DATA-BASE DRIVEN DISPLAY SYSTEM: If you have a wide range of items on offer - more than a hundred or so -- it makes sense to opt for a database-driven display system. If your product details or pricing change frequently, a web-database also comes in handy. Assuming you already have a database of your stock available, Kupola software can make use of this to generate your online product display automatically. Our easy-to-use update tool refreshes your online catalogue according to your updated product line. An illustration showing how a database-driven catalogue and ordering system works is here.

SHOPPING-CART: A place for customers to put their purchases. A shopping cart also calculates subtotals and totals, adding tax and shipping costs as required. Until recently, most shopping cart systems were implemented server-side, that is to say, the calculations and storage are done on the computer which hosts the site. With the development of modern browsers, however, much of this work can now be done client-side, on the customer's computer. This has the advantage of making it much easier and faster to check what goods have been selected - instantaneous in fact. Earlier, server-side implementations still have their place for those browsers (some 7 per cent or so) which can not use the newer technology.

ORDERING SYSTEM: When the customer has browsed the shop and selected something to buy, s/he moves to the checkout page. If there are no vital details to be sent, the customer fills in delivery details then pushes a button. At the server, where your site resides, a small CGI (Common Gateway Interface) application, receives the details, stores them in a safe place and notifies store clerk and customer per email that an order has been placed. For secure ordering see the next item:

SECURE ONLINE ORDER SYSTEM: Information that your browser sends over the internet may be intercepted by an interested hacker with access to one of the computers through which your Internet connection travels. Usually these computers are very well protected and run by responsible individuals. But the possibility remains... see our note on security. This is why you should choose to use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology for your ordering system. It takes about 20 per cent longer for the information to be passed but the message is strongly encrypted both ways.

OFF-LINE SHOP: Much of the time your customer spends online is wasted time. Slow connections and wrong directions are all too common and often spoil the fun of surfing. An off-line shop changes that. Your client may download (in a few seconds) a stand-alone version of your catalogue and then close the telephone connection. All the browsing and the shopping cart operations thus take place off-line -- free of telephone charges. The final connection to send the order will take less than a minute. Cheaper and more convenient, the off-line shop generates customer good-will.

MEMBERSHIP SYSTEM: Knowing who your customers are helps you tailor your offer to their requirements. Adaptability is, after all, where the Internet excels. Kupola software can give an idea of the geographical location of those browsing your site, but it is, of course, much more helpful if you can encourage your clients to give you a little information about themselves. Membership systems do this. By offering a small reward -- a newsletter, free software or access to restricted pages -- in exchange for an email address, you can build up a group of members who are interested in and receptive to your offering.

MULTI-MEDIA PRESENTATION: In supermarkets, the appropriate choice of background music can increase sales by some 15 per cent. The moving images which appear increasingly in stores are also there for a reason: they more than pay for themselves. With the Internet, the same principles apply. The richer the site, the more likely people are to hang around. But there are differences. If your fancy animations delay loading to a crawl, customers won't wait. And they may just HATE your music or wacky sense of humour! But used sparingly, sound and motion can add atmosphere, functionality and value to your online presence.