Blog | DigitlHaus Agency

August 3, 2018

Become a Better Retailer with Brightpearl

Brightpearl’s versatile functions stretch well beyond a simple plugin.

We’ve explored the many facets of Brightpearl in a prior blog post. But how would you benefit from the platform as an eCommerce owner?

It boils down to efficiency.

Powerful inventory tracking across sales channels.
Never miss any sale opportunity due to backorders.
Automated bookkeeping.
Faster order processing and shipping
Speed up returns processing.
Email marketing made simple.
Keep your customers in the loop.

Brightpearl offers a long list of features that aim to improve efficiency.

If you have a small team, you have to be smart about allocating your labor power. Can you imagine doing accounting, order processing, shipping, marketing, returns all on your own? You’d need more than 24 hours a day, especially if you want to scale your business.

As a virtual management hub, Brightpearl streamlines your day-to-day back office operations. It’s like hiring a support team for your business.

A successful story from Racquet Sports Group.

Racquet Sports Group, a UK-based retail and wholesale business founded in 2008, has successfully positioned itself as a leader in the racquet sports equipment market worldwide.

The UK company currently uses BigCommerce as its main eCommerce channel, along with eBay and Amazon. As the business scaled internationally and across platforms, the founder Jack Otton needed an all-in-one system to oversee inventory and sales across multiple channels.

“The multichannel integrations are really robust and not only that, the reporting is also very useful,” Otton said. “We can see who is buying from which channel and all of our data is stored in one place and can be broken down to help us make informed business decisions.”

As a result of streamlining his complex business processes using Brightpearl, Otton was able to save £20,000 (approx. $26,250) each year. That’s a saving from not having to hire an extra staff.

What’s more important was the time saved from redundant work like data entry.

The more time you can dedicate to creative thinking and strategic planning, the better you can steer your business toward to the right direction. You can focus on marketing goals and strengthening your relationships with existing customers. With more resources at hand, you can increase your business volume effortlessly.

Get into a better workflow with Brightpearl.

If you find yourself juggling too much as an eCommerce owner, give Brightpearl a try. Request a demo from us and see the results for yourself.

July 26, 2018

Invest in Your eCommerce Business

Keeping costs and expenses low is vital to running a successful business. We get it.

As an agency, we try to be sensible about business spending. A hardware upgrade can wait if our equipment is still fully functional. A new coffee machine might be unnecessary if we already have one.

Talent, however, is the one thing we heavily invest in because that’s our most important business capital as a eCommerce agency. We only hire reputable web design and development professionals for our team, so we can translate the skills into honorable work for our clients.

What Does This Mean for Your eCommerce Business?

A lot of eCommerce business owners came to Digitlhaus for solutions after they’ve had a bad experience with an agency elsewhere. Most of these clients thought they’d scored a great bargain with the agency that was offering a full package at a discount rate. That’s the first step to disaster.

In the end, they were left with fixing the problems themselves or having to live with an unsatisfying product.

Like most products and services, web development works the same way: you get what you pay for.

For eCommerce websites, a lot of intricate details come into play because of the high functionality. It’s often not as simple as setting up a WordPress blog. You’d have to include product pages, a smooth and secure check-out process, reviews, and other variables. In short, your website presentation is almost the entirety of your business.

Instead of paying rent for a prime location and splurging on extravagant décor, you’d be investing that capital into creating an online storefront that encompasses aesthetics and functional features. Since your eCommerce store doesn’t benefit from foot traffic like a brick-and-mortar location, you’d also be spending on digital marketing and advertising.

Cutting corners on the most vital part of your business is one of the worst decisions you can make as a business owner.

If you have a great business idea, a phenomenal product, care enough about the value to invest in packaging and presenting it. If you envision your business to expand in the long run, develop the infrastructure and foundational ideas to support it from the get-go.

Working with a eCommerce agency is the same as hiring a trustworthy team to build your online business. Would you risk putting your business in an amateur’s hand just because you could save a few hundred dollars?

How Can You Choose the Right Digital Agency?

