We developed our Automationdirect.com site and E-commerce store with flexibility
and security in mind. Information such as Technical, Product, Company, and your Account
can be found by using the drop-down menus in the header area of the website. Store functions are found
in the top left corner and, after logging in, personalized functions are on your Account Menu. Store navigation
links are located to the left side of the screen on the Navigation Menu and through tabs and links
across the top of the content area (tab bar and directory links).
Everyone has a different way of shopping and thus should be able to shop online in a way that is most
comfortable to them. We will show you the options available for adding items to your cart,
then, you should choose the methods most useful to you. When transmitting sensitive data, we use the safest data
encryption techniques available.
The Automationdirect website works best when using Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6.0 or greater. We’ve made efforts to support earlier versions of IE but some functionality may be limited. The site can also be viewed using the most current versions of Netscape Navigator and Firefox. If you are using a browser other than Explorer, Netscape, or Firefox, please report any issues, however, we can not guarantee the issues will be resolved and the browsers supported. The front screen of the store tests your current browser version and give you the option to upgrade if necessary. You can download the Microsoft IE browser (our recommended browser) at http://www.microsoft.com. Firefox is available for download at http://www.mozilla.org/products/firefox/ and Netscape is available at http://www.netscape.com.
In order to access technical drawings, user manuals, etc. on our site you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader 5.0 or greater installed on your computer. Acrobat Reader can be downloaded from the Adobe website http://www.adobe.com at no charge.
Our existing customers know that a major strength of our company is our friendly and helpful sales associates and technical support team. You are always welcome to call our sales team at: (800)633-0405 and our Technical support team at: (770)844-4200 to discuss your projects needs and issues.
We hope online shopping will be beneficial to you providing flexibility and ease-of-use. We are committed to making this store a good experience for you and welcome all comments and suggestions to make it better and more flexible. Please feel free to give us any input by e-mailing us at store@automationdirect.com. Your can also send us mail by clicking on store email link located at the bottom of each page. We have a lot of plans for future features using leading edge web technologies. Please be patient with us while we bring these features online and we encourage you to submit suggestions and be part of our future.
We have divided the layout of our store into several parts for your convenience. We will discuss each area:
SITE DROP-DOWN MENUS: Header area of the website. The menus in this area provide a wealth of information including our online technical assistance, product marketing, available online documentation, about our company, and your personal account information. Use these drop-down menus to navigate to needed data.
SHOPPING TOOLS: Top left side of the header area. The links in this area do not change and are always available while visiting our site. This area allows you to access all the key shopping functions including Quick Order, Shopping Cart and Checkout. Any of these functions can be accessed at any time no matter what is displayed in the main viewing area. Here is a description of each link:
LOGIN/LOGOUT: This function can be accessed by selecting the Login button at top left in the shopping tools area
(it is changed to Logout when you are logged in). Enter your USERNAME (or CUSTOMER #) and PASSWORD to gain
access to your account information and additional store functionality.
Your USERNAME is created when you register (or update registration information for existing customers).
Your CUSTOMER # is assigned when you registered (either online or via phone).
Your CUSTOMER # can also be obtained from any Invoice, Statement, or Packing Slip you have received from us.
Your PASSWORD is assigned by you if you registered online. If you registered with us via telephone,
your password is initially set to your billing zip code (or postal code) that we have on file.
If you have any trouble gathering any of the needed login information, please
email us at store@automationdirect.com
or call us at (800)633-0405 for assistance.
On the Login screen, after entering your username and password, press the LOGIN button to transmit your information. The data is
encrypted for your protection. Upon correctly entering the required information, you will see “Logged in as: xxxxxxxx” in the shopping
tools area and your personal account information will be accessible from the Account Menu. It is not necessary to Login to shop
in the store or perform any store functions except for CHECKOUT, and to gain access to your personal
account information.
You can choose the Forgotten Password link if you have difficulty logging in. If you can successfully answer
your "Challenge Question" we can automatically generate a new password and email it to the address we have on file
for your account. Follow the prompts to complete this process. The "Challenge Question" is either provided by you during
the online registration process, or an account verification question generated by our system.
