Redesigning An Ecommerce Site With B2B Needs In Mind
We all know that different business models have different needs. The same is true when you’re working with ecommerce: to be truly successful, your website needs to be optimized for what you sell and how you sell it.
Our recent work with SAGE Millimeter, a company that develops microwave and millimeterwave components for commercial and military system applications, is a great example of this. By making a few smart choices, we transformed their slow, clunky site into a modern one that worked with—not against—their highly technical product offerings and B2B business model.
Designing For Usability and Information Architecture
When SAGE Millimeter approached us about a site redesign, they not only had serious technical challenges (their homepage took 20 seconds to load, if it loaded at all), they weren’t maximizing their ecommerce site in a way that worked with their business model.
Our redesign of SAGE Millimeter’s site addressed the unique features of their business. For example, SAGE Millimeter:
- Primarily sells B2B
- Offers a highly technical product with many complex product specifications
- Does a lot of custom work
We wanted the work we did on the site to support these aspects of the business, not make them more difficult.
A Redesign That Keeps What’s Working
It’s important to look at a client’s site holistically to determine underlying issues that are affecting performance. In SAGE Millimeter’s case, they had some entrenched design problems that were not only making the site harder to use, but also tanking their SEO.
For example, when we took on this project, SAGE Millimeter didn’t even have individual product pages for each of their offerings. The site was also slow to load and not optimized for mobile. All of these problems needed to be addressed before we got into the nitty-gritty of special customizations.
However, it’s important to note that redesign doesn’t necessarily mean rebranding. Even though SAGE Millimeter’s site needed a lot of work, we didn’t want to completely change their branding and confuse longtime customers. We focused on making streamlined and effective designs that still utilized their familiar colors, fonts, and branding.
Customizations To Speed The B2B Purchase Pipeline
Downloadable Product Files Let Customers Take It Offline
Because SAGE Millimeter sells highly technical products, we wanted to make sure their customers had access to product information in an offline format. We implemented a customization that allowed customers to download PDFs of STEP files and Datasheets from a button on the individual product page. This helps customers get the information they need without clogging the actual product page with unnecessary text.
Pricing Only Available to Restricted Customer Groups
SAGE Millimeter had a unique concern when it came to pricing. They only wanted the prices of their products to be available to pre-approved customers in order to stop their competitors from collecting the information. We addressed this need with a special customization. Instead of having a flat rate available to everyone, SAGE Millimeter’s customers must sign in to see pricing or request a quote.
Multiple Ways to Display Products At Sub-Category Level
The standout feature of this site is a transforming menu that allows customers to control how they view product information at the sub-category level in either a grid, list or table. This allows customers to zero in on the exact product they need without using the search bar or clicking on endless product pages. For example, if users are searching a product among a broader category like “Amplifiers” or “Oscillators”, they can navigate to a single screen to quickly compare features and make a decision with less time and effort. Sub-category pages also have filters to help the user control what he or she sees.
Redesign Today And Make Your Site Work For You
Is your BigCommerce site working with your business model? Could your site benefit from a usability makeover? Call us at 866-590-4650 today to talk to BigCommerce experts about how our custom design and development solutions can boost your sales and make your life easier.
