Online Retailer Keeps Web Sites Fresh, Costs Lower With Timesaving Software Tool

Overview

Online retail is brutally tough, and companies can quickly find themselves with more expenses than profits. Successful retailers have to keep their operating costs low and their Web sites fresh to be successful online. Surf-culture clothing retailer Quiksilver Americas used Microsoft software to create a clever product management tool called Bob that shortcuts the onerous administrative work involved in posting, refreshing, and managing thousands of online products. Instead of juggling dozens of spreadsheets and manually posting data to File Transfer Protocol (FTP) sites, Quiksilver merchandisers can create compelling marketing copy and manage Web commerce elements in a single user-friendly tool. One developer created Bob in a few weeks and linked it to an existing content management investment.