you begin developing an e-commerce site. You have probably come up with
some answers and formed attitudes to many of these issues already. But if this
list brings to mind even a few things you haven't considered, you'll probably save
some big bucks and a lot of headaches in later development cycles.
Use this list to generate your own Requirements Document. Or if you are
planning to outsource the development, these questions can be used to put
together a thorough Request for Proposal (RFP).
very relevant to service and travel related offerings as well...
business rules. The more you can think like them, the more likely you'll create a
solution that effectively caters to them.
What is the range of products that you plan to offer? Are all of your products
hard goods? Or do you offer intangible products such as warranties, service
agreements, and guarantees? Do you sell software products that you want to
make available for download through the Internet? How many unique products
to you plan to offer? How often does this product data and product mix change?
Is all pricing the same, regardless of who is making the purchase? Do different
groups of customers see different pricing on the same items? Do you ever offer
promotional or temporary pricing or price reductions? What is your pricing
strategy for other channels?
Do you use coupons or club memberships? Do you support manufacturers'
rebates? Do you up-sell, cross-sell, or bundle items to create purchase
incentives? Are quantity discounts offered?
Do you let users know what accessory items are compatible with a purchase
about to be made? Do you recommend a substitution if an item is not in stock?
Will you want to help customers locate items by navigating through your
product categories and subcategories? What categories and subcategories do
you envision? What are the words your customers use to categorize your
products?