Do Your Research

Every agency has its niche. If you’re an eCommerce business, find one that specializes in eCommerce design. Look into their portfolios and see what kind of work they’ve produced in the past. Do they have enough experiences? Does their style align with your vision?

Be Specific with Your Budget and Goals

When you reach out to an agency for a quote, make sure to communicate clearly and honestly. Identify your website needs, specify your budget limit, discuss your priorities and timeline. Don’t leave any gray area for imagination.

Go with Value, Not Price

It’s easy to jump at the lowest bidding proposal. But remember the motto: you get what you pay for. Always evaluate the proposal to see if you’re receiving the services you need at a reasonable price point.

If you’re looking for a digital agency to help with your eCommerce business, consider requesting a quote from DigitlHaus Agency. We have a proven track record of developing eCommerce websites that convert – check out our portfolio here.

July 18, 2018

Agency Rules on “Changes”

Why are development agencies so strict on changes?

Imagine building your dream house from scratch.

You’ll set up your goals and budget, and then approach an architect and a builder to discuss your plans. Because of the complexity of the project, you’ll need a team of professionals to help you through the lengthy process. Upon discussing your vision and budget, your architect will conduct analyses and research before developing the sketches. A construction permit only comes after the plan has been reviewed, finalized, and approved by all parties.

Building a highly functional eCommerce store follows the same kind of process.

Developing a Creative Comp

Short for comprehensive layout, a creative comp works like an architectural drawing. It establishes the visual elements and development structure for the website. In other words, it’s the blueprint of a full functional and visual eCommerce store. A creative comp done right ensures every step goes according to the plan without wasting extra time and resources.

Can you imagine adding an extra bedroom to the floor plan midway through the construction? Not only will it require a structural change in the architectural plan, it will also stall the entire construction process.

Therefore, it’s crucial to communicate your vision and plans for your eCommerce store as a client. It’s best to come up with a list of your needs and concerns and make sure to tackle each item before signing off on a creative comp.

Visual and Functional Changes

If you have a change of heart about the layout or a functional feature after the creative has been signed off, it can cost the web development team anywhere between 1-100 hours of extra work, depending on the changes.

Perhaps you’d just like to add a button somewhere or insert a small element in the footer. However, any changes after the creative comp has been approved can interfere with the established elements, possibly resulting in a much longer timeline for redevelopment and a awkward situation between the client and agency.

A custom website can cost thousands of dollars because the cost per hour for top web development is extremely expensive and a change request midway through the development process would only drive up the costs even more.

Again, you as a client have the power to minimize costs and reduce time if you communicate your needs upfront and understand the creative mockups are your blueprint to build your eCommerce store. The best thing to do is to thoroughly evaluate the creative comp before giving your formal approval.

Quality Control / User Acceptance Testing

Quality Control (QC) is the last phase of the web development process. A professional development agency would have a QC team responsible for functional and visual examination after the eCommerce store is developed.

The team will perform a User Acceptance Testing (UAT) to ensure all the elements are working properly across mobile, tablet and desktop devices. If there were any development changes after the site has already been developed, the QC team will also need to run a comprehensive test again after all changes have been complete to account for any regression that may happen.

A website can only go live if it’s in perfect shape.

So… Why are Web Development Agencies Strict on Changes?

Similar to building a house, developing a eCommerce store requires collective efforts. It’s a creative and practical collaboration among the clients, the designers, and the developers.

Having the initial blueprint doesn’t mean changes are impossible; however, its main goal is to reduce detours in the development process. Time is also a valuable commodity that constitutes a major cost factor in developing a custom eCommerce store. It’s important to hire a capable team, but it’s just as important to set your expectations and communicate them effectively as a client.

After all, you’re part of the team.

July 6, 2018

The Power of eCommerce Branding

Powerful branding can make a world of difference to both corporate and small businesses.

Because of the easy access to information online, consumers are increasingly aware of what they’re paying for. They know how to search for a better product at a lower price. If something generic is cheaper on Amazon, why bother going to a small retailer that doesn’t offer 2-day shipping?

