Technological Components & Business Needs

Our Blog theme is “Malt Whisky”, and I have chosen to examine and write about an e-business web site, which sells whisky online and is one of the biggest online shops in this category. I am talking about “The Whisky Shop” (http://www.whiskyshop.com/).

Technological Component	Business Need
User Authentication	In computer security, authentication is the process of attempting to verify the digital identity of the sender of a communication such as a request to log in. The sender being authenticated, often referred to as the principal, may be a person using a computer, a computer itself or a computer program. In a web of trust, “authentication” is a way to ensure users are who they say they are—that the user who attempts to perform functions in a system is in fact the user who is authorized to do so. With this function, they achieve to collect customers data, in order to use for their promotion strategy and also increase the website’s popularity.
User Profiling	User profiles are short bios or narratives about a user and their use of a Web site. In “The Whisky shop” website, the user profile contains the following attributes/fields : Login Details : Username, password, confirm Password Invoice Details : Title, First Name, Last Name, email address, company name, address, city, zip/postal code, country, phone number Delivery Details : Same as invoice (choice), Title, First Name, Last Name, email address, company name, address, city, zip/postal code, country, phone number. The advantage of this structure is that the customer can have different Delivery than Invoice details for his shipping goods.
Password Reminder	It is an automated process which sends to the customer/user in his registered email addresses the password from his account, in case he has forgotten it. With this engine Whisky Shop achieves not to multiple the customer data in cases of forgotten customers password and at the same time the customer benefits from such a service, as he will not re-submit to the specific website.
Search Engine	The “Whisky Shop” has an integrated internal search engine. An Internal Search Engine allows searching within a site for pages containing certain keywords. Internal SEs is particularly useful on large sites as an alternative to hierarchal menus for site navigation. The Benefit for the customers from this specific feature is that they can navigate quick and accurate through this specific website, finding their desirable product (bottle of malt whisky). The company can also, through this engine, promote specific brands or bottles of Malt Whisky to their customers by controlling the navigation or search functionality in a proper way.
Search Wizard	The “Whisky Shop” has a categorized search wizard, and with this component can someone navigate easily and more accurate through the specific website. The customer selects one of the 3 specified categories (By Distillery, by Region, by Age/Anniversary) and then he will be driven to the specific results.
Site Map	A site map (or sitemap) is a representation of the architecture of a web site. In the “Whisky Shop” the site map is a web page that lists the pages on a web site, typically organized in hierarchical fashion. This helps visitors and search engine bots find pages on the site. Site maps can improve search engine optimization of a site by making sure that all the pages can be found
Shopping Basket	This website uses the Shopping Cart software solution to assist people making purchases online. The software allows online shopping customers to place items in the cart. Upon checkout, the software typically calculates a total for the order, including shipping and handling (i.e. postage and packing) charges and the associated taxes, as applicable.
Online Payment Processing	The “Whisky Shop” has a very reliable Online Payment Process, which allows customers to make Credit and Debit Card Processes, including everything they need to get started quickly and process payments securely and in complete confidence. You can complete a transaction by using all the well known Credit and Debit Cards such as Visa, MasterCard etc.
Credit Card Authorization / Security Certificate	The “Whisky Shop” provides customers with fast, reliable and secure passage for transaction data via a 128-bit Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) Internet Protocol (IP) connection, and manages the complex routing of payment information to the appropriate credit card processors. A security protocol (cryptographic protocol or encryption protocol) is an abstract or concrete protocol that performs a security-related function and applies cryptographic methods. This web site is using SSL Certificate in order to achieve credit card clearance with minimum risk, ensuring customer’s data privacy and security. It is a matter of trust between the retailer and the customer.
Help and support	The “Whisky Shop” has a Help and Support Web Page, through which the customer can read the main aspects and functionalities of this Web Site and also contact with the company’s administrators in order to receive further explanations about various aspects.
HTTP Cookies	HTTP cookies, more commonly referred to as Web cookies or just cookies, are parcels of text sent by a server to a web browser and then sent back unchanged by the browser each time it accesses that server. HTTP cookies are used by “Whisky Shop” Web Site for authenticating, tracking, and maintaining specific information about users-customers, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts.
Products Description – Preview	This is an interactive way to keep a contact with the final customer, showing to them a photo of the product and also a short description of it, and maybe the history of the specific product. This is a way to convince web customers about specific products, attracting their interest and also informing them about the differentiation of each Single Malt Whisky.
Static Banners	Through those banners the company introduces new whisky products, promotes special offerings or advertises companies or products, earning reputation or financial benefits.
Gift Services	Whatever the occasion, they can provide the ideal gift and have it delivered for you anywhere in the UK. It will be securely packaged and will contain your own personal message. With this service the “Whisky Shop” gives the opportunity to the final customer to make surprising gifts easy and accurate, without worrying about useless details.
Store Locations Map	To find the store nearest you, you can click on one of their store locator dots on this map and immediately redirecting to a web page with the full address, the opening hours information and also with Directions on how to reach the specific store. This gives the opportunity to the customer to find more about the mortar shops of “Whisky Shop” and also promote with the best way their chain.