Go to the company’s FAQ section. Only in Italian
A) E-commerce
What is e-commerce?
It's a method of remote-purchasing that uses the Internet as its means of communication. The buyer can see products on line and purchase them by credit card or by other means of payment. E-commerce gives buyers the opportunity to purchase without any limitation, allowing them to visit shops all over the world. The purchase is made electronically, and goods are delivered by traditional means (the post, shipment companies, etc.). The European Community’s defines e-commerce as "the carrying out of commercial activities and transactions by electronic means, and includes a number of activities, such as: the electronic marketing of goods and services, the on-line distribution of digital information, the carrying out, by electronic means, of financial and stock exchange operations, public tenders by electronic means and other transactional procedures for the Public Administration" (Communication by the EU Commission 97/157).
Is there only one kind of e-commerce?
No, e-commerce can be classified mainly as: Business to Consumer (B2C), when the commercial deal involves companies and consumers; Business to Business (B2B), when the commercial deal involves two or more companies, without any contact with the consumer. In every portal, it is important for you to recognise the section you are interested in, to get to the right offer, but, above all, to find the kind of product you're looking for easily.
Is it a form of mail order?
E-commerce cannot be considered as a mail order in the strict sense. These two marketing methods allow an agreement to be reached between two parties that are located at a distance from each other, by using alternative means of communication such as the post, the telephone, the Internet. As these two ways of marketing are so similar, it was decided to regulate e-commerce using existing mail order rules, in anticipation of ad hoc regulations.
What are the advantages to purchasing through the Internet?
E-commerce provides the opportunity to buy without actually "going" to the shop and without having to respect the opening/closing times: the on-line shop is open 24 hours a day. The lower management costs are a important factor that enable on-line shops to sell their products at a lower prices.
How is the on-line payment made?
On-line purchases are paid for in the same ways as mail orders, that is:
- cash on delivery
- bank transfer
and:
- credit card
This latter method of payment is the most suitable for the e-commerce. Buying with a credit card gives you a guarantee on the successful conclusion of your purchase, because the credit is made through your bank. Moreover, it is the only payment method accepted abroad, because it doesn't depend on languages or borders: it is a payment method that lets you buy directly, without any other procedures (such as going to the bank or to the post office to activate the payment procedures).
Are on-line credit card payments safe?
_This is an extremely delicate matter for both sellers and buyers, and must therefore be treated clearly, and with authority. Let's begin with the technical information. Communication on the Internet usually takes place without any equipment to protect against being “overheard”. In some cases, however, it is important that the transmitted contents not be spread, and this can be ensured by making them comprehensible only to the addressee (for example, the personal number of your own Credit Card must be comprehensible only to the bank that carries out the transaction). To ensure that the data are properly protected, Madeinitaly.com collaborates with an important banking partner: Banca Sella. The method used by Banca Sella is the SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) cryptography system. The SSL protocol is used to protect the information exchanged by a Web browser and a Web server. The information transmitted is transformed into a series of apparently random characters that can be understood only by those in possession of the secret key, which returns the series to the initial message. Here is an example to demonstrate what happens when a credit card number is transmitted on-line between the buyer's browser and a server (provider of the Credit Card service), when it is protected by the SSL protocol:
1. the user enters his current account number (e.g. 160272) into the space indicated at the moment of paying;
2. the browser transforms this number into a random sequence (es: +*+&$^);
3. using the appropriate secret keys, the bank's server transform the random sequence into the initial message (e.g. 160272). Only the bank can carry out this operation.
Thus, the information is encoded, made illegible, using a complex algorithm and a system of encoding and decoding keys. In particular, the server sends the browser its "public" key (that is, it may be known by anyone). The browser uses this key to encode the information, and sends it to the server, which decodes it using its private key. This method works in the same way for any transaction carried out in the opposite direction: when the server sends some information asks the browser for its public key; the browser then uses its private key to decode the encoded information. The SSL protocol also confirms that the addressee is the one intended: in the example above, the SSL protocol ensures that the number of the current account is only sent to the bank's server: this is done through the exchange of digital certificates provided by specifically authorised third parties (e.g. VeriSign), which ensure the identity of the subjects involved in the transmission.
B) Madeintaly.com and e-commerce
What is Madeinitaly.com?
