Maisemore Apiaries, also known as Bees Online, is a reputable retailer of beekeeping equipment. They’re a family run business with approx. 1000 hives of bees all in standard National hives around Hereford, Worcester and Gloucestershire. Their hives are used for pollination of all fruits and arable crops and honey production.
Despite their highly regarded standing in the market, they’ve faced challenges regarding their previous cumbersome e-commerce platform, which hindered their growth and provided an outdated customer experience that did not reflect the standard of the company.
To overcome the obstacles of their previous e-commerce platform and improve their online presence, Maisemore Apiaries sought a new, comprehensive e-commerce solution, which is where Brace Creative came in.
Maisemore Apiaries required a complete overhaul of their e-commerce platform to enhance the customer experience and simplify stock management. The new solution needed to streamline the browsing and purchasing for customers while providing an intuitive and user-friendly interface for managing stock and inventory for the retailer.
The following steps were carried out to bring Maisemore Apiaries in line with the modern e-commerce experience, and to overall improve the experience of using and operating an online retail platform.
The e-commerce store was built from the ground up using the Woocommerce platform. Woocommerce is a popular choice for its flexibility and ease of use, making it a perfect choice for Maisemore Apiaries’ needs.
Almost 1000 products from the previous platform were migrated to the new store, Since the product database was under the control of a previous developer, manual recreation of products using a printed catalogue was necessary.
A significant number of products offered customisation options. Custom forms with conditional logic were developed for these products, providing a personalised shopping experience for customers.
In addition, Maisemore Apiaries presented unique shipping requisites, spanning various zones, classes, and contingent criteria tied to product type, location, and cart value. To address these specific demands, we crafted bespoke shipping solutions, designed to cater to their intricate shipping needs.
A custom plugin was created to automate the creation of a navigation link to the sale category and automatically populate this category with items on sale. This streamlined the process of showcasing discounted products.
Innovative solutions were also implemented to automate the generation of invoices and shipping labels, significantly simplifying backend operations for the retailer.
Additionally, our dedicated technical support extended to a third-party Point of Service (POS) installation team, ensuring smooth integration with the new e-commerce platform.
A new logo was designed to impart a modern and sophisticated aesthetic, replacing the outdated and vibrant colours from the previous website. The goal was to enhance brand authority and instil trust in the customers.
To ensure the continued successes of the implemented solutions, Brace Creative provided the following aftercare:
A comprehensive video training series was created to educate the client on managing their new e-commerce solution effectively. This equipped the client with the necessary knowledge to handle the platform independently.
To ensure the smooth functioning of the e-commerce platform and promptly address any technical issues, ongoing maintenance and technical support were provided to Maisemore Apiaries.
The successful collaboration between Maisemore Apiaries and Brace Creative resulted in a modern and efficient platform that significantly improved the customer experience. By implementing a user-friendly interface, optimising the product catalogue, and providing customised shipping solutions, Maisemore Apiaries strengthened its online presence, attracting more customers and enhancing overall brand perception in the market.
The new e-commerce solution, along with continuous support and training, positioned Maisemore Apiaries for sustained growth and success in the competitive beekeeping equipment retail market.