Online shoppers favor individual retailers over Amazon when they offer a unique product or service that delivers customer satisfaction consistently. Here’s when a strong branding comes into play – it can create a lasting impression on your potential and existing customers.

Nike comes in mind when you want a quality pair of athletic shoes; Sephora is where you go for a large collection of high-end cosmetics and skincare; Airbnb is the go-to website for looking up travel accommodations if you don’t have the budget for a luxury hotel. These brands have successfully positioned themselves as leaders in their respective markets – you’ll always remember what their logos look like and how their websites feel. You can almost imagine how these brands would sound or behave in a party if they were alive. That’s the power of branding.

Let’s look at a few eCommerce companies with impactful branding and try to learn something from them.

Warby Parker

Started as an online business, Warby Parker disrupted the eyewear market by offering stylish, well-designed glasses at affordable prices. The co-founders had made sure the company debuted as a fashion brand instead of just an eyewear brand, which had given the brand an express ticket to fame. Today, most people think of the brand as timeless and sophisticated.

Warby Parker was the first eyewear retailer to provide the at-home try-on feature for online shoppers who wanted to try on the glasses before they made a purchase. Before the company grew big enough to open up brick-and-mortar locations, the try-on option was revolutionary for online retail.

Like TOMS, Warby Parker would also donate a pair of glasses to someone in need for every purchase. It’s not a coincidence that Warby Parker established a socially conscious initiative – it aligns with the brand’s identity and value, hence reinforcing the brand’s leading position in the eyewear market.

Ritual

Consumers have relied on drugstore vitamin supplements for decades until Ritual came in and questioned the traditional multivitamins brands. Ritual asked the consumers a simple question: what exactly is in the vitamin pill? Most of us didn’t even know where to look for proper information.

Ritual seized the opportunity to educate the public about multivitamins by creating informative videos and destroying myths. The brand promoted itself as non-GMO, vegan, free of synthetic fillers and colorants. In an increasingly health conscious world, Ritual’s brand message easily resonated with its customers.

Did we also mention the no-nonsense product packaging? A clear bottle marked with simple description: “Essential for Women. 2/day.” The minimal packaging echoes with the brand’s fuss-free identity.

Ritual’s website is functional without any cluster. The copy is precise and straightforward, directly reflecting the consistent brand voice.

Twilight Time

Movie lovers who don’t quite find the Netflix or Hulu selections satisfying can find their place in Twilight Time, a client of ours. The brand’s niche lies in offering vintage films from 1890s to 2010s for DVD collectors and film enthusiasts.

Twilight Time’s website homepage features vintage DVD covers with a rotating archive of classic movies. Customers can filter the titles by year, genre, director, etc. The timeline option works well for the brand particularly because of its emphasis on vintage movies. The brand’s niche provides an online space for customers who are looking for a sense of community and industry expertise, both of which are harder to find on Amazon.

Before Twilight Time worked with our agency, the company’s website was built with an outdated theme and platform. A rebranding through DigitlHaus has increased Twilight Time’s conversion rate as high as 45%. By improving the visual experience for shoppers, the company was able to see positive results almost right away.

What Can We Learn from These Brands?

Product Differentiation

To attract an intelligent crowd of online shoppers, your eCommerce business needs to have a strong branding along with a curated collection of high quality products. What kind of hook are you offering your customers? Once you find your niche, be sure to capitalize on the unique benefits of your products.

Brand Voice

What is your brand’s personality? If your brand was to speak like a human being, how would it talk? Does it have a serious tone or a casual one? Think about Ritual’s brand voice – authoritative, confident, yet still approachable. Take time to craft a character for your brand by listing out your company’s traits and values.

User Experience

Online shoppers breathe in information visually – and you usually have about three seconds to capture their attention. Is your landing page retaining visitors or directing them to other pages to see more? Do you present your products with captivating images and copy? Look at your website through a customer’s eye and keep improving small details!