REGISTER/UPDATE REGISTRATION: If you have purchased from Automationdirect.com before, the registration
process is NOT required. PLEASE proceed to the Login screen and enter your USERNAME (or CUSTOMER #) and
PASSWORD as describe above. This function is for first time shoppers or for
registered customers who wish to update or change their Username, Password, Address Information,
etc.
Registration can be accessed from the REGISTER button in the shopping tools area (this button changes to UPDATE)
once you are logged in) or from the My Account drop-down menu.
For new customers, completing the registration screen is not required to shop in our
store, however, it is required before the checkout process and order submission can be
completed. Fill out all highlighted required fields and verify it carefully before
pressing the SUBMIT button to transmit your information. The data is encrypted for your
protection. Once you are a registered shopper we can maintain you FAVORITES LIST (Custom
Catalog), QUOTES, SHOPPING CART, etc. when you leave our store and come back.
QUICK ORDER: This feature is the FASTEST way to enter items into the shopping cart if you already know the part numbers for the products you wish to purchase. Selecting this feature from the shopping tools area or from your account menu will show a screen allowing you to enter a part number and quantity. The <TAB> key is used to move from field to field, or, you can use your mouse to select each field. After you have filled a screen with parts (or entered all the parts you need to purchase), press the "Add Items to Cart" button at the bottom of the list to move those items into the Shopping Cart. You will see a Mini Cart view of the items you have added. After the system has successfully added the items to your cart, the screen will clear. Now you can add more parts. You can select the number of line items for your Quick Order list.
FAVORITES LIST: This feature, allows you to create your own custom catalog
containing the items you are most interested in or purchase most often. If your have
REGISTERED or LOGGED IN to our store, your list is saved from visit-to-visit. When
you return to our store, simply LOGIN and your Favorites List will be available from your account menu.
Parts are added to your Favorites List from any product display page, the shopping cart, etc. whenever
you see the "FAV" checkbox. Simply check the box and the item will be added. You can also add items
to your Favorites list from the Favorites page.
Choosing the FAVORITES LIST link from your account menu takes you to your custom catalog. You can select items from this list to be added directly to the shopping cart, delete items from your Favorites List, etc. This feature is described in more detail elsewhere in this document.
SHOPPING CART: This is where you store selected items until you are ready to CHECKOUT of our store and create an order. Clicking on the SHOPPING CART graphic or clicking on the cart total link displays your cart containing the parts you have selected and added. You can remove items, change quantities, check stock, etc. from this function. You can quickly add a part right from the cart. The shopping cart also contains a list of "recommended items" based on the items in your cart. We strongly encourage you to review these items and add any that you will need to successfully complete your project. This feature is described in more detail elsewhere in this document.
CHECKOUT: When you are ready to submit your order, select the CHECKOUT Button from the shopping tools area or from your shopping cart. In step 1, verify your billing address and choose your shipping address (or enter a new address with the Address Book feature). Step 2 is to choose your shipping method after reviewing the shipping charges table. Step 3 is to choose your payment method, Purchase Order, Credit Card, or I-Check, and provide any detailed contact information. Finally, Step 4 is to verify your order information and press SUBMIT ORDER to send us your order. The data is encrypted for your protection. After submitting an order you will receive an e-mail message (if you have supplied a valid e-mail address on the registration screen) confirming acceptance of your order. An order completion screen will be displayed showing your e-commerce order number and order details. Please press the PRINT button and save this for your records. After leaving the order confirmation screen, if you need to print a detailed list of the items you purchased, Go to the detail level of the ORDER REVIEW feature.
SHOPPING CART RUNNING TOTAL: This is a display only field (ie, it can not be manually edited) that shows the current "value" of the items in the shopping cart. If you have a purchase limit this field will aid you in completing your order. This is also a good way to confirm that the parts you add are getting updated in the shopping cart.
