We built a bespoke e-Commerce platform - and here’s what we learnt.

#BrightonSEO 2023

Transcript

1. We built a bespoke e-Commerce platform - and here’s what we learnt. Brant McNaughton 
 Alfie Payne ecce. Speakerdeck.com/ecce @eccemedia
2. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Brant McNaughton • Founder • Ex City Broker • Lapsed New Zealander
3. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 1999 • 56Kbps dial up - connection speeds • No Youtube • No Stack Over fl ow • Yahoo the top search engine • Desktop screen resolution 800 x 600
4. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 1999 - The Steel Hub • Self service steel sourcing & trading platform • Membership system • Email & comms aggregator • e-Commerce 0.5
5. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 1999 - The Steel Hub • Self service steel sourcing & trading platform • Membership system • Email & comms aggregator • e-Commerce 0.5
6. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 2000 2010 - beebo.com • Self service email/sms marketing • Onsite email editor & previews • List management/unsubscribes • Scheduled campaigns • Analytics
7. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 2003 - Our fi rst e-Commerce • Red River Trading Co. • Onboard CMS • Product management • Client comms. / emails • Website Tra ffi c Analytics Predating Magento by 5 years
8. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 2004 - e-Commerce take 2 • canvasRus / Want It Print It - printing on demand • Ensemble version 1.0 • Artwork / product management • Advanced reporting • User photo upload / special e ff ects • Custom sizing • Client comms. / emails • Integrated with beebo.com
9. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 2006 - The FutureLook Group • Furniture Today / Mirrors Today / Clocks Today • Ensemble versions 1.1 - 1.9 • Enhanced Reporting • Onboard Search • Advance & faster site refresh times • Automated client comms • Sage 100 - Integration • Replaced Actinic server-side so ft ware
10. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 2010 - ensemble 2.0 • Full rebuild in PHP • Ensemble version 2.0 + • Onboard CRM • Full business tool management • Multi-language/currency support • More 3rd party Integrations • Shipping • Insurance Portals • Banking • Custom CRMs • Mail Aggregators
11. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Middleware • customers • discounts • credit • suppliers • products • prices • stock levels • orders • status • history synchronises The platform securely connects to the ERP via supplier APIs, creating an always up to date, system for use with custom applications (APPS). Data can be both received and sent to the ERP , either scheduled or in real-time. Data is available 24/7 and securely hosted on Azure / AWS. Logistics & warehousing Sales rep. order book Self-service trade customer portal Email -> cart - invisible e-commerce e-Commerce website
12. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk • No-longer an e-Commerce site - ensemble. ecosystem • MRP / ERP Integration/augmentation (currently) • MYOB Greentree • Axis Diplomat • XERO • 123 Insight • Quickbooks • Hubspot • Creatio • Autonomous syncing via realtime or schedule API / CSV • Machine learning - invisible e-commerce Middleware
13. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk So what did we learn? • Don’t listen to your accountant • Manage technical debt • Choose the battles - say no more o ft en • Automate where possible • Keep innovating
14. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Al fi e Payne • Head of Operations • Client success
15. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Businesses want to run businesses, not websites.
16. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Businesses want to run businesses, not websites.
17. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Even in economical uncertainty, the focus on ROI is more about time than money than ever before.
18. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk The new team member: machine learning & AI (Not the outsourced alternative)
19. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk 20 orders a day. 30 minutes per order. 6 hours per day back into growing the business.
20. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Hmmm. What about an ERP? Hmmm. What about a CRM? How are we taking their money?
21. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk ensemble.
22. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk
23. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk The end…. almost
24. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Spend time with customers, and customers customers. Hold workshops. Conduct user interviews. Gain as much feedback as possible.
25. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk Create a feature list. Understand how it will be helpful. Build the feature. Launch the feature. Be helpful.
26. Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk The end actually.
27. UK based - Global presence Brighton SEO / e-Commerce Marketing Fringe / September 2023 https://ecce.uk