SAN JOSE, Calif. -- November 15, 1999 -- Cisco Systems, Inc. today launched the Networking Products Marketplace for Resellers (NPMR). The set of interactive tools seamlessly enable resellers to quickly select, compare, configure and purchase Cisco networking products online through their preferred distributors. NPMR is designed to significantly improve the ease of doing business with Cisco and its distributors.
"NPMR combines the force of the Internet with Cisco e-commerce expertise and innovation to provide resellers with a leading-edge, Web-based e-commerce solution," said Tom Mitchell, vice president of U.S. Channels at Cisco Systems. "Resellers want answers quickly to end-user questions regarding product details, price and availability. NPMR provides our resellers with a streamlined purchasing experience that will save time, reduce costs and increase customer satisfaction."
NPMR creates a virtual link between Cisco resellers and distributors through the power of the Internet and gives them detailed product information, configuration and validation, resulting in greater efficiency and order accuracy. "The Cisco Networking Products Marketplace for Resellers is a leading-edge, intuitive, Web-based tool that provides great value to resellers," said Marty Gruhn, vice president and site intelligence service director at Summit Strategies Inc. "This powerful tool is easy to use, and simplifies the purchasing process. By enabling streamlined ordering, configuration and purchasing, resellers can save time and costs".
With a single mouse-click, resellers can quickly locate Cisco networking products and solutions that meet the needs of any-sized organization, from small and medium-sized businesses to large global enterprise networks. NPMR offers resellers the tools to select products by feature, compare products side by side or browse the part numbers list. The product selection tool allows a reseller to click on desired features to access corresponding Cisco products. The product comparison tool provides side by side detailed information on features, specifications and prices for up to four Cisco products at a time. These tools help resellers identify and choose products most suitable for end-user applications. The configuration tool validates product options to ensure order accuracy and ultimately reduce costs associated with returns and delays in shipments.
"The Cisco Networking Products Marketplace for Resellers has saved us both time and money," said Curt Yee, president at Systems Group Inc. "The tool has recognized configuration errors that I might have made using manual methods. Such errors can result in project delays and costs that our firm has to absorb. We now use the NPMR regularly."
Once resellers select products and the system validates configuration, resellers can add items to an electronic shopping list. NPMR shopping lists can be saved, copied and downloaded to other formats for quotes or e-mailed to other departments for approvals. With one mouse-click, resellers can check distributor price and availability. Using an application designed by Comergent, NPMR then enables resellers to electronically submit prepared orders to distributor e-commerce Web sites to complete the purchases.
NPMR is available now for all U.S. resellers to order from any of the three authorized Cisco system distributors (Comstor, Ingram Micro or Tech Data). NPMR will be available to Canadian and European resellers by early 2000.
Cisco Systems
Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) is theworldwide leader in networking for the Internet.Cisco, Cisco Systems and the Cisco Systems logo are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems, Inc. in the U.S. and certain other countries. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners. The use of the word partner does not imply a partnership relationship between Cisco and any of its resellers.