PRODUCT NAVIGATION MENU: Pull-out menu on the LEFT side of the site - The Navigation Menu is always available during the session. Click on the Navigation Menu to view the categories available. You can click on the "Hold menu" link to keep it in the expanded form. Click the "Release menu" link to return it to the compressed state. This area allows you to see all the product categories of our store. This list closely resembles our paper catalog categories.
PRODUCT NAVIGATION SUB-CATEGORIES: TOP of the MAIN viewing area. Once a main category is selected, moving around the catalog hierarchy switches into the main viewing area. Use the "You are looking at:" path and sub-categories link to navigate to the products of interest.
PRODUCT NAVIGATION TABS: TOP of the MAIN viewing area - Different Navigation
tabs may be available based on the content you are viewing. These tabs provide
CONTEXT SENSITIVE information at any level of the tree.
PRODUCTS: Select this tab to shop in our store. This is the default tab.
OVERVIEW: Provides a marketing level detail of the currently selected product level.
TECHNICAL INFO: Shows a list of links to technical documents associated with the currently selected
product level.
MANUALS: Displays links to any user documents available for the current product level.
You can
select the "BUY NOW" button from the OVERVIEW or TECHNICAL INFO tabs as a quick way to jump back to the
PRODUCTS tab.
ACCOUNT MENU: Pull-out menu on the LEFT side of the site - The Account Options Menu is always available during the session. Click on the Account Menu to view the options and links to features of our store. If you are not logged in, only generic functions are shown. When you are logged in you will see personal functions such as Open Invoices, Processed Orders, and Purchase History. These functions are also available in the My Account top menu function.
The shopping experience in our store includes:
- Navigating and adding needed parts (in various manners) to the shopping cart
- Reviewing the items in your cart and reviewing the "required items" section to ensure you have all the manuals, cables, software, and accessories you need based on your selections. Remember: All our manuals and cables are sold separately. Most manuals can be downloaded for free from the Automationdirect.com website.
- Registering with us (if you are a NEW customer to Automationdirect) or Logging In if you are an existing customer.
- Completing the CHECK OUT screen by selecting a shipping address and shipping method for this order and entering your payment information.
- Submitting your order to us. Payment will be approved and your order will be on its way in a very fast and efficient manner. If you give us a valid E-mail address (entered on the REGISTRATION screen) you will receive confirmation of your order and shipping information.
Here is a step-by-step procedure to show the quickest way to complete an order in our store. This is shown only as an example:
1) Load the store.
2) If you have never ordered with Automationdirect (phone or online) select the REGISTER button (in the top left corner next to the Login button) and complete the registration process. If you are an existing Automationdirect customer select the Login button and enter your USER ID (or Customer #) and PASSWORD.
3) After successfully registering or logging in, select the QUICK ORDER button in the upper left corner (or from your Account Menu).
4) Click your mouse on the first PART # field and type a valid part number with or without dashes (example: D2-BAT, d2bat, D3-350, D3350), press <TAB> on your keyboard to move your cursor to the QTY field. Enter the requested quantity. Press <TAB> on your keyboard to move to the next PART # field. Continue until all needed parts are entered or until list is full. Press the ‘Add Items to Cart’ button to add these parts to the Shopping Cart and clear the QUICK ORDER FORM so you could continue entering more parts. If an invalid PART # or QUANTITY is entered you will be prompted to correct them before continuing. You can verify the parts you've added by reviewing the Mini Cart located to the right of the parts list.
5) To see Stock Status and full details of the items you have added to your cart, click on the SHOPPING CART image in the upper left corner of the site (or the Cart Total link). Make any changes to quantities or remove any items you do not wish to purchase. Review the ‘recommended items’ list that may be displayed below your cart items. This is a list of items you may need based on you selected items. After reviewing and making changes to your cart, press the CHECKOUT button in the lower right of the main viewing area (or in the shopping tools area on the upper left side of the screen).
