e-commerce Platform Selection Process

 

THE SERVICES

• e-commerce Strategy
• Business Process Mapping
• Independent software evaluation
• Independent partner evaluation
• Project Management
• Tender Management

THE APPLICATIONS 

• Big Commerce Enterprise SAAS (From WebSphere)

 

THE BUSINESS

City Beach is Australia’s leading surf and outdoor fast fashion retailer that opened its doors back in 1985. From bikinis to skateboards, City Beach offers a huge range of apparel styles for men, women, and kids. Whether on the hunt for clothing, swimwear, shoes, accessories, or hardware; City Beach is the go-to. They have a simple philosophy of employing the people that live the City Beach life and giving their customers what they want, when they want it!

The Objectives

After the successful delivery of the first two engagements by it works; 1) project management and governance of the implementation of the replacement ERP and replacement POS solutions and 2) the provision of consulting services in the form of a formal Discovery, Assessment and Strategy, a further engagement in relation to its digital and e-commerce strategy was required. This indicated that the business needed to adapt how it provides retail experiences to its customer base and further validated the executive teams’ views that its digital channel in its current state needed a refresh. The team were tasked with establishing a phased programme of change (both tactical and long term/strategic) that would take the City Beach business on a significant digital transformation.

The initial phase of the digital transformation programme of change was to undertake a Platform and Partner Selection Process to evaluate and assess a variety of e-commerce and supporting solutions that met functional and non-functional requirements as well as the selection of an implementation partner.

The expertise provided by it works:

Expertise provided by it works included e-commerce strategy creation and evaluation, business process mapping, tender management, project management services, RFP and RFI and pre-qualification documentation creation, technical documentation creation and other subject matter expertise to support a robust selection process.


The Outcome

In under a month, the it works x City Beach partnership was able to deliver a fully conducted Platform and Partner Selection Process that ensured a robust, suitable and cost effective e-commerce solution and supporting 3rd Party applications. Deliverables by it works included:

  • Discovery and Assessment conducted of current landscape

  • Detailed Functional Requirement specifications gathered and produced

  • Detailed Non-functional Requirement specification gathered and produced

  • Integration Requirements Specification produced

  • Systems architecture and solution design produced

  • Data Migration Requirements Specification completed

  • Project Management Activities

  • Managing the creation of the scoring mechanism and scoring process

  • RFI / RFP Documents Produced

  • Competitive Tender Process Completed

  • Populated Documented Assessment of Solutions and Partners

  • Investment schedules reviewed and agreed

  • Favourable / equitable contracts reviewed and agreed

  • Written report and final presentation to the executive and board summarizing shortlisted candidates