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Thorntons re-design and beef up website for Xmas sales drive
Thorntons has recently re-designed and extended its website, following a review of prior performance and a broader consideration of the website’s role in a multi-channel context.
The chief goals of the initiative were easier shopping for gifts, better ‘selling off the page’, getting more people to the shopping basket and allowing customers to have fun – at the same time as improved speed and efficiency in the website’s mechanics. Internally, the project was named “Wonder” with the intention to surprise and delight them – just like a child in a sweet shop!
The main changes to the website included:
• improved navigation to fit with customer choices and promotional activity
• better personalised gifting (customised chocolate boxes and pick and mix)
• more interactivity and excitement (as well as an element of ‘expected’ surprise)
• wonderful images and richer content (images, copy and interactive elements)
• customer testimonials
The most demanding pieces of work were the personalised chocolate boxes where you can type your own message with "alphabet truffles" and the "choose your own chocolates and box", which enables customers to upload a photo and Thorntons will print it on the box.
One commentator observed that alphabet truffles was like using a "chocolate typewriter". Receiving a gift with a message in chocolate is a huge delight. The ability to pick and mix your own hand-picked chocolates from the huge Thorntons range (using drag and drop, with sound effects) - then adding the photo for a special personal touch is a unique gifting concept.
Early measurement shows that sales are pushing ahead, site conversions and bounce rates.
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