Woodworks Shaker Furniture
Caerphilly

Woodworks makes eCommerce work for their business

When Colin Ashman started Woodworks Shaker Furniture, he believed a Web site would be a primary tool for marketing the business, and had a simple, 3 page site developed. Unfortunately, this was done without first seeking independent expert advice and whilst it generated some interest it was not enough.  The site was poorly designed and difficult to find via the search engines.

However, after several months of being live, the site had attracted few new customers.  Colin found himself selling the Shaker style furniture he produced, primarily to one retailer.  The private customers he had came to him largely through word-of-mouth from his local area, Caerphilly.

Colin felt that in order to give his furniture the wider marketplace he was looking for, his site needed to look more professional and have a higher ranking in the search engines. He believed that if potential customers could find his Web site easily then he would not need a high street presence to compete successfully.

Colin contacted Newport and Gwent Enterprises to arrange an Opportunity Wales eCommerce review, a comprehensive report which would highlight the shortcomings of the existing Web site and offered ways to develop it into an effective marketing tool.

The Woodworks Shaker furniture eCommerce review suggested ways to simplify the look of the site, to give it a more professional appearance.  It also recommended that the very first page on the site, a ‘holding page’, be developed which clearly showed a picture of furniture, so only people who were potential buyers would be likely to visit the site.  

The report highlighted the importance of Web site optimisation, registering a Web site with relevant search engines and on-line directories. It explained how to successfully use eMail to communicate with customers and suppliers. It also recommended that the Woodworks Web site was accessible through a number of other Web sites including those about the Shakers and local business directories.

Based on the recommendations in the Woodworks’ eCommerce review, Colin chose to have a new Web site developed. Now live, the new Woodworks Web site ranks very highly on search engine queries and there are over 30 other sites that have links to it. As a result, Woodworks is now selling Shaker furniture right across the UK with recent orders going as far as Glasgow and Portsmouth.  

www.shaker-woodworks.co.uk

Case study

A detailed and comprehensive case study is available on Woodworks Shaker Furniture. You can read this case study by becoming a member of the Opportunity Wales Web site. Having received your password by eMail, you can then log in to the members' area and locate this and other case studies under the Case studies menu.