CASE STUDY: Launching an online store during COVID
GREEK SHOP CASE STUDY: Launching an online store during COVID
By Andrew G
COVID-19 has changed the way we live forever.
Remote working and learning have become the norm for most of the world since the end of 2019 and we are still nowhere near getting back to what we perceive as ‘normal’.
Businesses have especially been rocked by the pandemic with major job losses and a significant drop in sales reported across the globe, however, that isn’t the rule with a number of examples of businesses thriving while others are dying.
I am pleased to say one success story that ADG have been proud to be involved in is the launch of GREEK SHOP.
One of Australia’s largest wholesale and retailers, Earlwood Wines has built its reputation over two decades with its retail store based in Sydney’s inner west while at the same time, servicing a number of greek restaurants and cafes through their wholesale division Miloway Wines.
Despite their size and reputation they didn’t have an online store.
They approached myself and the team at ADG to build them an online store at the backend of 2020 – right in the middle of the current pandemic.
Sydney had slowly been working its way out of lockdowns and at the start of 2021 life was beginning to return to normal but in June, all that changed.
Launching the website later that month, Greek Shop has already attracted plenty of customers and sales through their online store and that is without spending a cent (to date) on advertising!
Greek Shop has kept this traditional bricks and mortar business going through one of the toughest economic periods in history and given them yet another income and sales stream, so for ADG to play a little part in their success is very humbling for all our staff.
You can check out the timeline and journey both we and the team from GREEK SHOP went through to get to launch date and the best part? We still aren’t done yet! There are literally still hundreds of products yet to uploaded but for now the focus has been on pre-packaged goods.
STEP ONE: Nail the brief
Building an online (e-commerce) store isn’t just something that happens overnight, especially when you have a client like GREEK SHOP which stocks hundreds of different products. That is why understanding exactly what the client wants and needs right from the start is important. Get that right and define any expectations and you can be well on your way to selling online in no time.
For the team at GREEK SHOP we agreed to build out their most important and popular products first which made sense from a sales point of view.
STEP TWO: Liaise with the client
Always be in contact with your client and let them know the progress of their job. Most clients will be understanding if there are delays or if timelines are being stretched, however, this is heavily dependant on Step One (above).
STEP THREE: Try and picture the customer journey
This is arguably the most important step in the web build. Online shopping has come a long way in a short space of time so no one wants to be using up valuable clicks trying to find the item they want. If it’s too hard to find, the customer will simply give up and look elsewhere.
We sat down with Luciane from GREEK SHOP and took in all her suggestions, concerns and questions before mapping out exactly how the website should look, feel and operate. The result is a fantastic website which is easy to navigate.
STEP FOUR: Get all the changes done in one go
Easier said than done but it’s important for the client to review the entire site once an initial first look is possible. Get them to mark down any questions, errors, amendments etc. By getting any necessary changes to your website done in one hit, it brings forward the potential launch date for your site while eliminating the dreaded back-and-forth email chains and conversations.
STEP FIVE: Launch date
A very exciting day for the team at ADG and GREEK SHOP. Once we go live on a website there is always a nervous anticipation of what’s next – does it work; is something broken; are my products visible? These are just some of the concerns that go through both our mind and that of the client.
Thankfully, everything was rocking and we’ve only had to make a few small alterations since but that is a natural part of the digital experience. You see what works, what looks and what doesn’t and then you pivot and change accordingly.
In summary, this was a major project to get off the ground because of the scope of product involved but launching an online store during a crisis and seeing it take off has been badge of honour for the team at ADG.
Congratulations to the team at GREEK SHOP and we look forward to continuing to work with these amazing clients going ahead as they endeavour to grow their online presence.