6) Checkout Step 1 is to review your billing and shipping address to ensure they are correct. If there is a problem, select the appropriate button to go to the Address Book to enter new billing or shipping address information. (Remember we can not ship to PO boxes!). Also on Step 1, enter a Shipping Note that is printed on the package label to help ensure proper delivery once it arrives. In Step 2, compare shipping costs and choose a shipping method. Continue to Step 3 where you choose your PAYMENT TYPE and enter your Purchase Order Number, Credit Card information, or I-Check data. Step 4 is to review your order details and SUBMIT your order.
7) Your order is automatically entered into our business system. You will receive e-mail confirmation of order acceptance and when the order ships (if you have supplied a valid e-mail address in the registration screen).
Here is a step-by-step procedure to show an order placed using the Navigation Menu (the links in the left area of your browser window) to select your items. This is shown only as an example:
1) Load the store.
2) If you have never ordered with Automationdirect (phone or online) select the REGISTER link (in the top header near the Login link) and complete the registration process. If you are an existing Automationdirect customer select the Login link and enter your USER ID (or Customer #) and PASSWORD.
3) After successfully registering or logging in, click on the Navigation Menu on the left. Select the Hold Menu link to cause the menu to remain expanded. Select a main category from the Navigation Menu. In our example, select PLC HARDWARE.
4) Now, choose the PLC family you are interested in, for example DIRECTLOGIC 05, or you can skip a level by choosing DirectLogic 05 / PLC Units link directly.
5) Find the D0-05AA unit and click on the part number (underlined text). This displays the detailed item level for this part. The top left area of this table shows a detailed photo of the item. Press your browser BACK button to return to the compressed item list. The top right area shows a detailed catalog description of the part along with a button (where applicable) to view the TECHNICAL DOCUMENTATION and a button (where applicable) to view the product ONLINE MANUAL. The middle right shows the unit price, allows you to enter quantity and UPDATE the shopping cart, shows you stock status, and allows you to add this item to your Favorites List (custom catalog). If you already had D0-05AA units in your cart, the quantity entry field would show the current cart quantity. The bottom area shows the Recommended Items list. Please review this list to purchase additional items you may need.
6) If you needed to add a DirectLogic 05 Option Module to your order, Press your browsers BACK button (or choose the DirectLogic 05 link in the "You are looking at:" path). Choose the Options Modules link and continue shopping.
7) Press the SHOPPING CART image or link (located at the top left in the shopping tools area) to view the items you have added to your cart. Make any changes to quantities or remove any items you do not wish to purchase. Review the ‘recommended items’ list that may be displayed below your cart items. This is a list of items you may need based on you selected items. After reviewing and making changes to your cart, press the CHECKOUT button in the lower right of the main viewing area (or in the shopping tools area on the upper left side of the screen).
8) Checkout Step 1 is to review your billing and shipping address to ensure they are correct. If there is a problem, select the appropriate button to go to the Address Book to enter new billing or shipping address information. (Remember we can not ship to PO boxes!). Also on Step 1, enter a Shipping Note that is printed on the package label to help ensure proper delivery once it arrives. In Step 2, compare shipping costs and choose a shipping method. Continue to Step 3 where you choose your PAYMENT TYPE and enter your Purchase Order Number, Credit Card information, or I-Check data. Step 4 is to review your order details and SUBMIT your order.
9) Your order is automatically entered into our business system. You will receive e-mail confirmation of order acceptance and when the order ships (if you have supplied a valid e-mail address in the registration screen).
Your Shopping Cart shows items you have selected for purchase. Items can be added to the Shopping Cart from Quick Order, Favorites List, the compressed item level display, or from the detailed item level display.
To remove an item from the Shopping Cart, change the quantity field to 0 and press the UPDATE button located at the bottom of the page. To remove ALL items and EMPTY the Shopping Cart, press the EMPTY CART button located at the bottom of the Shopping Cart screen.
To change the quantity you wish to purchase, click on the "Qty In Cart" field and change the value. NOTE: you can make as many changes as you wish, however, you MUST press the UPDATE button located at the bottom left side of the Shopping Cart screen for the changes to "stick".
