Wiley's Online Catalog Promotes Electronic Commerce
After months of research, planning, and coding, Wiley's new Web Catalog went live in mid-October. The catalog, which can be accessed at http://catalog.wiley.com, combines descriptive copy about Wiley titles with cover art to promote products and enable electronic commerce with customers around the world.
"This catalog will serve two purposes: the first is to enhance Wiley's image in the marketplace, and the second is to increase sales," said Gwenyth Jones, Wiley's Director, Publishing Information Systems and Technologies, who worked with the seven-person team that developed the catalog prototype. "To stay competitive, we have to utilize technology to present our product in fresh ways, while providing a service that facilitates access for our customers and staff."
Bill Groppe, Wiley's Manager of Internet Applications, managed the development of the innovative new catalog, and he and the team looked at several other Web sites for inspiration and ideas. "We wanted to emphasize ease of use so that people can buy books and move around in the site without getting tangled up in lots of pages," he said. "We paid close attention to Amazon.com and the Barnes & Noble site, as well as some of our competitors' sites."
Online Shopping Made Easy
When customers first visit the site, they are asked to indicate their country of origin so that only the books available in their market will be displayed. (In a subsequent version, this feature will trigger the display of pricing in the appropriate currency and enable local fulfillment.) The sophisticated search engine allows visitors to complete general or specific searches by entering as much - or as little - information about the book as they have (such as title, author, and ISBN).
Consumers can find books by using the navigation bars on the left side of the screen, which contain a variety of Wiley subjects, such as Accounting, Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Science and which, when opened, display information about and links to related subtopics. After selecting a book, the shopper is linked to a page that provides title information, a summary of the book, price, and if available, a picture of the book's cover. Shoppers add books to their virtual shopping carts before entering their payment information at "checkout." The online order is sent to customer service in New Jersey where it is processed and the books are mailed soon after. Customers can also order via phone, fax, or mail from their nearest Wiley fulfillment center.
A Familiar Name in Cyberspace
Lee Thompson, Vice President & Director of PRT Marketing Group, Director of Trade Product Planning and Development, sees the Web Catalog as a valuable marketing tool, which has the potential to simplify and increase sales, and also to improve Wiley's corporate image. "When our customers see a familiar name and logo online then the technology seems more friendly and comfortable," Ms. Thompson explained. "By creating an environment that they are accustomed to, they are as likely to buy products as they would be from the catalog or bookstore - but in this case it's even quicker."
While the Web catalog is convenient to shoppers, Margie Schustack, Vice President, Marketing, Professional/Trade Publishing, emphasized that the purpose of the Web site is not to detract business from the bookstores that sell Wiley books. "It's important to remember that this Web site isn't designed to lure shoppers out of stores and onto the Internet," Ms. Schustack said. "People buy product in a variety of ways and venues - in stores, through the mail, from book clubs, online, and through catalogs - we just wanted to add another option for our customers. We've also been working very actively with our retail partners in all of their online ventures - catering to their information needs, as well as targeting areas for sales growth now and in the future."
An Evolving Web Site
The Web Catalog is the first version of what will be an evolving resource for the consumers, retailers, academics, librarians, and staff who use it. Future versions might feature cost incentives to shoppers, information about new releases, and availability and currency information for international shoppers. Links from the Web sites of individual books will be added early this year. "For example, at the bottom of the Ernst & Young Tax and Financial Planning Corner page we would ask if you want to order the book," Mr. Groppe explained. "With the click of a button, you'll be able to place your order and when the transaction is complete, you'll be automatically bounced back to where you were before."
The Web Catalog will benefit both Wiley employees and customers by providing convenient and accessible information about books, as well as purchasing options. Online shoppers will appreciate the easy connection to quality products.