The Open University
OU Students Shop
B2C E-Commerce Webshops
Custom Ordering System, Digital Purchases & Downloads, Launchpad Build, Sage 50 Integration
The Open University Students Association (OUSA) provides students with a range of support services and promotes well-being, empowerment and inclusivity while acting as an effective, accountable representative body for the students. OUSA have been successfully servicing their students with Gravit-e since 2016.
Background & Requirements
When the Open University (OU) was established in the 1960’s, the Students Association was always part of the plan and was formally established in 1972.
The Open University Students Association (OUSA) provides students with a range of support services and promotes well-being, empowerment and inclusivity while acting as an effective, accountable representative body for the students.
The OUSA shop also provides a range of OU goods, such as branded sweatshirts, mugs and stationery, to students via the Gravit-e eCommerce online shop. As with all Gravit-e eCommerce solutions, the OUSA site is integrated to the back office accounts system which in this case is Sage 50.
The Solution
As well as the Sage 50 integration, Gravit-e integrates to the OUSA external warehouse and dispatch system WIMS and uses SagePay to process payments.
The system also provides OU staff with a telesales feature for the speedy processing of telephone orders and payments.
Bulk sales for graduation shows are processed through the Gravit-e ‘Quick Order Pad’. Goods are despatched via WIMS as normal. Following the shows, the inevitable returns are entered through Gravit-e, updating WIMS, and producing discrepancy reports and reconciliation between the original order, sales and returned stock.
Donations can also be made through the website by using an unpriced product code from Sage 50 and which triggers an acknowledgement ‘thank you’ email for donations.
OUSA have been successfully servicing their students with Gravit-e since 2016.
About the Client
OU Students Shop is part of the Open University Students Association. It was established in 1995 to provide a service to OU Students. They are the only body authorised to sell OU branded merchandise and reproduce past exam papers.