CoinNews.net was treated this week to a walkthrough of the United States Mint’s new website and order management system, courtesy of Dufour Woolfley, the Mint’s Project Management Officer.
The U.S. Mint’s new site and order system, which launches on Oct. 1, presents visitors with an entirely different look and feel, plus a number of enhancements over and above the current system like:
- Dynamic scaling to meet peak day capacity (eliminates online waiting room)
- Email and Live Chat support
- Filtering of products by price range, metal type, mint mark and finish
- Additional shipping options (Budget at $4.95, Standard at $12.95, Expedited at $17.95 and Next Day at $20.95)
- Multiple shipping address options via drop-down at checkout (home, work, etc.)
- Handier "Order Status" options for quick tracking of products
- Easier management of account details (address, credit card numbers, etc.)
- Toggling of product Enrollments, formerly called Subscriptions, from active to inactive and vice versa, and options to quickly adjust quantities
- 7-day "Cart Persistence" where products added to the shopping cart are held for up to 7 days with price refreshing (add products, and come back hours or days later to order them)
- Mobility compatibility for phones and tablets
Woolfley said they strived to make everything as "natural and intuitive for customers," adding that the system allows them to make continual changes to evolve based on customer preferences.
If you’d like your own sneak peak, some of the major shopping additions and improvements have been outlined by the Mint in a visual tour found here, as well as in a U.S. Mint video that is embedded directly below.
Key Dates, Online and Call Center Blackout Dates
The U.S. Mint has provided a number of key dates that customers should know as it transitions to its new website and order management system. Major ones begin this weekend.
- The U.S. Mint’s online shopping area will not be available from Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. ET until Wednesday, Oct. 1 at 12 noon.
- The Mint’s Customer Service Call Center will not be available from Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8 p.m. until Sunday, Sept. 28 at 8 a.m. ET.
- Sunday, Sept. 28 at 8 a.m. ET, the call center will reopen and will be available to perform order inquiries ONLY until Oct. 1, 2014 at 12 noon.
Effective Oct.1, 2014 at 12 noon ET, the Mint will resume normal business operations with its new shopping website and call center.
