Companies producing numerous brands internationally are challenged to ensure online brand shopping experiences are consistent across markets but still are tailored to geographical trends and preferences, such as language, currencies, and delivery preferences, among other factors.
Guthy|Renker is a direct marketing and manufacturing company that distributes lifestyle products to 68 countries. Brands including Meaningful Beauty, Proactiv and WEN Haircare generate the majority of sales via television infomercials. However, with more consumers browsing and buying online, Guthy|Renker has partnered with InventCommerce, an e-Commerce solution provider, to re-launch inflexible web sites across Europe, with the goal of generating more revenue.
“For many direct marketing businesses, e-Commerce has become an increasingly important channel,” said Sandy Pattisson, EU Project Manager for Guthy|Renker. “Response to our marketing campaigns traditionally has been generated through TV campaigns and handled solely via call centers. But as today’s consumers continue to move online in everything they do, our business has to adapt to that consumer change.”
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With operations in nine countries across Europe, Guthy|Renker required a platform that was agile enough to present a single view of the business tailored to several markets, Pattisson explained in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. In fact, marketing to several audiences in six languages, multiple currencies and different tax regimes “represents a huge challenge.” These complexities, coupled with optional recurring billing and shipping models, all make web site flexibility and adaptability a necessity.
InventCommerce is helping Guthy|Renker re-launch all European online stores on a single-enterprise e-Commerce platform. As a result, the manufacturer will be able to manage multiple brands across Europe, as well as track and respond to consumer trends in a more seamless way.
“Having the ability to respond to preferences and changes in different markets allows us to maximize all potential opportunities for each consumer group,” Pattisson said. “InventCommerce has become a natural partner for us during this project due to their detailed understanding of how we operate as a business.”
As of June 2013, Guthy|Renker and InventCommerce are in the midst of completing the first phase of implementation, Pattisson noted. Once those upgrades go live, the companies plan to move forward with subsequent project phases: These include InventCommerce taking complete ownership of the Guthy|Renker platform, and ensuring all brand e-Commerce sites remain nimble and adaptable to consumer demands and preferences.
