Case Study ECommerce: website development for the online store of premium cheeses Siera Karali
Business niche: retail, cheese store: premium cheeses and cheese accessories
Challenge: the client had a strong and well-established Instagram profile, but as their range of cheeses expanded, ordering through Instagram became inconvenient for customers. To streamline the process, scale the business, and attract new customers, developing their own website became essential.
Objective: development an online store website using WordPress CMS, featuring a custom design and structure tailored to the client’s needs. Ensuring the website’s adaptability for mobile devices, includes integrated online payment options, and offers delivery choices through integration with the European DPD service.
Region: Latvia
- Competitor and niche analysis
- Website structure development
- ECommerce website development: WooCommerce, CMS WordPress
- Implemented user-friendly and intuitive product filtering in the catalog
- Adaptive website layout (mobile devices, tablets, desktop screens)
- Implementation of two language versions on the website
- Adaptation of the administrative panel for easy management
- Integration with DPD international delivery service
- Integration analytics for performance tracking
- Integration online payment systems (PayPal, online banking payment)
Niche Analysis
We conducted a comprehensive research of competitors’ online cheese stores. We analyzed the target audience and considered the main search keywords. Special attention was paid to the analysis of mobile traffic, given that online stores have very high traffic from mobile devices (over 80%).
This analysis helped us to develop the optimal structure of the website and implement an effective filtering system, which greatly simplified the process of choosing cheeses for the website’s customers.
Structure development of an online cheese store
It was important to develop a user-friendly website structure. Modern customers want to quickly find the products they need without leaving their homes and without wasting time. The right structure allows customers to quickly understand what to do next, almost immediately after visiting the home page: how to search for the right products, how to order them.
The online store divides products into categories, and the optimal solution for the Siera Karali website catalog was to divide cheeses into 6 categories and use different filters by type of cheese: cow cheeses, goat and sheep cheeses, soft cheeses, hard and semi-hard cheeses, cheeses with mold and tasting sets.
Implementing Filtering Features for the Website Catalog
The cheese catalog has a number of functions: it fully presents the entire range and has the ability to filter by criteria. We paid special attention to the individual needs of the target audience, so we decided not to limit ourselves to standard filters, but added thematic and useful filtering for customers.
As a result, the following filters were implemented:
- Price filter – allows customers to set a price range;
- Filter by country of origin – allows customers to select cheese from a specific country, such as France, Norway or Switzerland;
- Filter by milk type: allows customers to select cheeses based on the type of milk they are made from;
- Filter by cheese type: allows customers to select cheese from a specific category based on preferences, e.g. lactose-free, vegetarian, soft;
- Filter by cheese age: helps customers choose cheeses based on their maturity.
Product Sorting in an Online Store Catalog
Our research has shown that users often prefer a more flexible approach to sorting than a filter that is limited by a “rigid framework”. We took this into account and implemented a variety of sorting options:
- Sorting by popularity;
- Sorting from the most recent (products are arranged in the order of their appearance on the website);
- Sort by ascending price;
- Sort by descending price
Designing the shopping cart and checkout process
When a customer clicks on the shopping cart icon, they are not taken to a new page, but instead a convenient window opens where they can view the list of added products. This solution simplifies the shopping process, as now the customer does not need to go from page to page to remember what they have already put in the basket and what they have not yet.
In case the customer needs to go to the shopping cart management, there are two convenient buttons below: one to view the contents of the shopping cart and the other to checkout.
The checkout process should be as simple and convenient as possible for customers. In addition to the ability to view the items in the basket, calculate the purchase amount and apply promotional codes, we have integrated the DPD delivery service module into the site.
Delivery options include:
- courier delivery service DPD in Latvia;
- courier delivery service DPD in Riga;
- DPD vending machines with the possibility of choosing a convenient point of delivery.
DPD is a leading provider of standard and express parcel delivery services in the European market, providing customers with reliability and efficiency.
Also, introduce different payment methods:
- PayPal is a fast and secure online payment method;
- Card payment – use a VISA or Mastercard or ApplePay bank card;
- Bank account – payment using a bank account.
Website Adaptability
Website adaptability is an important stage in the development of any business. The website automatically adjusts to the size of the device screen and ensures correct display on devices with different screen resolutions: computers, laptops, tablets, and phones.
CMS: WordPress (WooCommerce)
Fonts: Google Font API, Twitter Emoji (Twemoji)
Programming language: PHP
JS libraries: LazySizes, jQuery UI, jQuery
Plugins WordPress: WPMU DEV Smush, Contact Form 7, Polylang, Woocommerc
Analytics: Google Analytics, GA4, Google Tag Manager
Producing a website user manual
To make it easier for our client and his managers to manage the website, we have prepared a detailed website manual that includes the basic aspects of website management. It contains the steps necessary to administer the website: adding new products, changing prices, creating promotions, viewing placed orders and changing the status of orders.
Outcomes
The online cheese store Siera Carali in Latvia was successfully developed and implemented on the CMS WordPress. In the process, we implemented all the client’s wishes, took into account the need for adaptability, set up the website as a trading platform with online payment options and a choice of convenient delivery. At the launch stage, the website is fully ready to attract traffic from advertising and SEO promotion.
