In a groundbreaking collaboration between The User Story and development company Applied Consultants, a project blossomed that not only revolutionized Virgin Wines’ online presence but also garnered nominations for Best Website Relaunch and Best Food & Drink Ecommerce categories at the prestigious Ecommerce Awards.
The problem
At the outset, Virgin Wines was shackled by a cumbersome operational model built on outdated legacy systems, causing a series of manual workarounds that trickled down, negatively affecting the customer experience. Users faced labyrinthine journeys on the website, marred by unclear communication, which stifled the potential for a seamless shopping experience.
Our observations
Delving deeper, it was apparent that the primary dissatisfaction stemmed from rigid fulfilment processes. A glaring limitation was the inability for customers to purchase more or less than one case of wine, restricting them to a rigid bracket of 12 to 16 bottles per order. Moreover, the platform denied customers the flexibility to add diverse products to a single basket, prohibiting, for instance, the concurrent purchase of a wine case and a gift voucher.
The pinnacle of user frustration was reached at the checkout stage, where the revelation of these restrictions occurred, leading to a high rate of abandoned baskets and unsatisfactory shopping experiences.
The solution
Embracing the challenge head-on, we devised, tested, and deployed innovative user journeys, tailored to suit Virgin Wines’ revamped processes. We embarked on a path less trodden in the ecommerce sphere, steering clear of the traditional whole-website-redesign approach. Our strategy centered on a meticulous redesign of each segment of the website, fostering a more intuitive and user-friendly environment.
The outcome
This strategic maneuver bore fruit immediately post-launch, with a notable surge in conversion rates, attesting to the success of the new user journeys in enhancing the customer experience. The nomination for the esteemed awards in the categories of Best Website Relaunch and Best Food & Drink Ecommerce stand as testimony to the groundbreaking transformation achieved through the collaboration, setting a new benchmark in ecommerce excellence.
Conclusion
The collaborative endeavor between The User Story and Applied Consultants has breathed new life into Virgin Wines’ online platform, transforming it into a user-friendly powerhouse leading to prestigious award nominations. This case study stands as a beacon showcasing the potential for dramatic turnarounds through well-strategized, user-centric redesigns, and collaborative innovation, steering towards a future of unrivaled ecommerce experiences.
