eStore fits the bill perfectly
eStore from Kingston Communications provides the perfect e-commerce solution for www.buykitchensandbathroomsonline.co.uk
Background
Fife-based ICON Kitchens Ltd was established in 2006. Operated from home by owner Hywel Merrett, it supplied kitchen and bathroom units to consumers in the local area.
In September 2007, Merrett took the first step in the development of an e-commerce website for ICON Kitchens by subscribing to an eStore website and hosting package from business internet services provider Kingston Communications.
The site, www.buykitchensandbathroomsonline.co.uk, was launched two months later in November 2007.
The challenge
Although Merrett had no direct experience in setting up e-commerce websites before developing www.buykitchensandbathroomsonline.co.uk, his retail knowledge, combined with his own experiences of buying online, meant that he knew what to look for when selecting suitable e-commerce software.
He comments, "First and foremost, I needed a package that would allow me to display and sell our full range of products, which runs well into the thousands. My other main requirement was for a package that would integrate with a wide range of payment processing providers, so that I could meet the needs of as many buyers as possible."
The solution
After evaluating several e-commerce packages, Merrett selected eStore 5000 from Kingston Communications as the basis of www.buykitchensandbathroomsonline.co.uk. With provision for 5000 individual products with scope for variations (such as colour and size), and flexible card processing options from leading partners including WorldPay, PayPal and Google Checkout, it met Merrett’s key specifications.
The benefits
The template-based nature of the eStore software and the professional design options it offered meant that Merrett was able to establish the site himself without assistance from web designers or developers.
He explains: "The software was easy to use and when I needed to ask specific questions I was able to call Eclipse’s technical support team, who were responsive and knowledgeable."
Additional benefits came in the form of the e-marketing tools incorporated within eStore, which allow selling opportunities to be maximised through integration with online giants eBay and Google. The software also includes a full suite of administration tools to allow simple management of the online site.
Establishing www.buykitchensandbathroomsonline.co.uk has given Merrett a real taste for e-retailing. He concludes: "Although I’ve discovered that kitchen and bathroom units are possibly not the ideal products to sell online, due to the fact that people often want expert advice when planning a new kitchen, the website has certainly contributed to our bottom line, and it feels great to make what I call ‘hands-free’ sales, where people have made purchases purely from the site."
"The experience I’ve gained of setting up, marketing and managing the site has been hard-earned but has opened my eyes to the other online retailing opportunities that are out there to be exploited."
To see the streamlined online buying experience that can be achieved with eStore, visit www.buykitchensandbathroomsonline.co.uk
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