IN SPITE of the absence of an electronic commerce law in the Philippines, a Microsoft official said that the time is ripe for local companies to implement business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce websites.

"The technology is here already. The infrastructure is already there. Compared to other countries, we are in this game. There's no way to say that we're behind," said Aaron Shin, managing consultant at Microsoft Philippines.

Through their partnership with Microsoft Consulting Services, the Ayala Group of Companies has launched what is touted as the country's first integrated B2C site. First launched in San Francisco in October, Ayala eCenter at www.ayalaecenter.com features online credit card transaction payments using MasterCard, Visa and American Express. It leverages on the web the Ayala Group's wide range of products and services, ranging from cellular phones and SIM cards (subscriber identity module) from Globe Telecom to corned beef from Purefoods Hormel.

The Ayala Group's EDInet provides web hosting while Asia Online developed the site.

According to Shin, the launch of Ayala eCenter may be seen as a landmark in the development of B2C projects in the Philippines.

"With this big project, Ayala has created the momentum and the message has clearly been sent to other companies," Shin said. "The technology and infrastucture is already available in the Philippines, and the people here already have the skills. The reason companies implement e-commerce is to stay ahead of the competition. Companies probably need to plan out their strategies for e-commerce already, whether B2C or business-to-business. But this is not to say that e-commerce applies to all types of businesses."

With the supposed momentum created by Ayala eCenter, is it still necessary for local companies to wait for the pending e-commerce bill to be passed before venturing into e-commerce? After all, the absence of a framework for e-commerce transactions is one of the most common excuses given by companies for not taking the e-commerce plunge. Shin chose not to answer the question directly.

"I think if I can explain their excuses, the real reason is that they don't want to take the lead," he said. "They want to see what happens to the first company that implements an e-commerce project. When they see that the others are already making money online, that's when they want to go in."

How impressive is Ayala eCenter, anyway? Of course, one of the most striking things is that it is a full-blown e-commerce site, meaning customers can shop using their credit cards. For security, the site makes use of Secure Socket Layer technology while VeriSign is the certification authority.

As may be expected from a vast conglomerate like the Ayala Group, you can buy a diverse mix of products through the site from the different Ayala companies. For this article, we clicked on the Globe Telecom section.

Customers can order Globe Handyphone pre-paid cards, SIMpacks, and even cellular phones. When we checked, the site was offering the Nokia 5110 for $172 or P6,890, and the Panasonic G520 for $142 or P5,690. We placed a bogus order, however, for a SIM pack costing $25 or P990. We then filled out the customer form using Microsoft public relations consultant Mae Rivera's details. After making the bogus purchase, we decided to check out already in order to test the interface for credit card payment.

If you're a first time shopper at Ayala eCenter, you need to fill out a membership form, including your password, and decide whether you want to be a part of the inner circle of members. You then get assigned a membership ID.

Since the Ayala Group has diversified businesses, you can also buy books and CD-ROMs from Libros Filipinos and Christmas cards that come with personal life insurance from FGU.

"Ayala eCenter is really integrated. Since there's a section for Ayala Land, I could even a buy a lot or condominium unit at the site," Shin said.

Shin added that Microsoft Philippines has received at least six "solid requests" from big companies hoping to launch e-commerce projects. While declining to reveal the names of these companies, he said that they come from such sectors as telecommunications, banking and even government.

"Don't be surprised if you see a number of business-to-consumer projects launched at Christmas time or early next year," he said.

Shin stressed, however, that companies seeking to move to e-commerce must be clear on their business strategy for the web.

"When we suggest to customers, we don't push the solutions but focus on their business needs. First, they have to define their business goals. What would they like to achieve by setting up an e-commerce site," he said.

For example, the goal could be to reach out to more customers, to improve service to customers, or to automate a company's services. This would help them decide what products and services they would be offering initially on the website.

"I think the key here is that once the goal is defined, then we can gauge the scope of the project and the budget. They also have to take into consideration such factors as how long would be the return on investment, and whether the company has the internal skills to implement and sustain e-commerce projects," Shin said.