Conclusion

Branding isn’t only about designing a memorable logo or coming up with a catchy tagline. It’s the overall experience you’re delivering to the customers with your website experience, color palette, language, packaging. With a powerful branding, you’ll be selling a contagious idea, not simply a product.

June 18, 2018

BigCommerce Design Awards: DigitlHaus + Decibullz

The results are in. DigitlHaus Agency scored big this year with our new website design for Decibullz, an innovative brand with earpieces designed for hearing protection. It was ranked as the #3 Best New eCommerce Website Design of 2018 by BigCommerce!

We’re extremely honored for the feature – and we’re ecstatic to share with you the secrets behind our design.

BigCommerce’s Criteria for Best eCommerce Websites

Ask yourself this: what makes a customer buy from your website instead of Amazon?

BigCommerce cited Amazon as both a benchmark and an antithesis for eCommerce retailers. Amazon is an industry killer that excels not only at convenience and price, also customer service and seamless shopping experience. But many shoppers go for branded websites over Amazon, why? They like the personal touch of smaller retailers. They want a sense of community and know that you’re knowledgeable about your products. In other words, shoppers want something that goes beyond the “faceless” Amazon experience.

How did we achieve that with Decibullz? Let’s dive into the making of the brand’s BigCommerce website.

What’s the Story of Decibullz?

Decibullz introduced the world’s first re-moldable custom earpieces that can shape to the exact fit of your ears. A perfect custom fit ensures the

highest level of noise reduction, protecting your hearing in loud environments. Decibullz’s thermoplastic earpieces not only provide maximum noise reduction, also maximum comfort. You can finally enjoy an award-winning audio quality without having to compete against deafening noises in your surroundings.

The brand originally operated its online retail with WordPress. However, WordPress wasn’t an optimal platform for a fast-growing retail business. Like its multifaceted products, Decibullz valued both aesthetics and functional design. In addition to driving website conversion, the brand also prioritized an effective display of product information. Understanding Decibullz’s goals, our team at DigitlHaus Agency transformed its website with a fully custom BigCommerce theme.

Here are what we’ve accomplished for Decibullz:

Migrating from WordPress to BigCommerce

WordPress offered a lightweight content management system (CMS) that’s suitable for a blog or a simple website. However, Decibullz needed a powerful eCommerce platform that allowed for high-volume growth. We performed a seamless data migration from WordPress to BigCommerce, preserving Decibullz’s product data, order and customer data as well as its reviews and product listings.

Interactive Branding

The fastest way to consume information is through graphic imagery, what we see is what we consume. We designed simple icons that broke down Decibullz’s thermo-fit technology into bitesize information. Upon entering Decibullz’s landing page, web visitors can immediately learn about what the brand has to offer via a combination of custom icons, product photography, and videos.

Our team rebranded Decibullz’s visual experience after researching on its industry competitors. We wanted to put Decibullz on a level playing field with the more established retailers by crafting a best-in-class website that delivers an impactful brand voice.

Mega Menu

A mega menu displayed on hover can quickly showcase the products to customers without making them click on anything. Decibullz wanted customers to have an easy access to its products rather than going through multiple category pages. Based on the request, our team custom designed an interactive mega menu that can show product images and categories on hover. Our menu helps customers to visualize Decibullz’s products at a glance and provides an easy navigation.

Website Speed & Performance

High quality images and videos were essential to Decibullz’s branding. With the new website design and the BigCommerce platform, we were able to pack in more visual information while improving website speed. We reduced Decibullz’s average page load time by 21%, improving the overall user experience.

A 35% Boost in Conversion Rate

Our new website design for Decibullz resulted in a 35% increase in sales within the first three months of launch, along with a 6% increase in conversion rate. With the new website, Decibullz also decreased its bounce rates by 10% on desktop and 30% on mobile.

The immediate increase in Decibullz’s conversion rate proved that an effective branded eCommerce experience is fundamental to eCommerce success.

Is Your eCommerce Business Ready to Convert?

Do you want to replicate Decibullz’s award-winning website success? Talk to our experts at DigitlHaus about how you can improve your eCommerce website and increase your conversion rate.

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