Online store operator is more complex than
simple website handling. Most software designed to allow you
to do so is provided as an online service.
SellerDeck (formerly Actinic) takes another
method. This desktop application allows you to create and manage a store on
your PC. The website itself can be hosted locally, or with hosting service you
choose.
Sellerdeck
Business 2013
There are several versions of the software,
starting with the simplest Catalog to the full features Enterprise version.
Business Version sits above Catalog and can handle offline the trade (orders by
phone and mail) as well as electronic commerce.
You only have a user license for $1,348.5
investments (excluding VAT), although you can run SellerDeck on two machines
when a machine is used to maintain the website (upload) and the other machine
to process orders (download).
Interface
Features
SellerDeck screen is pretty crowded, and
there is no attempt to simplify the layout. There are four separate work area,
which is accessible via the tabs on the main control panel. They are Content,
Design, Orders and New order.
Content shows the navigation structure in
the tree in the left pane, provide icons for each page on the website and any
items that you are selling. Information related to the selected icon is
presented in a panel on the right. This information is classified, but needs to
learn a lot of knowledge before the detailed changes to become more second
nature.
Design Tab show a page from the website -
is selected from the Content tree, though here it appears to the right. You can
choose from 12 templates and 22 color schemes to set up the basic design for
the website. Each sample has somewhat pale, and you may want to add vitality to
the design.
The rotations are done in a similar way a
desktop publisher (the desktop publishing), or by editing the basis HTML;
screen can be split to show both.
Orders Tab shows current and history order
information, and you can pull up customer data, including checking online
fraud. These tests are performed by DataCash, a part of Mastercard, if you also
buy SellerDeck Payments.
New order tab shows an order panel similar
to a typical online order screen to enter orders via telephone and email. This
familiar method means entering new orders in real time while handling a
customer on the phone is very easy.
The
tabs
Software links with the design of
Dreamweave, and Sage Accounts for document analysis and accounting, but can be
used alone if you do not need to control the level of detail control.
The new features of the 2013 version
focuses on improving the customer experience rather than upgrade the
back-office database. Improvements to search and filter offer suggestions when
customers enter keywords and help sellers can create new pages from the
filtering results.
The option selector on the store site can
be correlated with each other, for example, the different options in a select
(selector) product size can change the options provided in the corresponding
color selector.
Prices can be changed in real time when
customers select. List of items can also be numbered page, remove the need to
scroll down the products in a big category.
Verdict
SellerDeck 2013 Business is a flexible and
comprehensive commerce tool to maintain an online store. It covers many needs
of a small to medium size companies, and can process orders by phone, mail and
online. The new features, while not impressive, help to provide the type of
environment that the online customers are expecting. If the PC license proved
limited, Business Plus 10-PC package is available for $2098.5 excluding VAT.
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Specifications
·
Price: $1,349
·
Windows XP SP2/Vista/7
·
2GB RAM
·
120MB drive space
·
Ease of use: 3.5/5
·
Features: 4.5/5
·
Value: 3.5/5
·
Overall: 4/5
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