Cloud-based business management solutions provider ECI Software Solutions announced its eCommonSense platform, an eCommerce and production information management (PIM) solution for the LBM industry, is now available to the North American market. The geographic expansion follows ECI’s acquisition of U.K.-based eCommonSense in October 2021.
Designed by a tradesman specifically for the building materials supply sector, eCommonSense helps LBM businesses provide a positive online shopping experience to compete with national chains, according to ECI. With eCommonSense, small businesses focused on their trade can “seamlessly integrate” the platform with an existing ERP. According to ECI, the platform offers a unified, industry-specific PIM system that enables users to become an information resource for products, use cases, installation instructions, and reviews. The platform affords dealers and retailers a constant sales presence to customers to address convenience needs from consumers and tradespeople.
“With the rise of online shopping trend like BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store) and instant quoting, LBM businesses must invest in eCommerce solutions to support the ever-changing needs of their customers, or else risk losing them to their competitors,” Andy Scothern, founder of eCommonSense, said in a prepared statement. “eCommonSense has been a trusted tool for builder merchants in the U.K. and Europe with proven results in customer satisfaction and brand visibility, so we are excited to introduce the product to North American LBM professionals who could benefit from an industry-tailored eCommerce solution.”
The eCommonSense platform ensures inventory and customer pricing is available online and helps process orders without rekeying information. The platforms provides customers with an intuitive portal to access information, make secure payments, submit quotes, and schedule deliveries online. The company said the platform is compatible for both desktop and mobile users.
“Since the acquisition of eCommonSense in October, we have been investing heavily to improve the value of the product and to introduce it to the North American market as we continue to see increased demand to further evolve the eCommerce channel,” John Maiuri, president of the LBMH division at ECI, said in a news release. “We are committed to driving digital transformation for early adopters, and eCommonSense is step one of even more investments we are making to assist in moving the industry further into the digital experience that is becoming expected by customers.”
