30 | 70 | 25 | 10 | 50 | —- | O | —- | —- | 30% | 50% | 20% | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | 10% | 30% | N | S | N | N | A-1-1 | A-1-3 | B-2-1 | A-2-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | B-2-2 | B-2-5 |
| Ecometry Commerce Suite | 450 | 150 | 100 | 245 | 108 | 18 | 31 | 64 | 78 | 54 | 10,000 | 15% | 70% | 15% | 35 | 15% | 1-2 | N | —- | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | 40% | 15% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-4 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | B-2-1 | B-2-1 | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | A-2-4 |
| InOrder | 15 | 7 | 6 | 31 | 30 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 1,000 | 43 | 35 | 22 | 57 | 51 | 0.2 | N | —- | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 70% | 30% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-2-2- | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | B-2-3 | A-2-4 |
| Junction Retail Enterprise System | 200+ | 50 | 15 | 40 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 23 | 4 | 100-40K | 20 | 60 | 20 | 80 | 15 | 5 | O | —- | —- | —- | —- | —- | 100 | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 70% | 30% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-5 | A-2-1 | B-2-1 | A-2-1 | A-2-5 | B-2-1 | A-1-5 | A-1-5 |
| MACH3 | 12 | 9 | 5 | 41 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 17 | 8 | 2 | 1,500 | 34 | 66 | 73 | 24 | 36 | 0.5 | N | 0% | 0% | 12% | 63% | 18% | 7% | 0% | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | 80% | 20% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | A-2-4 |
| Mailware | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1000+ | 200 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | N | 100% | —- | —- | —- | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | 80% | 20% | Y | N | N | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-4 | A-1-2 | A-2-2 | A-1-1 | C-3-5 | A-2-1 | B-2-2 | C-3-5 |
| MOM | 58 | 8 | 27 | 3,873 | 3,412 | 2,866 | 581 | 270 | 154 | 2 | 100 | 20 | 60 | 20 | 10 | 40 | 1 | N | X | —- | —- | —- | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | 15% | 5% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-4 | A-2-3 | B-2-3 | A-1-1 | B-2-3 | A-2-1 | B-1-2 | B-2-5 |
| MOSP | 35 | 5 | 3 | 95 | 24 | 15% | 30% | 25% | 20% | 10% | 500 | 15% | 80% | 5% | 30% | 0% | 0-1 | N | 10% | 20% | 45% | 20% | 5% | 0% | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 75% | 25% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-2-3 | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | B-3-4 |
| NaturalOrder | 13 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 26 | 4 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 2500 | 50 | 20 | 30 | 2 | 5 | 1 | N | 0% | 0% | 0% | 30% | 60% | 10% | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 90% | 10% | Y | Y | PRT | C | A-1-1 | B-2-5 | B-2-1 | A-2-1 | B-2-1 | C-2-2 | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | C-3-5 |
| NetSuite | 700+ | 20 | 50 | 5,400+ | 5,400+ | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 25% | 31% | 44% | NA | 10% | NA | Y | —- | AVG | —- | —- | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 50% | 50% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | A-2-NA | B-NA-NA | A-1-NA | B-2-NA | A-1-NA | A-2-NA | B-3-NA |
| Omnica MCR | 45 | 16 | 27 | 4* | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1,500 | 40 | 40 | 20 | 66 | 15 | 1 | N | —- | —- | —- | —- | 50% | 50% | NA | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y* | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 80% | 20% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-NA | B-2-NA | A-2-NA | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | B-2-NA | C-3-NA | A-2-NA |
