Developing a Generic Virtual Store Portal for Small and Medium Size Enterprises

摘要

An E-Business initiative to create a generic Virtual Store Portal for sellers with established distribution channels for all types of products is described. The initiative is based on the conviction that a virtual capability frees sellers from having to deal with the concerns of building stores from scratch, especially those who do not have the means or desire to dp so. The proposed generic portal platform may be customized by sellers to create and maintain their own virtual web-stores, and allow online transactions globally. Functionality incorporated in the architecture include the capability for sellers to manage and organize their products into customized categories, contact customers, manage transactions, view monthly sales reports, and more. The paper describes the research approach and methods adopted for the design of the Virtual Store Portal. This includes the feasibility study for the initiative, process analysis and project planning. Experimentation performed in the project by means of Architected Rapid Application Development, and the high level architecture of the Virtual Store Portal utilizing Web2.0 technology for the prototype is also explained.