Internet Electronic Product Catalogues: An Approach Beyond Unstructured Keywords and Multimedia

Internet-based Electronic Product Catalogs (IEPCs) are one of the most important parts of electronic markets. They are the merchant's interactive interface towards online customers. Based on the features of their carrier, the interactive and ubiquitous Internet, IEPCs are online, permanently up-to date, and enable customization as well as direct communication between seller and buyer. Even though IEPCs are more sophisticated compared to paper-based catalogs, the search for products on the Internet is still a cumbersome process. Surveys show, that online customers have difficulties navigating through merchants' sites to find the products they need. In this paper, a comprehensive approach for IEPCs as complex information spaces will be presented. First a detailed requirements analysis for IEPCs will be conducted. Then a concept for organizing information within IEPCs, which goes beyond simple keywords and multimedia, will be presented. Finally, technologies for its implementation will be identified.