Challenge
Originally built on a difficult-to-manage eCommerce program, making changes to the Abrams Web site required programming skills that the staff did not possess. Site changes were made only after delays, discouraging repeat visits. A change in the publisher’s fulfillment house created a natural breaking point with the old Web process.
Abrams Books wanted a more streamlined site that integrated fully with all backend systems, yet gave them complete control over their online catalog of more than 5,000 titles. An additional complication was a branding initiative that culminated in a new company name and logo.
Solution
Client Benefits
IMA combined all of the relevant applications in a streamlined workflow that gave Abrams staff complete control over all changes. By integrating the QTS title management system, Ektron content management, Able eCommerce and the Hachette fulfillment process, IMA created a site that is dynamic and reliable.
The QTS title management system controls the majority of book details, feeding the various book search pages, featured items throughout the site, and the heart of the site, the book detail pages. The Ektron CMS controls the presentation layer and allows for the easy addition of enhanced multimedia content. The handoff from Able eCommerce to the Hachette fulfillment house is seamless, yet customer issues are easy to trace and resolve using Able eCommerce’s administrative area. This administrative area also allows Abrams staff to manipulate prices, discounts, and cross-sells.
Customer Benefits
The site is fresh, attractive and dramatic, showcasing new titles and allowing customers to easily browse through topics, imprints, and authors to locate what books they wish to purchase. To enhance the user experience, many of the book detail pages include links to author sites, “inside the book” slide shows, and Flash movies. Pages are laid out consistently, making it easy for the shopper to browse, select and buy. The eCommerce flow is intuitive and simple to maneuver.
Results
The fresh, dramatic, and attractive new site has raised the company’s brand awareness, as evidenced by an article in Publisher’s Weekly. The site’s goal to increase the ease of maintenance has been realized, and site’s ease-of-use has motivated the client to change imprint banners and homepage features monthly, and to continue to add to the number of featured authors, author events, and more.
Site volume is up dramatically, with average weekly site visits reaching approximately 1,000 visitors. Abrams’ social media efforts, which include Facebook and Twitter, are clearly contributing to this increase in site visits.
