Mary Kay EC Systems Mary

Mary Kay EC Systems Mary Kay has a unique business model whereby all sales are made through independent consultants who seek their own customers and sell the products using their own marketing methods. Mary Kay offers support to consultants and helps them make their business a success. The company has been in operation since 1962 and its products are now sold in 34 countries around the world.

However with Internet becoming a huge force in the marketing, selling and promotion area, it was important for Mary Kay to incorporate e-commerce in its business model. The drivers of EC for Mary Kay were mainly its consultants and the knowledge that it could no longer survive in the competitive cosmetic business without making it easier for its consultants to place orders online. Now the company has a worldwide accessible ordering system called Atlas where its consultants can stay in touch with Mary Kay warehouses and place orders as needed.

It also provides support services to its consultants in 30 countries. The pressure came from the consultants who felt that lack of EC at MK meant delay in supply of products that their customers needed. Hence MK decided to respond efficiently by developing an e-commerce website where ordering and support services could be found. The EC model now includes Atlas, support system as well as intelligent data repository, which can be accessed by the it personnel at MK.

The model offers ordering and support services while also making it easier for the it staff to manage and update EC services as needed. Mary Kay is now involved in EC transactions that primarily allow consultants to place orders for their businesses. Along with that, the company is also using social networking sites to recruit staff and to post reviews of its products etc. All this has become possible with the help of a major hardware and software overhaul that allows wireless remote management at the 760,000 square-foot corporate headquarters.

Other EC transactions include "service desk, ticketing system for consultants attending events, and service requests made by consultants." It is also using several other EC applications ranging from accounts to finance to inventory control. Some of the main social networking activities include posting jobs on social networking sites, showing movies through youtube, blogging about MK products and also selling its products through ebay. The consultants at MK are using the power of sites like Ebay to find more customers and make higher sales.

EC initiative by Mary Kay has had an impact on everyone involved.