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Posts tagged Application Service Provider

SaaS business model for your startup’s success

Jul 29th

Posted by Varun Bihani in Knowledge Bank

1 comment

In this fast track world where every second counts, we find ourselves surrounded by automated software systems, everywhere. Life without software and internet is something too hard to imagine, especially for e-business marketers and web developers. However, every single software system designed and developed by programmers today, is created based on the SaaS business model. SaaS, an abbreviation for Software-as-a-Service, is the basic business model followed by web developers when building varied software applications for clients and users. Once approved, these apps are later delivered through the internet using a browser to its wide array of users. Ever since its creation, SAAS has gained considerable attention in the Software Industry from all its users. Some of our own tools and software applications at Galaxy Weblinks, such as KPMRS and Display Banner are built on SaaS model.

According to SaaS model, every developed software system is hosted on the web by its developer and only offered to its global users through means of the web subscription system. Distributed by a single user, the coded tool can hence be used by millions of other people from all corners of the world through online subscription. This is usually termed as ASP “Application Service Providers”, “on-demand” or “remotely-hosted”. In return of this easy-to-use subscription software, the customers pay a certain amount to the developer or the vendor based on the per-use basis.

This helps the developer earn great money for his innovative software, while users get to enjoy its advantages for their requirements.

So, what are the attributes of the SaaS model?

Direct online or network access: SaaS is primarily an online web application or a simple network based system. Users using the SAAS software applications in their local gadgets connected to the local network don’t need software installed within them. The browser hosting the application further provides a range of other services provided by the vendor to its users.

Centralized management system: Managing the application is extremely easy as the monitoring, control and the needed updates are all performed from a central location. The developers of these tools don’t have to make the needed changes manually. Instead, regularly designed updates are circulated to the users by the central management system on the web.

Advanced communication features: SaaS also has certain online powerful communication features. Instant Messaging and VOIP voice calls, are just a few examples of the model’s communication attribute.

Apart from these beneficial attributes, users are also drawn towards the software application due to its benefits which include:

Easy and fast to follow: Using SaaS solutions is much easier than that on the basic premise solutions.

No need of hardware: The application doesn’t require any hardware or software licenses as, there are no installations needed.

Easy access and mobility: The applications are available on the web and hence, anyone can access them whenever needed from any place.

No alterations in the local network: These apps are online and hence when updated, there are no changes occurring in the local network. This helps the users to avoid the use of its IT staff, who otherwise slow down the implementation process.

Free trials: Free trial or low rate services of these SAAS applications are offered to the business users as promotional strategies.

As a result, SaaS has become a necessity for every other startup coming out on the web today.

If  you are also looking to hire a web development team to help you with your next custom SaaS Application, contact us.

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From Websites to Webshops

Mar 14th

Posted by Arjun Sarode in Galaxy Apps

No comments

The advent of e-commerce has certainly revolutionized the way the world shops. Until a few years ago, the thought of buying and selling goods “from a computer” was a far fetched sci-fi idea. But Information Technology has made it happen. The entire concept of a business website was to essentially sell something. Initially it was selling the brand which could have brought prospective customer’s to the site owner’s shop (business); Now, the businesses have established their shops on the web as well! Whatever you need to buy and sell is now available on the internet… and its just a click away from you!

An Online shopping cart is a software which enables a vendor to sell their products and interested customers to purchase them. It typically has a series of products having various prices and related tax and shipping information. Most of the commerce is done virtually but the physical item often needs to be shipped, for which there are extra charges. I’m afraid today’s Information Technology hasn’t advanced to a stage where one can just download a music system or a juicer from the internet :)

Hosted v/s Licensed Shopping Carts
Essentially, there are two ways in which a retailer (also called e-tailer) may choose to have a shopping cart running on his website:

  1. Get a licensed Shopping Cart: This type of shopping cart can be typically downloaded. The owner of the license (who is usually retailer himself) can just host it on his server. This type of shopping cart typically has more initial investment but also promises long term benefits. The licenses are usually a one time investment and the retailer often has access to the source code which can be modified to suit his needs.
  2. Get a hosted Shopping Cart:This type of shopping cart is typically provided by an Application Service Provider (ASP) at a certain periodic fee (monthly, half yearly or annual). The retailer does not have access to any code in a system. It has a limited set of features and you cannot get any additional features except those which you have signed up for. A likely merit of such a hosted shopping cart is that these are regularly updated at very nominal prices and have a low initial investment.
Another advantage of Online shopping carts is the easy payment and checkout options provided with them (for example: PayPal, Google Checkout). These payment gateways make the most crucial task of online financial transaction very secured and convenient.

Two Birdies in One Shot
With our primary motive of facilitating business success on the web, we have been striving to help small, medium and large businesses with our bouquet of tools and application services. Our Shopping Cart is a perfect solution for both small and big companies looking for shopping carts for their webshops. Our hosted shopping cart gives you the advantages of licensed shopping cart as well! So, now you can have your desirable features developed by us at a very low initial investment! This certainly ensures high RoI. We will also seamlessly integrate the shopping cart in your website so that it looks very much like a part of your website. Do have a look at few of these shopping carts which we have created:

Entering the Flash Arena of Shopping Carts
For those who value visual trickery, we are also working on a state of the art flash based shopping cart having excellent usability aspects. Since the product is still in our labs, we’re not divulging too many details right now, but we certainly welcome you to have a sneak peek.

In the meantime, go ahead and check out a few key features of our shopping cart solution here. If you have any suggestions, we would like to hear them as well. Do drop in your comments for this post. If you liked this and other posts on Blogoxy, subscribe to our feed now!

And as a signing off note, Greetings of Holi and St. Patrick’s Day to all our readers!

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