Madeinitaly.com is a portal on the Web, which promotes e-commerce and the sale of Italian products in foreign markets by using the Internet as a new means of communication. Through Madeinitaly.com you can buy products on the Web for you or your company. Madeinitaly.com is also a window on the Internet, and is visited every day by fans of the Made-in-Italy label, who can satisfy their every desire to buy. Madeinitaly.com can be found on the Internet, at the following address: http://www.madeinitaly.com.
What does Madeinitaly.com offer?
Madeinitaly.com gives all of its clients the possibility to purchase the best that Italy has to offer: industrial machinery and typical traditional products, fashionable clothing and trips to visit our beautiful country.
How is Madeinitaly.com organised?
Madeinitaly.com promotes Italian products and services all over the world. The unusual characteristic of Madeinitaly.com is its structure, which reproduces the Italian product lines, in order to make the visitor's search easy. Madeinitaly.com is divided into four sections: Business, Shopping, News and Travel. The Business and Shopping sections are sub-divided into macro-categories and then sub-categories (6,700 in total), that include all of the individual products available on the Italian market. The Business section is aimed at companies, and is divided into 8 vertical portals: Clothing Fashion, Foods Beverages, Ceramics, Leather, Marble, Mechanics, Furnishing Wood, Gold, each full of information about fairs, trade associations, discussion forums, demand and supply of stock, and second-hand machinery sold by auction. The Shopping section is aimed at the final consumer, who, in this area, can buy all he wants directly on-line. In the Shopping section, there are currently eleven product sectors.
What is the difference between the Business and Shopping areas?
The Business area is a space for trade between companies; the Shopping area is a space for commerce aimed at the consumer. Contacts and transactions are handled differently in the two areas:
- in the Shopping section, you buy on-line;
- in the Business section, only the first contact is made on line; the purchasing of products is done off-line, with traditional channels and methods of payment.
The Business section of our portal is not set for the e-commerce because the companies (a company which offers its products and a company which is interested in the purchase) need to come into contact directly, exchange information, reach an agreement and decide on a particular method of payment. The number of exchanges in the Business section is such that on-line payment by credit card becomes impractical, and, therefore, senseless.
The Shopping section was conceived strictly for direct, on-line, credit card purchases by the final consumer. The links take you to sites, which already operate independently in e-commerce. The catalogues sent to be included in our site are automatically equipped by us with the tools for e-commerce, through agreements with Banca Sella and DHL.
Who are Madeinitaly.com’s clients?
The clients of Madeinitaly.com are:
- companies (both foreign and Italian) searching for Italian products, equipment and machinery;
- end users who can purchase what they want directly through Madenitaly.com;
How are purchases made?
The methods of purchase differ between companies and end users. To understand what to do in order to search for a product that you are interested in, select one of the two market sections, according to your purchase needs:
Do I have to register?
All visitors to Madeinitaly.com can consult the catalogues, but in order to obtain further information in the Business area, or to buy on-line you have to register.
Do I have to register every time I visit Madeinitaly.com?
No. The registration is done only once. Thereafter, you just have to enter your password and the ID (your nickname) and you will be immediately recognised as a previous user of Madeinitaly.com.
How is the confidentiality of my data protected?
Your personal data are protected and used in complete accordance with the Italian law on confidentiality (ex. Art. 10 L.675/96).
Here are the advantages of buying with Madeinitaly.com
It's free: you can consult our database free of charge, and there is no purchase commission;
You can make comparisons: you can compare prices of the different offers in real-time and then chose the one you prefer.
It's fast: our search engines give you direct access to the products you're looking for.
It's clear: each product is accompanied by a reliable description of its technical characteristics, with pictures and information (Moreover, Madeinitaly.com makes available a special area in which you can give your assessment of the transaction: this information enables us to offer you a better service).
The choice: Madeinitaly.com has a wide range of products from 8 market sectors in the Business section, and 11 sectors in the Shopping section. No matter how specific the product you are looking, thanks to Madeinitaly.com you will certainly find it.
Reasonable prices: the shop owner has no windows, sales staff, or anything else to sustain, so the prices in his virtual shop will definitely be lower.
It's safe: all of the market operators using our site are identified. Transactions are safe.
It's simple: consulting Madeinitaly.com’s Catalogues is really easy.
C) The Business of Madeintaly.com
How can I find the product I'm looking for?
