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| Vol. 18, No. 35 | June 24, 1999 |
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| Vol. 18, No. 35 | June 24, 1999 |
Welcome to UDMart, John Doe, the University of Delaware's electronic Purchasing mart." University employees who use UDMart will be greeted with their own names when they log on to the latest cybertech innovation to hit campus-online shopping for regularly ordered supplies.
In announcing the new desktop shopping center, Tory Windley, Purchasing, stressed that UDMart was a combined effort. "UD Management Information Systems wrote the software, and Purchasing provided the item content," she said.
No longer just a web page list of suppliers with which the University has contracts, UDMart provides the ability to order more than 700 items from multiple suppliers and more items are being added all the time. UDMart gives campus departments a new way to shop.
The web site comes complete with a product catalog, a personal shopper that remembers frequently ordered items and a customer profile that keeps shipping information on file.
Each department can order up to $5,000 worth of supplies. The only stipulation is that employees have a procurement card-a University-issued bank credit card.
After accessing the website at <http://www.udel. edu/udmart>, an employee logs in with his or her Social Security and personal identification numbers. The first page of the shopping experience has links to the customer profile, product catalog or item search page and to the personal shopper.
For those who want something but don't know exactly what they want, the catalog can be scanned until an item is found and put into the shopping cart. Anything that goes into the cart can be taken out if the purchaser changes his or her mind. The catalog includes office furniture and supplies, laboratory items and classroom, computer, copier and fax supplies. There is also an "if you don't see it, tell us" link to let Purchasing know what items or suppliers need to be added to the catalog.
On most pages, there are buttons on the left that link the user to every page within the site. It's actually easier than shopping at a mall because as you make your final selections orders are automatically relayed to the contracted supplier. When the order is submitted, you get e-mail with your order confirmation number.
Windley said the new site will be "easy to look at, easy to use, and frees our Purchasing staff to concentrate on the higher dollar transactions and more campus contracts. In the past, all orders over $500 were placed by Purchasing. This is one more way we're trying to make everyday buying by departments easier," Windley said.
With the new system, Purchasing gets reports on what departments are buying but doesn't get involved until a department goes over the $5,000 limit or asks for help.
"The aim is to make office supply shopping more convenient and effective and the entire purchasing process more efficient," Windley said. 
-Barbara Garrison
