Bloomtools | Case Studies

Golfing wholesaler web design case study

Learn about how Bloomtools created a professional and functional website for this Golfing Wholesaler, helping them achieve online success.

This golfing wholesaler sells a variety of golfing products to a wide network of golfing retailers. The wholesaler wanted to streamline his ordering and stock system for retailers. He also wanted to improve his relationships with his retailers and value-add to the services he provided them by offering sales advice to increase their orders.

Challenges

Administration The golfing wholesaler needed to simplify the ordering system for his retailers and update his stock management system in to improve his service to retailers.

Sales In order to increase the amount his retailers ordered, the wholesaler wanted to help his retailers with their selling skills. He also wanted to increase his orders by proactively promoting his new products to retailers.

Interactivity This wholesaler wanted to make his website interactive and entertaining so that it became his retailer's first destination for golfing news and information, keeping them informed for their clients.

Solutions

The golfing wholesaler used a Bloomtools Third Generation Website and a variety of tools to do the following:

  • Establish a secure area for retailers

In order to supply his retailers with sales advice and tips, and also administrative materials such as order forms and invoices, the wholesaler set up a private area on his website for the retailers. Each retailer was given a username and password for their secure area and could easily access their own files and other valuable information such as technical guides for products, point of sale materials and selling guides. This reduced the time he had to spend on administration and also increased the amount that his retailers ordered from him.

Product: Client Filing System

  • Set up a shopping cart system for retailers

The wholesaler wanted to streamline the ordering system for his retailers, so he set up a shopping cart on his website where retailers could order their stock. This system also automatically managed his stock levels to ensure that he didn't run out of products. Also, the general public could view all the wholesalers product lines (without seeing the prices) and could view the list of stockists to find the one closest to them.

Product: Shopping Cart

  • Distribute regular surveys

The wholesaler created and sent out surveys to the retailers to gather feedback to measure his company's performance and opportunities for growth. He also utilised surveys as a great sales tool to introduce new product ranges.

Product: Database Marketing

  • Put golf news RSS feeds on his website

The wholesaler put RSS feeds of golfing news from all the top golfing websites onto his website, and promoted this service to his retailers. The retailers started to use the wholesaler's website as their main source of golfing news and information. This value-adding service was a hit with the retailers and the traffic to his website increased dramatically.

Product: RSS Feeds

  • Organise sales training events

The wholesaler wanted to increase his sales by increasing the sales of his retailers, so he organised regular workshops and guest speakers. The workshops gave the retailers hands-on practice at selling techniques and the guest speakers were sales experts who shared their secrets with the retailers. The wholesaler listed these events on his website and promoted them by email as well. The retailers could view the details of the events and book their place via the website. The response from the retailers was very positive and their sales increased as a result of the training. These events also strengthened the relationships between the wholesaler and the retailers. The wholesaler also recorded the events and then made these podcasts available on the website to promote the events and to further reinforce the message. 

Products: Database Marketing, Events Calendar/ListingPodcasting

  • Create a bulletin board for his website

In order to keep his retailers up-to-date with news and events and to promote his new products, the wholesaler put a bulletin board on his website. He regularly posted short announcements and updates and his retailers were also encouraged to post comments about their own business. This was a great strategy for making his website interactive and it became very popular with the retailers.

Product: Bulletin Board

  • Put polls on the website

Another entertaining feature of the wholesaler's website were the polls featured on his site.  Every week he would place a new poll on his website to catch the attention of his site visitors.  These polls covered a variety of topics from new products, to golfing news, to his clients response so his training events.  The wholesaler gathered some valuable feedback using this tool. 

Product: Website Polls

  • Hold regular competitions

The wholesaler organised competitions for his retailers and promoted these on his website, via email and with instore point of sale displays. These competitions facilitated the capture of contact details for his database, promoted other product ranges and allowed the wholesaler to set up a VIP loyalty system.

Product: Competitions Manager

Tools Used

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