Insite Software launched a software-as-a-service model e-commerce platform today targeting mid-size manufacturers and distributors. Dubbed InsiteCommerce Cloud, the new format aims to reduce the time and cost of customization and deployment, the company says.

The company joins a growing pool of major B2B e-commerce platform vendors offering SaaS-based versions instead of software that clients host on their own servers. Other B2B e-commerce vendors with SaaS versions include Oracle Corp.’s Oracle NetSuite Global Business Unit; CloudCraze Software LLC, which is built on the Salesforce.com CRM platform; and Magento Inc.

Insite did not immediately return a request for information about its SaaS pricing.

The new SaaS-based technology is hosted on a PCI-DSS-certified cloud environment and includes upgrades performed by Insite, and customers can access the latest, most secure version without having to incur costly upgrade services, the company says. PCI-DSS is short for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, a security requirement for all entities that store, process, or transmit payment card data

InsiteCommerce Cloud is designed to provide content management features that enable improved front-end user experiences on a responsive website, says Chad Caswell, vice president of technology and operations. “As a result, customer, product and other critical data and business logic are extended directly to the user from the back office,” Caswell says.

Site design tools, software widgets, web content preview, approval and publishing capabilities are designed to ensure that marketers, developers, and designers can work together in an integrated environment, Insite says. It says its SaaS technology combines the user experience of a consumer-focused application with B2B capabilities.

Nine companies listed in the B2B E-Commerce 300, use Insite Software for their e-commerce platform, including Thule Inc. (No. 120), American Paper & Twine Co. (No. 182) and Barnsco (No. 234).

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