SAP E-Commerce 7.0 and Guest Checkout

Question

Hi,
I searched through the forums here on the sdn and also through teh web in general looking for information on implementing Guest Checkout functionality for SAP E-Commerce 7.0.
We are looking at adding in Guest Checkout functionality and before we go all guns on developing the feature ourselves I would like to make sure there are no other options.  Does SAP E-Commerce 7.0 have guest checkout functionality?  Has anyone got experience developing Guest Checkout functionaility for SAP E-Commerce 7.0?  Can you point me to any guidance material?
Look forward to your responses
Russ

Answer 1

There is no guest-checkout feature available as such.
But technically, it is possible. Let me explain "how to" convert a B2B scenario as a guest check-out feature with
1) Anonymous JCO user  -  standard
2) Reference SOLD-TO and  -  (dummy SOLD-TO,  not standard)
3) Dummy login CONTACT PERSON (without any actual logon)  -  (not standard)
With a proper reference (dummy) sold-to and dummy contact person, it is possible to create ALL orders for this one sold to and contact person.
The one-time ship to address is always input as the Guest user information and can be added as a "One-time" or "Drop-Ship" address for the sales order.
So, the solution will require new development in
1) Getting the guest-user profile, (name, etc)  - (new) to override the contact person information in the transaction.
2) Getting the guest-user SHIP-TO address  -  (new)
3) Payment information (standard)
The side effects will be significant.  Certain features become almost useless. So, you must weigh in those negative factors.
1) The search (order history) of transactions will require significant changes. This feature will be useless unless you don't have the user information.
2) Any standard BI reporting, like the search, is customer dependent and that level of reporting can not be done.
3) The impact will be on the service (Call center) side as well. You must now figure out a way to find the order by a guest-user. New user input, customer search and transaction search.
4) Companies spend a lot of money to get information about their customers. They buy them. But when there is a feature available to collect that in the form of user registration,  it is a big waste of a good feature if you don't use it.. But, I am sure you have your solid reasons to do so..!!!