Workshop 4 notes – Ecommerce
Comments
- They want as much automation as possible
- They are open to rethinking workflows
- Curious about what resources are needed to manage the process
- They are currently working with SAGE and have some concerns regarding rumours they've heard
- How can walk-in customers be catered for
- We want the shop to feel like Wordworks and not too much like an e-commerce shop so that customers feel at home and not overwhelmed by the intensities of an online shop environment
- Challenges:
- There is a lot of Manual work with the current system - Admin Burden
- There are a lot of spreadsheets and it would be amazing if systems were all in one place
- Content needs to be more discoverable and accurate (currently there are catalogues with incorrect pricing, etc)
- Out-of-stock items are not obvious and they cannot give accurate feedback in real-time to know if stock is available or needs to be ordered
- Demand is unpredictable
- Marketing is currently very limited and more product exposure is needed, including on the site (featured products, product feeds, related products, etc.)
- Hopes:
- Automated order tracking
- They want an e-commerce solution for the entire chain
- Stock management
- Donation tracking
- They want to be able to receive feedback and reviews - these can be used for proof
- Chatbot
- Have their materials accessible in lots of formats (PDF, etc) for clients who might want to download and print themselves, or to have them electronically
- What we (MD) can provide:
- Backorders
- Manual order uploads for walk-in customers
- Shipping options (Deliver, collect, etc)
- Donations built into woocommerce as a product but it acts differently
- Reviews
Printing
- Typically opt for the suppliers that will provide the best price with better quality and a reasonable delivery time
Sales Process
- Tahirih is having to do a lot of manual effort in the sales process
- Customers call when they get stuck on the site and typically end up needing Tahirih's support through the whole process
- Aside from customers calling in, she also deals with walk-in customers
Courier Process
- Largely using one company – They will likely need to choose one company and stick with it for the checkout process to work in the new system, using multiple couriers is probably not feasible.
- Tracking has been very difficult, as the tracking info goes to Tahirih. The new system needs to have the ability to track courier services, or at least link to the tracking details on the courier platform
Inventory Management Process
- Soo many sheets to keep track of and maintain
- Using SAGE
- Would like the stock to be tracked and information on the availability of products accessible to customers
Pricing Process
- Pricing is generally done annually
- 20% mark up + 15% VAT
- The aim is to make it affordable
- Some considerations:
- Special offers
- Bundles
- Licenses
- Subscriptions and member discounts
- Coupons
- Bulk purchase discounts
- Freely available materials with access rules
- Bulk purchases on a quote basis that will need lead time to complete orders
- Concern: these approaches should not make it seem as if they are trying to move stock but rather to provide real value
Donations Process
- Currently located under "Support Us" in the menu
- PayFast is the most used payment partner
- Looking for a much better layout as things are not clear
- Section 18a Tax Certificate seems to be missed in the process and donators are not getting it
- Requests for ongoing donations (Monthly, et.)
- Want to bring more attention to Leave a Legacy for posthumous contributions
- Currently, they are unable to identify donators from EFTs - so cannot say thank you
- There are quite a few gaps
Questions about training
- They want users to have a grip
- How is it all going to happen (documents, video sessions, or both?)
- Break up training with launches
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Comments & Events
Laura Hurley,
Designer, UX and Engagement Specialist
