By Troy Brown, Demandware Retail Practice

I'm pumped! You know why? We just finished Demandware's first ever XCHANGE workshop. Over 100 people attended including: clients, channel partners, implementation partners, LINK technology partners, our client advisory board, and of course the Demandware team. Yeah, yeah, it was a conference. Big deal you say. So what? Well, here's how I see it.

We have incredible customers and partners - awesome individuals. People, who desire to work with us and with each other collaboratively to learn, improve and drive ecommerce growth. People who are engaged. We have a COMMUNITY of like-minded individuals. Everyone has a voice. Everyone can contribute.

The networking aspect of the event was phenomenal: Merchandisers building relationships with other Merchandisers, Developers connecting with our just announced beta Developer Community and eCommerce executives sharing ideas with other ecommerce executives. I feel so fortunate to be able to work with so many people who are so tightly aligned. Why? Because EVERYONE in this community cares about the same thing: each other's success. It's a bond that enables us to transcend the occasional speed bump, process glitch, or software bug. It's a commitment that is creating profound loyalty in ALL directions. Look, I've been around the ecommerce space for a while, and this type of harmony is UNPRECEDENTED. Ok, ok, maybe I'm a bit giddy. But seriously, if you aren't a Demandware customer, how happy are you and your peers on that "other" ecommerce platform? Really.

But another reason I'm so pumped is that the CONTENT met the mark according to our event surveys. This was not a bunch of individuals taking the microphone to pontificate about conceptual ecommerce ideas. This was down and dirty, practical, hands-on, in-the-trenches, boots-on-the-ground, get-your-hands-dirty work. People went home with ideas that are impacting their business NOW. The Business Track featured great workshop sessions on how to optimize on-site search, implement Active Merchandising, improve search engine optimization, shape our roadmap, and how to really leverage our new LINK program.

The Technical Track unleashed the power of Demandware's multi-site capabilities to quickly enable international expansion or multi-brand rollouts, demonstrated how to build sites for scalability and growth, outlined how to use our mobile cartridge to launch your own mobile storefront, shared tips for ramping new developers and showcased the benefits of using automated testing tools.

The Client Advisory Board ("CAB") came together again to help Demandware executives shape the future of Demandware. We have a terrific CAB made up of engaged business leaders who are capable of thinking like a client and like a Demandware shareholder.

And thank you to our LINK partner Fluid for sponsoring the Red Sox game for XCHANGE attendees. Luckily, the Rox Sox won. Some of us, including me, even got to hang with Will Farrell!

If you missed the event, no worries. I'm sorry we had to turn some of you away. We didn't expect such an overwhelming demand. I'm just glad the fire marshal didn't show up since we filled the rooms (and then some). Want the content? As a client, log on to our XCHANGE portal and download the presentations directly. Talk to your Client Relationship Manager. Engage!

And better yet, plan ahead! We're planning a to blow it out of the water in Spring 2011 with an even bigger, better event. Bring your entire team and experience what the game-changing combination of accessible expertise, a vibrant community and empowering technology can do for you!

By Jamus Driscoll

Every once in a while (okay, great long while) something lands in your inbox that makes you, well, smile. Such it was today when Google kicked me an alert about an article that ran today in Clickz on the mashup between Facebook and NineWest. Using a slick product by Demandware partner Fluid, the Nine West facebook app pushes/pulls content from their ecommerce site, and promotes it as a "Lookbook" to loyal fans. Fans can browse new looks and add to bag, all within FB. Really cool. Social commerce.

According to Clickz, "The initiative comes on the heels of Jones Apparel brand Rachel Roy's successful one-day test on Feb. 9. The fashion designer brand offered a slew of Facebook-exclusive, limited-edition products that sold out in roughly six hours [my emphasis added]. During the 24-hour period, Rachel Roy increased its Facebook numbers by 38 percent - from around 8,800 "fans" to more than 12,100."

What's particularly great about this from our perspective is that Jones Apparel Group (parent company to Nine West) and Fluid were able to do all of this themselves, no back'ing and forth'ing between the platform, the vendor and the customers. The power was totally in their hands...and as a result, a totally cool surprise just landed in my inbox.

Congratulations to Jones and Fluid! You made my day.