| OrderMotion | 50 | 8 | 7 | 300 | 300 | 75 | 135 | 45 | 30 | 15 | 100 | 5% | 95% | 15% | 5% | 90% | 0-2 | Y | —- | AVG | —- | —- | —- | —- | 55¢-20¢ | Y | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 0% | 0% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-2-1 | A-1-2 | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | C-3-3 | A-1-1 | A-2-3 | B-2-4 |
| OrderPower! | 30 | 24 | 4 | 65 | 60 | 16 | 22 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 2,000 | 10 | 60 | 10 | 60 | 0 | 0 | O | —- | —- | —- | AVG | —- | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | 75% | 25% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-NA | A-1-NA | A-2-NA | A-2-NA | A-1-NA | B-2-NA | A-1-NA | B-2-NA | E |
| OrderSuite | 5 | 3 | 1 | 130 | 114 | 98 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100-300 | 5% | 95% | 20% | 10% | 40% | 1 | N | AVG | —- | —- | —- | —- | —- | NA | N | N | N | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | Y | N | 70% | 30% | N | N | N | N | A-1-1 | B-2-2 | A-1-1 | B-2-2 | B-2-2 | B-2-2 | A-2-2 | A-1-2 | C-3-5 |
| Profitability Software Suite | 107 | 36 | 25 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 350 | 50% | 50% | 50% | 30% | 80 | 1 | O | —- | —- | —- | 15% | 25% | 60% | Per-user | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 100% | 10% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | A-2-2 | A-2-1 | B-2-5 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | B-2-4 |
| Response | 4 | 2 | 2 | 625+ | 100 | 70 | 18 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 100-250+ | 10 | 90 | 40 | 10 | 25 | 0-1 | N | 72% | 16% | 19% | 3% | 0 | 0 | NA | Y | N | N | Y | D | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | 40% | 60% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | B-1-2 | A-1-5* | B-2-1 | A-2-1 | C-2-4 | B-2-1 | B-2-1 | C-2-5 |
| Ship4U | 5 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 20 | 20 | 4 | —- | —- | 1 | NA | 30 | 70 | 0 | 80 | 10 | 0-1 | Y | —- | AVG | —- | —- | —- | —- | 35¢-10¢ | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | N | 100% | 0% | Y | Y | N | N | A-1-4 | A-2-1 | D-3-5 | A-1-1 | A-1-1 | C-3-5 | B-2-4 | C-3-3 | E |
| SigmaCommerce | 127 | 67 | 21 | 65 | 10 | 15% | 40% | 30% | 10% | 5% | Varies | 10 | 60 | 30 | NA | 30% | 0-20 | Y | NA | NA | NA | NAN | NA | NA | YES | Y | Y | Y | Y | N | Y | N | N | Y | Y | Y | 95% | 5% | Y | Y | N | AW | A-1-1 | A-1-4 | A-1-4 | B-2-1 | A-2-1 | A-1-1 | B-2-1 | A-1-4 | C-3-3 |
| Stone Edge Order Manager | 14 | 4 | 8 | 2,000 | 1,000 | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | 50 – 500 | 5% | 95% | NA | NA | 90% | 0-1 | N | AVG | —- | —- | —- | —- | —- | NA | N | N | Y | N | N | Y | N | Y | N | N | N | 95% | 5% | Y | Y | N | N | A-2-1 | A-1-1 | D-3-5 | D-3-4 | A-1-4 | D-3-5 | C-3-4 | E | B-1-5 |
| TernoVelocity | 10 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 14 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 – 5K | 15% | 55% | 30% | 20% | 15% | 0.5-1 | N | —- | 17% | 33% | 33% | 17% | —- | NA | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | Y | 70% | 30% | Y | Y | Y | Y | A-1-1 | A-1-3 | B-2-5 | B-2-3 | A-2-1 | B-2-3 | A-1-1 | A-1-2 | A-2-4 |
ABBREVIATIONS
*Being implemented
R = Replicated Database
X = See system summary
P = Supported through partners
F = Future
UK = Users in the UK
AW = through APIs and Web Services
S = some
C = Custom
AVG = Average
I* = requires “Integrator” module
D = Depends on no. of S/C
PRT = partial
L = Local delivery
O (P) = Optional (Preferred)
KEY: Grade – Rank – % user base
GRADE
A = This is a major strength of our application suite
B = Above average in functionality and feature set
C = We offer and support this in our application suite
D = This is a minor element in our application suite
E = We do not support this in our application suite
RANK
1 = We are a market leader here
2 = We are competitive
3 = Support basic functionality only
% installed base using this
1 = >90%
2 = 75%-89%
3 = 50%-74%
4 = 25%-49%
5 = <25%
* Recently introduced