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12.3.2 Sales: RFQsRequest for Quote (RFQ) is one of the trading mechanisms available in WebSphere Commerce. A buyer can create an RFQ for unique variations of goods and services that are offered in the catalog. If buyers cannot find a product in the catalog that matches their needs, they can select attributes from the personalized attributes dictionary to precisely define the product specifications. A requisition list is used by buyers to add desired products to their RFQ. Buyers can include multiple products in one RFQ and define unique specifications for each product. They can include attachments on the RFQ or product specification level. They can also specify the terms and conditions for the transaction. When the buyer submits an RFQ request, it takes on a Future or Active state. Through the WebSphere Commerce Accelerator, a seller can view the RFQ and submit a response when the request is in an Active state. A buyer can also change or cancel an RFQ. When sellers respond to an RFQ, they have the option of responding to each attachment, terms and conditions, and product, as well as to each product specification or comment. They have the option of specifying a fulfillment center or substituting a product if the buyer has provided that option in the request. A seller can also modify or cancel a response. After sellers have responded to the RFQ, the buyer closes the RFQ and evaluates the responses to choose a winner or multiple winners. When the RFQ response is accepted by the buyer and the seller is notified, the RFQ transaction is completed through one of the following processes:
A record of the RFQ is maintained in the RFQ List for a predetermined period so that the buyer can copy an RFQ that is used repeatedly. Responses are retained for the same period to facilitate a seller's response to similar requests from the same buyer. While setting up WebSphere Commerce, the Site Administrator decides whether to enable the RFQ trading mechanism. If the decision is made to include the RFQ option, the Site Administrator must consider:
The initial RFQ page is accessed by selecting RFQ from the Sales menu. This page enables sellers to manage RFQs that are received from all organizations that participate in their e-commerce exchange. The list can be sorted by the following columns: RFQ name, Status, Creation time, Submission date, and Closing date. The contents of the list can be displayed by the status of the RFQ request. The choices are:
These functions are available to the seller administrator:
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 ibm.com/redbooks |