Surf the categories presented by Madeinitaly.com in the Business sector: Clothing Fashion, Foods Beverages, Ceramics, Leather, Marble, Mechanics, Furnishing Wood, and Gold, and then select the product line presented by Madeinitaly.com by selecting the sub-categories you want until you arrive at the list of the companies that offer what you're looking for. In order to make your search faster, Madeinitaly.com provides two search engines, which appear on the home page:
A) For the product type (click on Product Finder ). Type in the name, or type, of the article, click on the "Search" button. The search engine will list the companies that provide what you are looking for;
B) For the name of the company (click on Company Finder A search window will appear enabling you to search by Company, Town, Province, and Product Sector. Fill in one or more of the fields and select the section you want to search in (Business or Shopping), and click on "Search". The search engine will list the companies according to the criteria you inserted.
Why are companies marked with different symbols?
The green symbols (which refer to the Business section) indicate the type of Catalogue that you are about to consult. To help you understanding these symbols, there is a table at the top left of the page, above the list.
- The first symbol indicates the presence of the Madeinitaly.com On-Line Catalogue, the company’s product catalogue;
- the second indicates the Madeinitaly.com On Line Link which leads directly to the web pages of the company’s site;
- the third (yellow) symbol indicates whether the company is a Consortium or an Association. By clicking on the name of the Consortium or Association, the company’s presentation page will appear, including its mission, address, and the list of associated companies. These companies may also appear individually on the Madeinitaly.com site, with their own Product Catalogue or On-line Link.
What do I have to do to consult a Madeinitaly.com On-line Catalogue?
Click on the name of the company. A presentation page will appear, enabling you to get to know your potential supplier better. You'll see the name, address, the description of its activities and production, the company's logo, the catalogue index and a little search engine for the products contained in the Catalogue. In order to consult the catalogue, click on the interactive area under "Catalogue Index"; if you already know the code of the product, its name or its description, you can use the search engine, which will take you straight to the product you are looking for.
How can I get further information on a product in a Madeinitaly.com On-line Catalogue?
Click on the image of the product you are interested in. You will see a table giving all of the technical details about that product; the image is large to give you more details, and you will also find a technical description.
How can I get in touch with the supplier to receive more information?
Beside every product image, you will find an icon with the caption "More Information", which puts you in contact with the supplier. Click on the icon; a window will inform you that the product has been entered into the information request page. In order to check and send the request, click on "check/end info" on the top left of the page. Before sending requests for information to the supplier, we recommend that you look at the entire catalogue carefully; if you want to obtain further information about other products, just click on the "check/end info" key associated with the product image. The request for information will be updated automatically, with the code and description of every new product being added. When you have finished looking at the catalogue, click on "check/end info". The next window will remind you of the requests that you want to send to the suppliers. Click on "OK". A summary of your information requests will appear including the code and name of the article/s, and a space in which to write your request. In order to complete this operation successfully, you must be registered with Madeinitaly.com: enter your User ID and password, and press “OK”; the e-mail will be sent automatically. If you have not registered yet, this is the time to do so; begin the registration procedure by clicking on “register”. Fill in all of the compulsory fields and press “OK”. You will then be taken back to the summary of your orders; write to the company and press “send”. The information request will be forwarded directly to the company, which will contact you as soon as possible.
What do I have to do to consult a Madeinitaly.com On-line Link?
Click on the name of the company. A presentation page will appear, enabling you to get to know your potential supplier better. You'll see the name, address, the description of its activities and production, the languages in which the site is translated and an image of the site or the company’s logo, which is also the access door to the site. In order to consult the catalogue on the site, click on the company’s logo. In order to be able to go to the site, you must register. Registration is completely free of charge, and involves no economic commitment. Enter your User ID and password, and click on "OK" to go directly to the site. If you have not registered yet, now is the time to do so; begin the registration procedure by clicking on "register". Fill in all of the compulsory fields and press “OK”. You will then be taken to the presentation page; click on the company’s logo again to enter the Madeinitaly.com site directly.
Can I contact the supplier to receive further information?
Yes, you can use the company e-mail or any other information indicated in the site you are about to visit.
How do I pay for the products in the Business area?
Madeinitaly.com helps you to get in touch with the supplier of the product you are interested in, but not to buy it. If you have sent a request for information, the supplier will contact you at the earliest possible moment. Any agreements with the supplier will be reached in the traditional way. Thus, you will be able to agree on the cost of the goods, the delivery and the payment method directly with the supplier.
