FAQs ( Frequently Asked Questions) / Preguntas Frequentes

What is an E-Store?
An E-Store is a secure, branded Web site where customers can access your product catalog and place orders 24x7. Your customers may view, modify, approve and build their own quotes and orders online.

How does an e-store benefit my business?
An e-store enables your company to display you supplier's entire authorized catalog to your customers and other customers throughout the region. The e-store's functionality allows you to quote various shipping methods to the country of destination, giving your customers options not offered by your competitors. Shoppers will have the option to view your site in either English or Spanish, and product quotes will be displayed in US Dollars as well as the currency of the country of destination.

What is eCom?
Klatu's eCom is a true international e-commerce solution. The underlying tool integrates extensive international e-commerce functionality with CNET's highly structured content and images, along with pricing and availability information from major supply chain partners. The embedded e-commerce functionality includes real-time pricing and availability, multiple payment methods, a pricing engine, product filtering, multiple INCOTERM pricing, landed-cost pricing, multiple languages, and currencies. The resulting solution is very affordable, powerful and easily customized to a customer's requirements.

I am a US Reseller. Can I license eCom?
No. We only license eCom to resellers or Vars that are listed as US Exporters by their distributor and where export sales excee 50% of all sales.  For US E-Tailers, Tech Data and CNET have introduced two new tools named DataPaq Select and DataPaq Premium.  For more information , please click here.

How long does it take to set up an E-Store?
It takes 2-4 weeks to setup a reseller e-store, depending on how much time you can commit to the setup process.

Is there any time delay to get up and running?
As soon as we have received your payment you have access to a live working site and can begin to customize your filtering rules and set up your parameters. It takes 1 day to download pricing and availability once your distributor passwords have been entered. You may add and edit content at your own pace and add information such as freight tables.

Do I have to sign an agreement?
Yes but you can cancel at any time with 30 days notice. You can also sign up for multiple-year terms.

When will I be billed for my Klatu.Net quarterly fee?
The fee for the first quarter will be billed the day your website goes live. It will be billed on the same day each subsequent quarter.

Can E-Stores be customized?
Yes, you can upload your firm's logo, and company information, as well as content such as your policies, history, etc. You can also select from several color schemes or specify your own color scheme. You manage the access rights of individual end-users to the E-Store.

Can my e-store accept credit card payments?
Yes. Our international payment partner, First Atlantic Commerce Ltd., permits your e-store to charge the consumer's credit card in the currency they selected. This eliminates foreign exchange discrepancies and adjustments normally associated with international currency transactions.

Which distributor inventories are linked?
We are currently linking Tech Data Corporation. Other suppliers can be integrated on request.

Will ECom work if I don't have an account with Tech Data?
Yes. You could add a custom catalog or setup an XML/API connection to another supplier.

How often does pricing and availability update?
Our engine updates your e-store's product pricing and availability nightly through downloads and in real-time on product selection. A user sees a current picture of what a distributor has in stock and the current price.

How does ECom receive the correct pricing from my distributor?
You receive your negotiated pricing. Supplier passwords and individualized downloads and pricing/availability calls assure your firm is displaying your authorized products and pricing.

What product information is available on my e-store?
We provide comprehensive product data and images based on CNET Channel's DataSourceTM. The content is extremely rich, including the main specifications, detailed specifications, related products (if provided by the manufacturer) and suggested options (which you can add yourself.

Who decides what products to display?
Your supplier provides your e-store with the catalog that you are authorized to buy and sell. Your engine can access all the products that your supplier considers active or which are still in inventory. Suppliers add new products each week and discontinue end-of-life products. You may then filter out those products that you don't want to offer your customers.

Where does the e-store get its pricing?
You and your supplier establish your cost pricing level. The engine then marks up the products by a percentage rate based on your cost price.

Where does the e-store get the product information?
We partner with CNET Channel's DataSourceTM for our multilingual product information and images. CNET receives their product information directly from the manufacturers.

What product categories are Available?
The computer products catalog includes computers, peripherals, software, accessories and services. The Consumer Electronics catalog contains over 30 additional product categories.

What sort of security does eCom provide?
Our site is operated on a Secure Server under VeriSign's Digital ID. Shoppers have the ability to authorize access to a company account by assigning an individual PIN Code per authorized user.

How do I link to another page from eCom?
There are several ways to link your e-store to your existing website or frame it within your site. We can assist you in defining the most suitable way to accomplish this.

Will you train us on managing the e-store?
Yes. We will provide training on how to manage the e-store, change parameters, release orders, etc.

Do I have to update the product catalog?
No. We maintain the catalog content, images and your supplier's pricing and availability.

Can we modify my pricing structure?
Yes, you may modify your markup levels at ay time in our pricing engine.

How do I find out when a customer signed up?
You receive a copy of the “Welcome to my e-store” e-mail the customer receives

How do I find out when an order is placed?
You receive a copy of the order confirmation e-mail the customer received.

How do I view the list of orders that have been placed in my store?
Once you log in to the reseller interface, select “Reporting” and “Orders”.

How do product searches and comparisons work?
Products can be browsed by product category or searched by keywords, part numbers and multiple product attributes. Additionally, products may be filtered by price and attribute through the “Attribute Search” option. Customers can compare side-by-side the main specifications of as many as 3 products at a time.

Do I need to know HTML to create my store?
No. All templates are menu driven and no programming is required to build your site.

May I use my own graphics or photos on my site?
Yes. You may add them through the interface.

Can I design my own background?
Yes. You may add a background to the header and footer areas, as well as any non-product pages.

Can Klatu build an entire website, including a front-end?
Yes. We can build a world-class front end for your business. Ask us about for more information about this capability.

Does eCom have a search feature that helps customers find products?
Yes, it is placed within your catalogs page.

