StructuredWeb Adds Act Integration, Reseller Program

StructuredWeb

Act-certified consultants and resellers can sell the service, called StructuredWeb For Act, to customers for a recurring revenue stream, said Daniel Nissan, founder, president and CEO of Secaucus-based StructuredWeb. Nissan also founded Netgrocer.

Launched two years ago, StructuredWeb offers e-commerce solutions for specialized SMB resellers. "We have a horizontal platform but sell vertical solutions, [including a solution for resellers of business phone systems," Nissan said.

StructuredWeb works with Toshiba, Avaya, Panasonic and other equipment vendors to get product and pricing information that resellers can then package in their own custom catalogs, using StructuredWeb as the host. The strategy is to provide SMB resellers a combination of Web infrastructure, Web page templates and online content from vendors whose products they sell.

Bob Bennett, president of Kansas City, Mo.-based Commworld, enlisted StructuredWeb to create and maintain his company's Web site. Commworld offers a full spectrum of phone gear, from handsets to PBXes, to companies with 400 phones or fewer.

"We put up catalogs of our different vendors, four catalogs that people can research," Bennett said. "Prior to StructuredWeb, I had employees who developed the Web site and put up pages, but then other stuff never happened. I needed to enhance our image; we were in growth mode."

StructuredWeb is well-focused on SMBs and knows how to get the channel involved in that market, said Kent Allen, an analyst at research firm Aberdeen Group. Years ago, e-commerce strategy often entailed channel disintermediation, but StructuredWeb is working to keep the channel in the mix via transaction and information processing, he said.

Most equipment vendors are willing to provide or underwrite Web infrastructure for channel partners in return for exclusivity and virtual shelf space, Allen said. Yet few resellers want to be limited to one product provider, he noted.

"It can get dirty out there in channel, and [StructuredWeb is basing the company on the idea that channels want someone that's agnostic to some extent to put together the infrastructure with content from many vendors," Allen said.

The Act component is designed to give resellers another tool in their arsenal, according to StructuredWeb. The reseller program offers VARs free use of the Act account for their own purposes plus free marketing and promotional material; free training; and monthly, quarterly, annual or 24-month billing options.