It's Amazing (for) e Business

Editor's note: In our last issue (02:02:02), we told you about the troubles of Andy Karsh and his ATM business, CA$HWAVE. But Karsh remains undaunted, and this is the story of his new venture - Amazing e Business. Amazing e Business was created from the concept of selling an e-commerce ready, Web-based solution to businesses. With a staff of five, Amazing e Business' core competency is selling "self-build" e-commerce ready Web sites. "Ours is an incredible product, an amazing product, hence the name," says its founder, Andy Karsh.

What sets Amazing e Business apart from the rest of the pack is its Web site builder, rich in management controls and back-end business tools that allow a customer to manage and operate an Internet-based business.

"It's amazingly user-friendly," says Karsh. "We've been developing it from thousands of hours of research and have designed it to be second to none."

Integrating several leading-edge technologies, such as Flash, Cold Fusion, MS SQL Server, MySQL and PHP, Amazing e Business' software makes the claim that it can create in a matter of minutes what used to take months.

Available in seven languages - English, Spanish, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, French and Russian - the self-buildable and self-manageable components consist of hosting, domain registration, visitor tracking, flash headers, search-engine submission, shopping carts, merchant accounts, unlimited change options, online response forms, e-mail addresses, Internet marketing, data base mining, reporting and high quality graphics.

Amazing e Business offers full branding, a fully licensed corporate-branded solution, and a sub-license agreement that allows a business solution as a private-label reseller.

Karsh recognizes that the competitors are the pre-existing Webmasters, other buildable Web site providers and, of course, the big boys like the Yahoos and Microsofts of the world. But he is not deterred.

His target market is small businesses, including existing Web sites of small businesses because they can easily convert to Amazing e Business' platform to take advantage of its products and services.

The cost for the service is a $300 initial fee plus $49.95 per month. That standard price package sells up to 50 products. The "plus" package enables merchants to sell up to 100 products for $59.95 per month, and the deluxe package, for $69.95, is for up to 200 products.

Upgraded packages have upgraded initial fees as well: Bronze Package Provides a custom graphic header. Price: $499. Silver Package Includes a custom graphic header, a custom-created anchor graphic and seven custom-created page titles. Price:$799. Gold Package Amazing e Business builds your site for you using its V4 Web Builder. Price: $1,099. Platinum Package Includes custom graphic header, customer-created anchor graphic, seven custom-created page titles, custom-created theme, data entry for the first 10 pages, entering of the merchant's first 15 products with up to 25 scans Price: $1,499.

Anyone can go to www.amazingebusiness.com and build a demo site for free for 30 days. That's an offer no one looking for affordable Web site solutions can afford to refuse.

"The main reason we believe it is going to be successful is that the majority of Web sites were purchased from Webmasters and graphics artists but have no independent or individual control over that Web site," says Karsh. "Anytime they want make a change, they have to go back and pay for a modification. By converting to us, they have ultimate control over the entire Web product and all of their e-commerce solutions vis-a-vis their Web site."

Karsh has learned from his mistakes. Amazing e Business is recruiting national agents and ensures no competition. Amazing e Business' in-house sales force is working local merchants only.

What is the appeal to ISOs? Amazing e Business is a value add-on for existing merchants. Amazing e Business promises a hefty commission of 40% on each contract.

"E-commerce solutions add to their package," says Karsh, "We can give their customers ultimate control and in-house management of their own sites."

For those not technologically savvy, Amazing e Business also sells graphic packages in which novices receive the help and support to build their own Web sites. "We hold their hands and guide them through the process," says Karsh. "We even actually build it for them, if they need that."

Amazing e Business offers three levels of service: Level 1 A merchant goes to the Web site and builds his or her own Web site online. There is a field that identifies where the referral came from. It is a mandatory field item where the reseller's name must be input or the process won't be completed. The turnaround time is usually 10 minutes from the time the Web site data is entered until it's up and running and ISOs are earning residuals.

Level 2 An ISO builds a private-label Web site using Amazing e Business products and services in its private-label Web site presentation. The Web site stays on Amazing e Business' platform. At a cost of $2,500 to set up the private label, there is no limit on the merchant accounts they can set up through their site. The turnaround time is from three to five days for Level 2. Level 3 This is mostly for the larger ISOs. They purchase the hardware and software outright from Amazing e Business. This is a fully licensed, corporate-branded solution, built for the ISO by Amazing e Business, that allows ISOs to use their own platform, their own hosting, their own network system. It takes one to two months of development and implementation and costs $25,000.

Amazing e Business' platform is fully compatible and can be fully integrated with existing systems in the marketplace. That platform is completely supported by an in-house staff available during normal business hours and after hours via paging and e-mails.

Resellers receive complete in-house support during business hours as well. And Amazing e Business already has partnered with such notables as NPC, Compac, Epic Center (hosting), PayPal, Network Solutions, ADNC (T1 lines) and Time-Warner.

According to Karsh, the business philosophy of Amazing e Business is one of integrity and honesty. "We will always do what's right for our customers," says Karsh. "We go the extra mile in trying to bring Internet solutions to small businesses worldwide."

As for Amazing e Business' commitment to ISOs, Karsh is clear on the message:

"In order to build future business, you have to become Internet savvy and e-commerce savvy. Our product is the solution for all your customers' needs with a minimal investment. It allows you to have a dynamic and professional Web site controlled by you within minutes. As Bill Gates said ? you're either on the Internet or out of business."

And Andy Karsh is determined to stay in e-business.