To quickly add an few items to your cart (if you know the part numbers), enter the parts and quantities in our Quick Add area the press the UPDATE button located at the bottom left side of the Shopping Cart screen.
* Review the ‘Recommended Items’ list (if you have parts in your Shopping Cart that have recommended items associated with them) located just below the shopping cart items table and Quick Add. This is a customized list showing possible items you may need to complete your order. To order a recommended item, simply enter your quantity in the input box and press the UPDATE button located at the bottom left side of the Shopping Cart screen. Remember:You must purchase our manuals and cables separately.
You can submit your order by clicking the CHECKOUT link located in the shopping tools area or from the bottom right of the Shopping Cart screen.
On Checkout step 1 of 4, you will be shown your default billing address and shipping addresses. If billing or shipping address information is incorrect press "Edit This Billing Address" or "Edit This Shipping Address" button to correct it. If you want to ship to an address other than your default shipping address (Remember we can not ship to PO boxes!), select the address from the drop-down list of addresses you have already entered into our system. If you do not see the requested shipping address in the list then Press "Add New Shipping Address" feature to add a new one. Complete the address information (the nickname is what you will see in the drop-down list of addresses). When done press the "Save and Continue" button to return to the Checkout screen step 1. Now you can select your new address from the drop-down list of addresses. Ensure the shipping address shown on the right side of the screen is the address for your shipment. If you need delivery instructions that will print on the shipping label please add them in the Shipping Note field. NOTE: Automationdirect shipping department does not see this field, please do not enter special Shipping instructions here.
Press the Next>> button to continue to step 2 of 4. Compare shipping costs and choose a shipping method.
Press the Next>> button to continue to step 3 of 4. Choose your PAYMENT TYPE and enter your Purchase Order Number, Credit Card information, or I-Check data. Please verify your contact information for this order.
Press the Next>> button to continue to step 4 of 4. Review your Shopping Cart contents and Shipping Details. When you are certain this information is correct, press SUBMIT ORDER to commit your order to our system.
Once your order is submitted it automatically gets entered into our business system and begins processing immediately! We can NOT accept any order changes once the SUBMIT ORDER button has been pressed. Please review your order and check out details before submitting your order.
This feature is available if you have REGISTERED or LOGGED IN to our site and placed an order. From the Account Menu or My Account button (available after you have logged in), select Processed Orders, expand the '+' to see Status and Tracking. From this feature you can view the detailed information about your orders and track the shipper status (UPS only at this time) of your orders. You can copy other carriers tracking number from this field and paste into the appropriate carriers tracking systems.
The compressed order status shows your PO#, the dollar value of your order, the date the order was submitted, the current status of the order, and a ‘view’ hot link to see more item level detail. You can print the detailed order view screen for a record of your online order.
Pressing the ‘view’ text shows a line-by-line detailed account of your order along with the shipping method, order total, shipping charges, etc. If you need to print a copy of your order for internal records, you can chose your browser print option from this screen.
For UPS shipped orders, to obtain SHIPPER TRACKING information, select the appropriate tracking number from the drop down list (there may be more than one if you placed a large order) and press the ‘TRACK’ button. We plan to add support for other shipping carriers in the future.
The Favorites List (custom catalog) is a convenient way to order the items you use most. Whenever you add an item to the shopping cart also add it to your Favorites List if you will be ordering it at a future date. The Favorites List is maintained if you Login during your visit (or Register if you are a first time customer). Go to the Favorites List by selecting the link on your account menu. To add an item from your Favorites List into the Shopping Cart, simply enter the quantity you wish to order and press ‘Update’. You can remove items from your Favorites List by choosing the REMOVE button on the appropriate items.
This function is located in the store header. It allows you to search our store for a keyword or specific part by name. The search screen also allows you to search product listings, technical documents, etc. for keywords. The store search is case non-sensitive. Select the filters you require and press the SEARCH button to execute the requested search. Once the requested item is found you can jump directly to that item by clicking the item hot link.