By Aimee Chanthadavong
Womenswear sports retailer Running Bare have partnered with ecommerce specialists Solutionists to launch a new ecommerce platform for their three brands – Running Bare, Wahine and Rival Swimwear.
The website is fully integrated with Running Bare’s point-of-sale system dolFIN, facilitating an automated two way flow of customer, product, stock, pricing, gift voucher and order information.
Jacqui Smith, online co-ordinator, Running Bare Australia, told RetailBiz said the re-launch comes as part of wanting to create an extension of its physical stores.
“The main reason for the re-launch of the Running Bare e-com site was to integrate with our retail POS system to make the website an extension of our retail stores,” she said.
“Whilst from the users perspective we wanted to make their experience more user friendly such as – easier navigation with clearer product pages and images, Shop the look making better use of our campaign images, mobile shopping and multi-currency within the one site.”
The three brand sites appear completely standalone with unique design, content, URLs and products – but shoppers can jump from brand to brand using tabs and fill a single cart with products from all three stores.
Running Bare can manage all content within a single CMS, increasing efficiencies for handling three websites. There is also the option to share content and products across all three branded sites if needed, eliminating the need to duplicate data.
According to Smith, the new site delivers a multi-channel experience that helps create a consistent brand message and offer to customers.
“The new website allows our customers to purchase vouchers to be used across all channels, prices are consistent in-store and online and member details can be updated through the one channel,” she said.
Solutionists has developed an interface for Running Bare that allows them to control their SKUs like separate products, including choosing individual colour ways display and where. The Running Bare sites also contain Solutionists’ Shop the Look and Magalogue modules – effectively taking Running Bare’s print catalogues online.
“The return on investment from a properly constructed ecommerce website is amazing, yet some retailers insist on linking the initial build cost to a marketing budget rather than the seeing it as a capital purchase of an income generating asset. Those who allocate the funds to build a robust, scalable, flexible platform will continue to reap the benefits for many years to come,” Frank Gilbert, managing director, Solutionists, said.