ML v9 is coming along great, with release on 3/8 (next week). It's in final testing now, etc.
Since Multi-Store is based on the v9 code base, we will release an updated Multi-Store Beta 2 next week, with final Multi-Store release to be 2-3 weeks after ML v9.
Things are looking good. Some of the exciting things that we've been working on (for almost a year) in the v9 release:
Master Page Skins
Full support now for asp.net Master Pages. While our skinning engine has been revollutionary, and been around for over 8 years, many developers prefer master page techniques, and we're now supporting that fully, WHILE KEEPING all the cook skinning features that our skinning engine had (e.g. template switching, real-time skin switching, etc). This use of Master Pages we know was a bit overdue, but again, our skinning engine has worked so great, we hated to convert away from it, so we took the necessary time to make sure that our Master Page support kept our cool skinning engine features, which master pages by default don't offer. So we now think we're offering the best of both. Also, AJAX support in v9/master pages is MUCH easier. (Next Item)
AJAX Support and Usage MUCH Improved
With the conversion to Master Page Skins, AJAX support is now almost seamless, and built-in. You'll start to see us using AJAX in various places around the platform, with more to come (e.g. AJAX streamlined checkout) in further releases. To use AJAX now is much simpler than with the prior v2-v8 skinning engine. So developers are thanking us already, as it allows skin and site design and customization to be done even easier.
Multi-Store
Multi-Store is the ability to run mutliple stores (websites) off of a single shared SQL database. This greatly lowers costs, centralizes administration of multiple "brands", and is a feature we've been working on for a while due to the great demand for this. Many (many) businesses online put up multiple sites/brands, testing different product prices, skin designs, layouts, multi-variant testing, or for different divisions/departments within a larger company. Multi-Store fully supports this model. You can also upgrade from v9 "later" to Multi-Store if your business needs grow.
Mobile support
With the nearly 2 BILLION consumers now on mobile devices (smart phones, ipod touch, blackberry, etc), it's paramount to expand your reach to these customers, to provide access to your a) store content and products, and b) allow purchases simply and easily. With the v9 release we are tackling item a), with v9.1 release, we will be doing both a) and b). We'll be posting some of the default/sample Mobile Skins here shortly (all Master Page ready, etc)...
Web Service Automation Interface WSI
While WSI has been a core feature of the platform since v7, many customers don't know about it still, or how to use it, or the power it offers to synchronize AspDotNetStorefront websites/databases with external systems (CRM, ERP, Shipping, Fulfillment, etc)...so we're going to do a MUCH better job discussing WSI, how it works, how to use it, the benefits, and publishing white paper case studies on how several clients have really used it to almost fully automate their other back-office operations with AspDotNetStorefront websites. AspDotNetStorefront drives the orders in as a massive e-commerce order collection site (which we do great hehe), and WSI is used then to pull and synchronize all that information downstream for ongoing business operations. WSI is bi-directional, and very powerful.
ERPS/add-in Provider Model
ERPS (ERP Integration Specification) is an extension to WSI that takes it even further, allowing batch, and near real-time (inline) inventory, price, shipping, and tax synchronization and customization. You can now write add-ins for example that just tweak (or replace) our shipping rules by just dropping in a new module, with defined interface into the website. Very Very cool, and powerful for developers and larger companies doing customization work. Good docs already here:
http://manual.aspdotnetstorefront.com. (the ERPS manual doc is really well done already)
Avalara Tax Provider Integration
It's time to stop maintaining the (almost impossible) state, county, city, zip-code, etc tax rules now required of e-commerce websites. The state tax codes just keep getting RIDICULOUSLY complicated, and we've partnered with one of the best providers our there, seamlessly integrated into the cart (Avalara service requires subscription with them), so that you can finally get OUT of the tax rule maintenance business, and focus on sales and marketing of your own business. Avalara also will provide year-end roll-up and reporting services, etc...Very cool. We're going to use it ourselves also of course. NOTE: Additional tax service providers are also under consideration for integration in v9.1+, using the same ERPS add-in tax provider model that Avalara (and you could) use.
Velaro Live Chat Integration
Maintaining live contact with your site visitors, with SEAMLESS co-browse of their cart contents, etc is now possible with our Velaro live chat integration partner (Velaro subscription service required). This will now be built-in in demo form in v9, with all the hooks needed, so you can just activate the service (and update your Master Page Skin design to bring the live chat out where appropriate on your design). Very cool stuff again.
PA-DSS Certified/PCI Compliant
We're continuing our strong tradition of supporting and enforcing the highest security and payment industry standards in our shopping cart platform, which most other e-commerce shopping carts just ignore. We'll be redoing and updating the PA-DSS/PCI security compliance audit testing and certification for v9 release. This continues our "Visa Approved" tradition.
Advanced URL Rewriting
This feature is specifically designed to even further enhance the ability to use almost arbitrary URL patterns on the site, for SEO and and for customers doing competitive upgrades from other platforms (e.g. storefront.net). This scheme allows you to do things like use path URL separators for sub categories (e.g. yoursite.com/womens/shoes/cool-shoe-from-gucci-here.aspx), or just change how the URL's are written out (even using .htm extensions if you want).
Thanks, and stay tuned. Much more info will be posted on our main site as we update that content with additional material on the v9 and Multi-Store releases.
We'll be posting more phenomenal case-studies also, and starting a monthly Newsletter to help share information about e-commerce, sales trens, and how to really maximize the AspDotNetStorefront platforom to power your online sales growth.
ML v9 and Multi-Store Status Update -
03-02-2010
7x tax engine -
03-02-2010
Linear Mode
