Designers on the Run | Case Study - John Bull and co.

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HTML and CMS

web site design

Fig. 1

Ecommerce website design for John Bull and Co.

Link to website

http://www.johnbulljewellers.co.uk

Background

John Bull & Co. is one of the longest running independent Jewellers in the country, with a history stretching back nearly 200 years. They are the County Jewellers of Bedfordshire with a market sector at the high end of the watch and jewellery retail industry stocking brands such as Omega, Breitling, Mikimoto pearls etc.

Wanting to capitalise on the strength of online sales figures and to attract more sales enquiries they approached Designers on the Run for an ecommerce website design and redesign of their existing web site.

Design challenge

After discussing with the clients their background, needs and wants Designers on the Run set to work with this information in mind. It was clear from the client feedback that they wanted to be represented in a way that was trustworthy and established which is naturally important when setting up an online shop selling high end goods. The new website also needed to be functional and easily navigable which was important when thinking about displaying 100’s of products.

John Bull and Co. also wished to be represented in a manner which was sophisticated and stylish whilst also retaining the strength of their brand.

Design solution

Precedent studies into competitor web sites were undertaken including looking at well known Jeweller web sites like Tiffanys in New York and other Jewellers sites in Bedford and within the UK.

With our research in place mock-ups were created that allowed the client to visualise the interface and navigation system of the new website. In all instances the interface design was elegant, unfussy and made use of profesional product images that would be displayed in a prominent way so that the user could grasp the finesse and detail of the high end products available.

It was decided early on that the website would consist of two areas-the main site with all the information and background to the Jeweller and the jewellery brands and the main shopping website which would display all the items and be a secure shopping area. Both areas would be easily maintained and updated by the client through the use of a back end facility and CMS (Content Managed System) where the client could update the content, images, product lines, stock etc.

Calls-to-actions would also help to navigate the user to productive and useful areas of the website - these too were designed to be easily interchangeable by the client.

Designers on the Run also encouraged the client to host the website with a green web hosting supplier which provided a hosting package suitable for their needs.

Design results

The client now has a stylish looking, fully functional website that they can easily maintain and update. They are able to review their online sales orders and keep up to date with current sales and sales enquiries. The website has proved to be a valuable add-on online service to their existing high street shop and in the first two months of going live has already more or less paid for itself.