Franchise Virtual Warehouse

- a revolutionary eCommerce business concept.

Franchise Virtual Warehouse is a technology, a feature, and a brand-new business concept. We have incorporated it into CyberOffice eCommerce software from day one (when CyberOffice Warehouse Builder was developed). In essence, Franchise Virtual Warehouse combines the functions of all our existing eCommerce components to provide a trading and management platform for both business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) eCommerce in any industry. It represents SmartWin’s vision for the next generation of eCommerce.

On the B2B side, CyberOffice Club is used to offer restricted access and services to business partners/merchants. Here both trading between partners, and/or between partners and the warehouse operator can take place. The partners are given permissions to upload product information in real time via Web browsers. The warehouse operator typically employs multiple "storefronts" to set up different wholesale price structures for different groups of partners. These storefronts are seen by partners or merchants only. On the B2C side, each partner/merchant can in turn open up a retail storefront for its own targeted customers, with full control on the look, feel and most importantly, price markup. As an add-on module, CyberOffice Communicator provides the ideal tool for instant message exchanges plus centralized call center services.

Our state-of-the-art CyberOffice Trading Mall offers such a practical implementation. You can simply adopt it and set up your own business operation within the framework.

Once a major trading platform i.e. a warehouse engine is in place for a given industry, its operator is then well positioned to lease out technologically advanced, fully functional eCommerce B2C Web site, with a vast collection of products/services in the industry, well organized supply chains, to any franchises, dealerships, retailers in the industry. To this end, the operator will become essentially an Application Service Provider (ASP). The competing edge, based on the Franchise Virtual Warehouse technology, is tremendous:

• Low entry barrier for any dealer/retailer to adopt the services. Typically a retailer will pay $200/month, rather than at least $10,000 for an eCommerce site of similar specifications.
• Each retailer retains its own brand, look, feel, and pricing control.
• Guaranteed supply chains and real-time transactions.
• No marketing fund is required to start with. The retailer can simply place a computer in the physical shop and displays the site to visitors to the shop. The visitors will then be able to browse the catalog from home. At the bare minimum, this effectively extends the business hours of the shop.
• Enhanced B2B process. Each outlet is able to upload its own product information to get a much larger exposure.

These are simple but important reasons why businesses want to follow the model. What we are talking here is a smooth transition from traditional sales into the eCommerce arena. Take a look at a real-life franchise system to convince yourself.

In short, the commercial realization of the Franchise Virtual Warehouse technology offers ASP-based services down to the individual retailers, physical shops in literally any industry is unprecedented. We cannot over-exaggerate the potential but would recommend you to get out there first.

The following diagram illustrates the flow of the business operation. Hope it can help you understand the concept better.