5 years ago I worked closely with CoreMedia(CM) as an IBM partner to produce a really compelling video series showing off the many integration points they had with IBM WebSphere Commerce.

The integrations to this day are excellent and can bring new life to your eCommerce investment. The series points out tight integrations with eMarketing Spots, Promotions, segments, and the catalog. Federating search results and even showing full asset management for all of your channels.

Today, the asset library in Coremedia studio has tight integration with the eCommerce back end. Product content, eMarketing Spots, and promotions show up just like any other asset:

Options

Like many companies, there are a lot of questions to be asked and while there are many questions, you actually have just as many options. The great news is CoreMedia Content Cloud works with IBM WebSphere Commerce v7 and before just fine. Re-invent your eCommerce experience for your customers with a first class content management system that is built for eCommerce and omni-channel. Let’s look at a few options you have (in my opinion, others may argue):

Option #1 – Leverage current investment

So you have invested years in your IBM Commerce platform and are not ready to throw it away but you are missing out on a complete omni-channel brand management experience.

Meaning, you want to be able to control image crops per device and management content across all channels in a single tool. 

The good news is, you can still #beIconic and have true omni-channel brand management with CoreMedia Content Cloud. As we showed at NRF, this includes controlling content from a single CM Cloud for in store displays, web, mobile, billboards (yes, the ones on the road), and much more. It also includes things like inventory controlled content, shoppable videos, and shoppable images. So don’t fret, you have an option to bring in a first class CMS with your existing IBM Commerce investment – CoreMedia Content Cloud!

Look at how simple you can make a banner inventory aware – which means it automatically removes the shoppable product from the image map so the user doesn’t attempt to add it to the cart, only to find there is no inventory!

Option #2 – Lift and shift to v9 or v8

Believe it or not, you can actually lift and shift your current WebSphere Commerce v6 and v7 store front onto a newer release. There may be some initial effort and the effort becomes larger as your version goes further back, however, if you are on v7 FP 8, the lift and shift is actually very easy. The move, along with bringing in CoreMedia, will greatly enhance your platforms technology and usability for your eCommerce admins and marketing teams. You will not be able to take advantage of the new technologies in v9 immediately but it will be a start and you can immediately start supporting an omni-channel CMS strategy CoreMedia Content Cloud.

Option #3 – You are moving eCommerce platforms

There is always the option to move on to another platform, and the good news there is the CoreMedia Content Cloud has very tight integrations with many eCommerce platforms. As a matter of fact, moving to an omni-channel brand management strategy means the eCommerce platform almost becomes comodotized. CoreMedia studio gives you the flexibility to move to any of the major platforms with very little disruption in your CMS and workflows.

Click on the eCommerce platform below to learn more or send me an email bob.balfe [at] coremedia.com to arrange a meeting.

• Salesforce Commerce Cloud
• SAP Commerce Cloud
• Elasticpath
• WebSphere Commerce
• Commercetools
• Spryker Commerce OS

If you have a home grown eCommerce system you are also in luck!  The flexibility of the CoreMedia Content Cloud’s eCommerce Hub accounts for even the most custom, home grown solutions. Click here to learn more for how you can use CoreMedia to make the most out of your current investment.

Summary

If you missed the amazing demo that sent shockwaves at NRF then you are in luck, because the exact same demonstration was given at DMEXCO 2018 a few months prior and we have a really good recording of that demo on YouTube. Take 8 minutes and watch this video and you will be impressed, let me know what you think in my comments below!