ITWales.com
Profile: Wales Direct
From laver bread to love spoons, from Conwy pottery to Celtic jewellery, Wales Direct offers the most original and
unique Welsh products to people all over the
world. Matt Pearce talks to Marketing Manager Paula Dauncey about a truly global e-commerce site.
MP: There's a great mix of products available from Wales Direct, from the fun to the traditional. What was the remit when deciding on what to sell?
PD:
Our strap line is "The best of Wales Direct to you", so from the outset we decided that we had to offer a pretty extensive range of good quality products, from fun fridge magnets to hand crafted gold
cufflinks. We actively encourage feedback from customers, which frequently provides us with ideas for new product ranges and also the ones we should drop.
Another key factor is the logistics. All our suppliers must be able to supply promptly and sometimes in small quantities if it is an expensive or unusual product that we won't sell in large quantities, as we
have to be able to deliver on our promises.
Finally, over the years we have learnt that some products are simply too difficult to sell on an international basis and have had to be removed from the site, such as alcohol, due to the strict laws in the
US, and delicate or heavy items that are too costly to deliver.
MP:
What have been the most popular products? Have there been any surprises?
PD:
Laver bread has consistently been the top seller for six years and was and still is our biggest surprise! could ever have known that seaweed would be more popular than love spoons?
MP:
Where do Wales Direct's customers come from?
PD:
As we sell predominantly to ex-pats, our customers are truly international. Most are from the US, England and Australia, but we even receive orders from places like Japan, Venezuela and
Iceland.
Wales Direct homepage
MP: There are links to other Wales-related sites on Wales Direct, plus you have links to Welsh societies in many countries.
Was it important to you to create a portal as well as an on-line shop, and does it attract more customers?
PD:
Yes, our customers may come to us initially to buy a gift for a loved one or even themselves, but if we can add value and enhance their visit with other Welsh related content, then they are far more
likely to return again and also spread the word about the site. We have plans to add news, a discussion forum and even Welsh e-greetings to further enhance our visitors' experience.
MP: Wales Direct has a flagship store, 'WD2', based in Brecon. Does it help to have a 'real' shop behind the virtual one?
PD:
Yes, for two reasons. Firstly we can extend our product range and secondly, our Managing Director can have his home back as the Wales Direct stock was slowly taking over the entire house!
MP: Wales Direct is a subsidiary of the Cardiff-based web agency, Imaginet. How did Imaginet come to create the Wales Direct website?
PD:
Imaginet acquired Wales Direct in 1998, when it was only selling a handful of products on a pretty basic site. We thought it was not only a good business for us to manage, but also a highly effective
way
for us to our skills in e-commerce, which we can then pass onto our customers.
MP: Do you think in-house expertise in terms of site design, development and marketing makes e-commerce ventures a good idea for companies such as Imaginet?
PD:
E-commerce isn't just about slapping a couple of products on a website and hoping for the best, it's about investing in a usable design, a functional back-end with top security measures and on-going
marketing to drive the traffic, so yes, I think that any company venturing into e-commerce should seek out expertise in design, development and marketing, whether that is available in-house or
not.
MP:
What do you think is the key to a good on-line shop?
PD:
Obviously the quality of the site is very important: it has to work properly, offer security and on-line transactions. Aside from the site itself, the best and most successful e-commerce sites offer superb
customer service, they deliver quickly, they answer emails quickly, they deal with problems quickly and effectively, basically they instil trust. That's the key!
MP: What one piece of advice would you give to start up companies in e-commerce?
PD:
Invest in a good website with an attractive design and functional back-end that allows you to update your products simply and quickly, manage orders and maintain your customers AND don't forget
your customer services!
MP: Where do you see Wales Direct going in the future?
PD:
I believe that Wales Direct will become the main for all things Welsh the future, our product ranges will grow organically and hopefully we'll win the UK Online e-commerce awards too!
Links:
http://www.wales-direct.co.uk/
http://www.imaginet.co.uk/
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