Cleveland—Applied Industrial Technologies' new e-commerce Web site hit cyberspace officially in mid-March. The enhanced version of the company's "Internet-based purchasing system" is designed for companies doing business with Applied or planning to establish an account before logging on.

Many of the richly detailed functions of the site point to a customer's prior ordering information, allowing him to find previous orders and pricing, duplicate an order, research a previous part number, or get help locating alternate parts to those that may be out of stock.

A walkthrough of the site with Vicki Molenda, e-commerce manager of content, began with basic features for searching the type of products the company specializes in: bearings and power transmission assemblies. (The company's other e-commerce site, MaintenanceAmerica.com, is aimed at general MRO buyers).

Upon registration, customers at Applied-Access.com get the contract pricing they have negotiated with the firm for any other type of order. The registrant becomes the representative of the customer, and can perform shared transactions or hold goods in an electronic shopping cart, to be approved later by purchasing.

"One of the important features we incorporated was the result of customer focus groups. We save the last five searches the customer ran and he can call those up. Many customers reorder and need a part number they have already researched to that point," said Rick Shaw, vice president of communication and learning.

At the core of the new site is Find It!, a parts finder that allows flexible parameters for searches and offers help menus along the way.

If a customer is looking for a 25-mm roller bearing, he is prompted to search by manufacturer, part number, SKU number or just the OD size. The site begins to narrow the choices through a series of options that Applied has learned by experience are customers' methods when they ask on the phone or by fax. One of the unique aspects of Find It! is its ability to compare various manufacturers' products.

Applied processed its first Internet order in 1998 and has been evolving its e-commerce strategy since then, Shaw said. Applied-Access.com, in its present form, was in development for about eight months.