Force4, the UK’s foremost chandlery, has launched a new full function website and e-commerce store designed and developed by Screen Pages, one of the UK’s leading Magento e-commerce agencies. The site can be visited at http://www.force4.co.uk.
Established since 1977, Force 4 Chandlery sells handpicked sailing equipment, clothing, electronics, books, charts and chandlery: “chosen by yachtsmen for yachtsmen, so customers can be sure of finding the right product at the right price for their boats.” Force 4 markets its goods via the website and 15 directly managed retail outlets.
The brief for the new website included re-development using a non-proprietary e-commerce platform (Magento Enterprise), responsive design, improved content management, reliable integration with Force 4’s back office/ERP system to manage the fulfilment of 10,000 individual products/SKUs and importantly, faster overall performance.
Force 4's new responsive e-commerce website
The chief functional improvements for the new website included:
- Improved and flexible navigation and merchandising options, including clearer categorisation, together with filtering options and cross-sells and up-sells
- A more streamlined checkout
- Better support for product photography & zooms
- Better management of categories, landing pages, product content with full image and media management
- Internationalisation options including overseas delivery and currency conversion
- Scope for additional content, such as buying guides and reviews
- Integration with DotMailer for personalized, segmented email marketing
- Integration of SLI search
- Streamlined checkout with debit/credit card & Paypal payment options
- Fast and reliable hosting (at Peer1)
A product page from Force 4's responsive e-commerce website
Lawrence Parr, Director at Force4, said: “We wanted to implement a next generation, non-proprietary e-commerce platform that gave us a lot more standard functionality out-of-the-box as well as scope for customisation – that was Magento Enterprise. Screen Pages were recommended and emerged as a professional, dependable Magento agency with a solid history of working with traditional British companies, Donald Russell, RSPB, Loakes and Begg & Co..”
Roger Willcocks, director at Screen Pages said, “We are very pleased to be working with the UK’s leading chandlery. It’s a well-established business and a leader in its market supported by loyal customers, good marketing and well-managed execution. We look forward to developing the many opportunities it has for expanding its online sales.”