Do I have to pay a commission to Madeinitaly.com for the service it provides?
Absolutely not. The service for the buyer is totally free.
D) Shopping with Madeinitaly.com
What are the requirements in order to purchase on-line?
All you need is an Internet connection and a Browser, such as Internet Explorer or Netscape Navigator. The site can be viewed with any Wintel or Macintosh. You must also have a valid credit card and an e-mail address.
I am a foreigner. Can I purchase Italian products with Madeinitaly.com?
Yes, you can. All of the shops hosted on Madeinitaly.com are able to sell abroad; in the case of there being any limitations or obstacles, these will be indicated by the companies themselves on their presentation pages.
How can I find the product I'm looking for?
Surf the categories presented by Madeinitaly.com for the Shopping area (Clothing Fashion, Foods, Animals Farming, Furniture, Cosmetics, Publishing: miscellaneous, Personal Objects Jewellery, Cleaning Products, Sport Leisure time, Travel Holidays, Wines and Beverages) and chose the one you're interested in. A new window will appear. On the left, there will be the list of the categories in the Shopping area, to help you to go from one category to another, and, on the right, there will be the list of the on-line shops on Madeinitaly.com that sell what you're looking for. There will also be a short description of the shops to help you to select the right one.
Why are shops marked with different symbols?
The red symbols (referring to the Shopping area) indicate the kind of Shop you are going to visit. To help you to understand these symbols, there is a table on the top left, above the list of shops. The symbols are as follows:
- the first symbol indicates the presence of a Madeinitaly.com On-line Catalogue, the product catalogue of the shop;
- the second indicates the presence of a Merchant , and leads directly to the page of a virtual shop hosted by Madeinitaly.com.
What do I have to do to consult a Madeinitaly.com On-line Catalogue?
Click on the name of the shop. The presentation page will appear to enable you to get to know the shop and its products better. You will find the name, address, and description of its activities and production, the shop's logo, the catalogue index divided by product category, and a little search engine for the products in the catalogue. To consult the catalogue, click on the product category that you are interested in, under the phrase "Product Index"; if you already know the code of the product, its name or a description, you can use the search engine that will take you straight to the right product.
How can I get further information on a product?
Click on the image of the product you are interested in. You will see a table giving all of the technical details about that product; the image is large to give you more details.
You will obtain:
its price
a detailed description
its weight
its Height
its width
its breadth
NB: weight, height, width, breadth refer to the size of the package for shipment. The information about the dimensions of the product may also be contained in the description.
What is the electronic trolley?
The electronic trolley may be compared to the usual shopping trolley that you can find in any store: it accompanies you while you are shopping, right up to the cashier. The electronic trolley allows you to check your shopping at any time, to add products to your trolley, or remove them and replace them on the shelves, as you normally in any department store.
How do I place a product into my trolley?
Just click on the trolley; a new window will appear showing the main features of that product. In order to add it into your trolley, you must confirm the purchase a second time; click again on the button at the centre of the page with the caption "add to your shopping trolley"; your purchase will now have been selected.
Can I check the products in my trolley?
Yes, you can always check the products in your trolley. Click on the "check/end trolley" caption on the top right of the screen; a new window will appear with the list of the products you have already added to your trolley. If you have not finished your shopping yet, return to the catalogue, by clicking on the "Back" key of your browser; you will be taken back into the virtual shop and you will be able to continue from where you left off. If you want to finish your shopping, click on "OK"; another page with the final summery of the articles and the total price will appear. You can still remove products from your trolley, if you wish; just click on the "trash can" (in the table under "delete") to replace the products on the shelves. If you want to make the purchases, select the country of destination, so that the delivery costs can be correctly calculated, and click on "order now".
How do I order more than one of the same product?
Just click on the trolley; a new window will appear showing the main features of that product including the quantity. In order to increase the number of articles that you want to purchase, just enter the number (2, 3, 5, 10, …) in the quantity field.
How do I remove a product from my trolley?
By clicking on "check/end trolley", a new window will appear with the list of the products in your trolley. If you want to remove an item from your trolley, click on “OK”; another window will appear with the final summary of the items and the total price. You are given the option to alter the total cost and to replace some of the items. Just click on "trash can" (in the table under "delete") to replace the products on the shelves. If you want to continue your shopping, go back to where you left off by clicking on the "Back" key of your browser. Otherwise, proceed as explained above.
