OREANDA-NEWS.   GE’s Power Conversion business (NYSE: GE) today announced that it has launched an innovative e-commerce app, the “Motor and Generator Store,” located at http://mgstore.gepowerconversion.com. The new platform makes it easier for customers in the U.S. and Canada to quickly access key technical information as well as quote and order products.

Customer requirements drove the priorities for the app’s software development and once GE had a skeleton of screens and processes in place, the system was presented to key customers as a demonstration. Their feedback was collected for future development priorities.

“GE has set a new standard for B2B (business-to-business) e-commerce. The new site has really made it easy to find the right product and quote out a customer with price and availability,” said Craig Bagdon, eCommerce manager, Dreisilker Electric Motors, Inc., which is one of GE’s distributors.

The new app will allow new and existing customers to access pricing and availability, straight quoting if they are using or stocking machines, quoting on behalf of their customers (if they are original equipment manufacturers or distributors), online storage of quotes and order tracking and a support library of product literature, white papers and maintenance manuals. Examples of the information available include base ratings and data packs, which contain specifications, performance data, speed/torque curves, line drawings, wiring diagrams and engineering notes.

“The release of the initial e-commerce app is a culmination of 10 months of pulling together the extensive experience of GE’s commercial teams, user interface best practices and critical customer inputs, requests and feedback,” said Jim Rogers, OEM & Distribution business leader for GE’s Power Conversion business. “Customers are enthusiastic and excited about being included in the development of our tools. The working relationships we are building with our customers are leading to a stronger understanding and familiarity of our respective operations providing benefit beyond the app.”

The first release of the new app only applies to standard and stock low- and medium-voltage motors. Customers looking to purchase custom or modified motors are encourage to continue using EliteNet at www.geeelitenet.com. Both applications will run in parallel until the Motors and Generators Store has the developed capabilities to successfully retire EliteNet.

“GE’s new tool enables us to add motor data, drawings and pricing into one document, which speeds up the quotation process and stores the quote for future use,” said Kevin O’Connor, industrial inside sales, Gexpro, another GE distributor.