To better reach consumers across demographics and geographic borders, retailers are expanding their brands with e-Commerce sites that reach around the world.
Crabtree & Evelyn, a bath, body and home fragrance brand and retailer, has embraced this go-to-market strategy with a cloud-based e-Commerce platform from Demandware. The luxury products company has re-launched the U.S. web site using Demandware Commerce to respond faster to shifting consumer e-Commerce trends, provide an improved user experience and extend digital commerce to mobile users.
The U.S. site overhaul is the first step in a long-term plan for international expansion and success, according to Kevin Coen, President of the Americas for Crabtree & Evelyn. The multichannel retailer’s currently are sold online in more than 60 countries.
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“As an expanding worldwide brand, we require a flexible, scalable global e-Commerce solution,” Coen said in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. In selecting the new technology, the company focused on a platform that would, among other capabilities, “support our ongoing growth.”
Crabtree & Evelyn “has aggressive sales and growth plans, and we want to provide customers with a seamless, memorable experience,” Coen said. “For us, these goals work hand-in-hand.”
Demandware Commerce is available on-demand, which helps Crabtree & Evelyn respond faster to new market opportunities and quickly make changes based on shopper preferences. Platform updates are made automatically: Now the retailer can focus more intently on improving the digital shopping experience, not on making manual updates.
The new U.S. e-Commerce site touts a variety of tools and features designed to increase customer engagement. For example, a rating/review tool now sits on each product page, which allows consumers to share their thoughts and perspectives. A social feedback function also makes online shopping more interpersonal and community-driven.
These new tools, Coen said, will have a positive impact on sales. “Customer experience is a top priority for Crabtree & Evelyn. We have focused on improving the overall user experience for both our current and future customers. The new site gives customers a voice by offering ratings and reviews, as well as integrating social feedback into the everyday experience.”
Personalization also is top-of-mind for the retailer: As digital commerce evolves, Crabtree & Evelyn will enable more customized and relevant shopping experiences by tapping pre-built integrations available via the Demandware LINK Technology Marketplace.
The worldwide luxury products retailer collaborated on the implementation with SapientNitro, an interactive marketing, creative design and technology services agency and Demandware LINK Solution Partner. Together, the companies worked on overall site development and integrating third-party solutions and plug-ins to enable the new interactive, digital shopping journey.
Over a 40-year year history, Crabtree & Evelyn has evolved from a UK-based lifestyle brand to a global, multichannel enterprise with more than 6,000 locations and 500 concept stores worldwide.