Can I contact the supplier to give further information?
Yes, you can, but don't forget that you are in the Shopping area, so you can only give further information to the supplier if you decide to purchase something. The space available to you can be found at the end of the purchasing procedure. After entering your User ID (the name and nickname with which you are registered) and the password, or after registering, if you have not already done so, you will be taken to the “order summary” page, where there is a space for you in which to write to the supplier. Write to the merchant and click on “send order”. You will be taken to the last step of the purchasing procedure; in the protected page, connect to Banca Sella, and enter your credit card number.
Who do I pay for the product?
You pay the supplier directly. The payment and transaction only involves the supplier and you. Madeinitaly.com puts its e-commerce platform at your disposal, putting the buyer and the seller in touch, but it does not intervene in concluding the transaction.
How do I pay for the products in the Shopping area?
The catalogues hosted on Madeinitaly.com (Shopping area) can only be purchased by credit card.
How does the payment work?
This page contains the final summary of the order. The last screen of the purchasing procedure enables you to connect directly to the secure server of Banca Sella. It is only here, in the protected area, that you will enter your credit card data. In order to complete the purchase, just fill every part of the form on this page, and click on “Send Data”. The request will be forwarded immediately to the international Visa or MasterCard circuits, and the outcome will appear on the screen. The transaction data (date, time, sum, storekeeper, outcome, and any authorisation code) will be sent to the e-mail address that you have specified.
How can I be sure that the payment has been made correctly?
Before connecting to the payment system of Banca Sella, you will be asked to check that there are no errors in your order. If there are errors on the page, go back (by clicking on the “Back” key) and correct your order. Connect to the page of Banca Sella and fill in the fields following the instructions given. If the transaction is successful, Madeinitaly.com will send you a copy of this order with a confirmation. The order will be forwarded to the company concerned, which will be the only party responsible for it.
Do I have the right to withdraw?
Yes, you can, in accordance with the law.
Who handles the payment and delivery of the products in the catalogue?
The shipment costs will be charged to your account, and are immediately calculated at the time of purchase and credit card payment. Once the payment has been made, Banca Sella will send the purchase order to the shop, and you will receive the goods by carrier (in this case DHL).
Do I have to pay a commission to Madeinitaly.com for the service it provides?
No, you will not. The service for the buyer is completely free.
What do I have to do to consult a Merchant?
Click on the name of the shop. A presentation page will appear so that you can get to know the shop that you are about to visit better. You will find name of the shop, its address, and the description of products on offer, the languages in which the site is translated and the shop’s logo, the credit cards and any alternative forms of payment that are accepted, the carrier that is used by the storekeeper to deliver the goods in the countries involved with this services, and the access door for entering the virtual shop. To enter the shop, click on the logo.
How can I get further information on a product I am interested in?
The sites hosted on Madeinitaly.com do not have the same structure. It is, therefore, not possible to give detailed information on the purchasing and payment procedures. In any case, you can find all the information you need directly on the site. Madeinitaly.com recommend that you read the payment procedure proposed by our e-commerce platform carefully (just to understand the procedure), particularly if you are new to on-line purchasing procedures, as they are all similar. If you have some doubts, click on "Help" in the virtual shop you are surfing in.
Who do I pay for the product?
You pay the supplier directly, following the indications given in every site.
How do I pay for the products?
The payment method accepted by all of the shops hosted on Madeinitaly.com is the credit card. Sometimes shops hosted on Madeinitaly.com also accept other payment methods, such as, cash on delivery or bank transfer. You can find the payment methods accepted on the shop’s presentation page.
How can I be sure that the payment has been made correctly?
Before making the payment, you are asked to check that the order does not contain any errors. If there are errors, go back (by clicking on “Back”) and correct the order. If the transaction is successful, the shopkeeper will send you a copy of the order with the confirmation.
Do I have the right to withdraw?
Yes, you can, in accordance with the law.
Who handles the payment and delivery of the products?
On every site hosted by Madeinitaly.com, there is always a section that gives all of the information on the payment methods, shipment, and the costs. If you have any doubts, consult this section and you will find the information that you need.
Do I have to pay a commission to Madeinitaly.com for the service it provides?
Absolutely not. The service for buyers is completely free.
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