By Michael Mahoney E-Commerce Times
08/10/01 9:47 PM PT
According to Red Hat, revenues from the Linux-based e-commerce suite will
come from subscriptions and from tech support.
eMarketer Whitepaper: Optimizing the E-Commerce Experience
From the Web to the Contact Center, are you prepared to proactively engage and keep your savvy customers? Read how e-commerce leaders are optimizing their sites with ratings, reviews, live help, Web analytics, mobile and more.
Linux distributor Red Hat (Nasdaq: RHAT) is
set to launch a new e-commerce suite built on an open-source
platform, the company told the E-Commerce Times Friday.
The new product, called simply Red Hat E-Commerce Suite, is aimed at mid-size businesses
that want to expand their e-commerce platform to support more transactions, enable
more complex merchandising and integrate with their
backend systems, Red Hat said.
Many mid-size companies want "more scalability, functionality, performance and
customizability, but they don't want to endure the money or the complexity of the higher
end systems," Red Hat marketing director Charles Gold said. "It's a significant but
underserved segment of the marketplace."
Like typical open-source platforms, the individual inner
components of Red Hat's new suite, such as the Apache
Webserver, the Red Hat Linux Operating System and a
new version of the open-source e-commerce platform
called Interchange 4.8, are available on the Web for free.
Open Wallet
The entire suite, however, will include a Web-based
configuration tool called CommerceLauncher --
which Red Hat said will install all the components
in a matter of hours -- and a year's worth of
product upgrades and Web-based support.
The entire suite will be available to businesses on August 22nd
for US$275 per month for a minimum of 12 months or
a pre-paid charge of $2,995 for a 12-month subscription.
"The Red Hat E-Commerce Suite fills a significant gap between expensive, complex
enterprise e-commerce applications and entry-level e-commerce offerings," IDC analyst
Michele Rosen said.
Hands On
Gold said that the advantage of open-source platforms
when compared to proprietary ones is the fact that the
technology is always evolving, with thousands of
developers optimizing the platforms to
enhance their reliability, performance and functionality.
"We're very committed to integrating the solutions
of the open-source community," Gold said. "Importantly,
customers will receive updates on a regular basis
because it's sold as a technology subscription."
Gold said that Red Hat's revenues from the suite will
arrive not only in the form of subscriptions payments,
but also in payments for the suite's tech support,
professional Web site consulting, managed hosting and training services.
Coming Soon
Gold also said that Red Hat's emphasis moving forward will be
on creating business products and services that are designed
to solve specific Internet and IT infrastructure problems.
Gold also said he expects the functionality of
Red Hat's new suite to evolve in the coming months.
"You'll see more things along the way of content
management and collaborative e-commerce," Gold said.
UK Grocer Abandons Internet-TV Project August 10, 2001
While creating an Internet-and-TV food network was supposed
to attract advertisers targeting a hungry audience,
additional funding did not make sense, given the
economic climate, Sainsbury said.
How To Pinpoint Stellar Sellers Online March 18, 2002
Even higher-margin items, such as fur coats or Oriental rugs, can be sold online if an
e-tailer can wrap a brand name or additional services around them, Gaw said.
E-Commerce: Back and Bigger Than Ever? March 08, 2002
To get a true read on the health of the e-commerce sector, observers should keep close
tabs on several financial indicators, according to analysts.
Look Who's Making Money Online in 2002 February 14, 2002
It is no secret that travel works as a business on the Internet, mainly because online
travel providers do not need to carry physical inventories.
Headline Feeds
Talkback: 
