What WeDo Best

Content Management System (CMS)

Making a good CMS is not an easy job. It's not a job that is well suited for web designers or Jr. programmers, it's a job for software developers. Specifically, it's best suited for a team of internet application developers who have a lot of experience using various CMS technologies.  Not coincidentally, that describes the Norex team to a tee. So, that is why in 2005 we set out to build our own CMS framework that was based on open source components but was not limited to any one open source project. In effect we leverage many open source knowledge bases and act as the "glue" to put all the pieces together as a best in class product. Although we didn't know it at the time, this was the exact same approach that Apple took when they set out to build a revolutionary new operating system called OSX (For more info see: www.opensource.apple.com). Here are just a few of the major advantages our CMS platform has to offer:

  • We make it easy - One of the major problems with first or second generation CMS platforms is how difficult they are to use. We have invested a great deal of time conducting usability testing with our client base because we know a simple system is the only solution that will be acceptable in the long run.

  • Support is only a phone call away - One thing you will likely find very refreshing with us is that you won't get voicemail or a call attendant when you call us during regular business hours. In addition because our focus is the web we always have several web experts and software developers ready to take your calls. We will never outsource this part of our business because we know it would be unacceptable to our customers.

  • We leverage Open Source -  This is huge. In effect, you benefit from the hard work of 100's of thousands of minds, most of whom are working towards a goal simply because they enjoy the thrill of accomplishment. What this  boils down to is that you get a best of breed solution that is well supported at minimal cost.

  • Our CMS was made for SEO - For most providers this is an afterthought that has only become important recently with the growth in demand for SEO services. We could go on at length about how we built our CMS from the ground up for SEO but the best way to know this for sure is to check it out for yourself. Using your favorite search engine do a search for some key terms that your CMS provider would like to have (Like: "Halifax Web Design") and see how they rank. If they aren't on top of the pile, they won't be able to get you there for your search terms either.

  • You are never locked in - In the past some developers have used a business model that locks the client into a long term or even a perpetual relationship with them. Although we've never quite understood why anyone would agree to this, it continues to happen although less frequently. We know that you are going to love our product and want to stay with us and that is why we give you the freedom to make that choice for yourself. If for whatever reason you decided to move on, the technology we use is easily portable to any major hosting provider. There are no recurring license or maintenance fees that you would need to contend with.

  • It's what they call "Web 2.0" - Although there is much debate over exactly what Web 2.0 really is (Link) the technology we use is the same that you see on all popular "Web 2.0" sites out there today. In technical circles it's called LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) and it's changing the way software is delivered online. Did you know that Facebook, YouTube, Kijij, flickr.com, Digg, Apple, and Goggle are all using this technology as well?

  • No limit to design - Very few CMS platforms give complete freedom to allow designers to create in unique ways. This was one of the fundamental goals we set out to accomplish and the end result is that we have completely separated the design layer from the programming layer. For a designer, this is like opening a locked door to a wide open field of endless opportunity. As a result, we often work in conjunction with in-house or independent designers on projects for many of our clients.

But in the end these are all just words on a page and as most people will tell you, you shouldn't believe everything you read online! So don't take our word for it, give us a call or come by our office some time and we will be happy to show you how our CMS really works.

 

ECommerce Shopping Cart System & Payment Gateway

In addition to using many off-the-shelf open source products including OSCommerce, X-Cart, and Zen Cart we've built our own eCommerce (aka e-Commerce) module that is integrated with our CMS framework. Our custom built product catalog system will seamlessly integrate into the design and layout of your new or existing website. Using standard industry best practices and encryption methods, we ensure all security considerations are properly configured and tested. The system will come complete with the ability to manage your product line as well as a reporting facility so that the administrator of the site will be able to view order information.

Our Shopping cart software is trusted by many successful business owners across Canada. The web-based administrator area and intuitive interfaces make setup and maintenance of the shopping cart as easy as point and click. No programming knowledge is required to set up and maintain your online store.

Done wrong, eCommerce can be an expensive waste of money. Done right, it can produce a good return on investment for your business. We can help you make the right choices to ensure that you don't make the mistakes that will cost you money and instead, leveraging our experience you will be better equipped to reduce your costs and increase your chances of success.

The e-Commerce shopping cart software we've built has been specially developed in order to meet the requirements of the e-Commerce market. Features Include:

  • Unlimited product options/variants/properties

  • High variety of payment gateways & methods

  • Import/export all types of store data to MS Excel

  • Real-time USPS, FedEx and UPS shipping calculation

  • Dynamic product attributes relationship (related products)

  • Membership levels and membership-based pricing

  • Easy generation of Add-To-Cart buttons for existing websites