Can I find information about associated and related add-ons and accessories?
Links to associated products from the same manufacturer are provided within the main product description sheet. These include add-ons and accessories such as consumables, adapters, battery chargers, cables, carrying cases etc.

What prices do my end-customers see on the E-Store?
Your supplier's cost price that you mark up accordingly through our pricing engine. You classify your customers and you determine your customers pricing.

How does the pricing engine work?
You decide on the appropriate markup levels for each customer type and then associate the customer with the appropriate level. You can also lower or raise the markup by product type (laptops, printer, keyboards, etc.), and discount by payment method (Wire Transfer, Credit Card, check), by terms of sale (Open Account, COD, Prepaid), as well as discount by order size. You control you pricing.

Can I set promotional and fixed prices for certain products?
Yes.  Please see the Features Page.

Accepting Credit Cards

FAC provides US Dollar, Caribbean regional or multi-currency payment solutions that enable your business to accept credit or debit cards in the currency of your consumer's choosing, thereby increasing your overall sales and service.

Can I decide which currencies to offer?
Yes. For example, if your company operates in Jamaica and also sells to another island such as Trinidad, you can set up your e-store to accept US Dollars, Jamaican Dollars and Trinidad & Tobago Dollars. You decide which currencies to accept and in which currency to receive settlement.

How do I obtain an Internet merchant account?
Determine where you want your merchant account (either US based or Caribbean based). To set up a Caribbean merchant account, click here, complete and submit the First Atlantic Commerce Caribbean merchant application form identifying in which country you wish to obtain your merchant account.

What else does FAC provide me?
All FAC clients have access to web based fraud and settlement reports, 24 X 7 client support, and a web-based virtual terminal that enables returns and credits to be processed easily and conveniently.

Do I need to be approved by a bank?
Yes. FAC will refer your application to their banking alliance in the country you select and assist with approval of your merchant account. The bank has the responsibility of approving all merchant accounts.

The charges are determined by FAC Bermuda and the Bank that processes your credit card transactions and may vary from merchant to merchant. Regardless, the charges should be competitive with what is available in your country. Please check with FAC Bermuda or with your processing bank for more information or complete the application on FAC's website available here.

Do I need to sign a Merchant Processing Agreement with FAC?
Yes. FAC has made it easy for you to accept and clear multi-currency payments through your eCom store. You may complete your application on FAC's web site. Once you have agreed with the payment services Terms and Conditions Agreement, FAC will work with the bank to open your merchant account. The transaction processing fees will be billed directly to your credit or debit card.

How do I pay for my multi-currency credit card processing fees?
FAC will email you an electronic invoice every month and then charge your credit or debit card for the fees owing. You must have a valid credit or debit card in order to apply for multi-currency credit card payment services with FAC.

About Klatu's eCom Platform

Can I print transactional reports on different periods of time?
You can run a sales report for any date range.

What are the different levels of access to the application?
A reseller e-store provides a customer with two access levels. Each customer account has an administrator, who can add other users with the reseller's authorization. System parameters may only be set up or edited by the Administrator.

Would I need to integrate eCom to our company's IT systems?
Yes.  ECom is a Web-based product hosted on our servers which can be integrated to your accounting or warehouse management system through ABIs or batch-file uploads. (Please inquire)

What payment options are available for customers via the E-Store?
The payment options available are dependent on the administrator's selection during the E-Store set-up. The administrator can choose one or all of the following methods: Purchase Order, Cashier's Checks, Bank Checks, International Drafts, Wire Transfer, Money Order or Company Check, Credit Cards

Is there a limit to the number of customers that access my E-Store?
No.

Are customer quotes saved in the application?
Yes. Our e-commerce engine saves all of your e-store's quotes and orders.

Does ECom allow me to procure products directly through the application?
Yes. If your suppler provides a mechanism to electronically transmit purchase orders, you may set up eCom so that it automatically releases orders to your suppliers.

With which freight carriers does the product work?
You may add as many carriers and service levels as required and associate them with specific countries.

What are product info sheets?
You or your customer can print personalized PDF product information sheets for any product. These contain product images, descriptions, and technical specifications.

Does each user have a password?
Yes. Each user will have their own login information and you may set up as many users as required. We do not license by seat.

Does ECom use a secure Internet connection?
Yes, ECom operates over a Secure Socket Layer (SSL) connection on the Web. We partner with THAWTE for the SSL certificates used with our solutions.

What happens if the ECom site goes down?
Our application, hardware and infrastructure is continuously monitored. In the rare event of a server failure, we will automatically post “Under Routine Maintenance” notices and get the application up and running as quickly as possible. We'll also keep our customers informed about our progress and estimate how long it will take to restore functionality.  We have been averaging 100% uptime for the prior 180 days (as of March 02, 2004)

Does ECom backup my information?
Yes. We back up data on a regular schedule so you will not lose any transactional information.

Legal

Does Klatu Sign Documents Electronically?
Yes. At Klatu we often electronically sign documents by taking advantage of the "Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act" (the E-Sign Act).  The term "electronic signature" encompasses a number of different technologies, including "digital signature" technology.

What is the E-Sign Act?
The E-Sign Act provides for the legal validity of "electronic signatures" on such documents as checks, loan applications, contracts and records.  The act provides that any signature, contract or other record relating to a transaction in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce "may not be denied legal effect, validity or enforceability solely because it is in electronic form."

The E-SIGN Act requires an electronic contract to be in a form that is capable of being retained and accurately reproduced in order for it to be valid and legally enforceable. Moreover, a contract relating to such transactions may not be denied legal effect, validity or enforceability solely because an electronic signature or electronic record was used in its formation. The E-Sign Act preempts state laws and establishes a nationwide standard of acceptance.

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