Gift and homewares retailer Opus has given its website a makeover to improve customers’ online shopping experience while still reflecting the store’s cool and quirky personality.
“We always want to be at the forefront of the industry in as many ways as possible,” says owner Chris Tourgelis. “The online world is changing dramatically every year and we recognised that in order to be at the top of the pile we needed a website that would clearly define our aspiration to be the best.”
While the old website was always well loved and received great feedback, it just wasn’t as easy to operate and as modern in its design as the new site, says Tourgelis.
“There is no use having a very smart looking website if it is cumbersome to use. It really is amazing how intolerant modern day online customers are to poor usability. In many cases you only have one chance to impress a customer enough so that they come back.
“I see all of our online communication tools as an extension of our physical stores. They are there to build our brand and to provide customers with convenience if they need it. I don’t see it as an either/or proposition. Retail stores need an online presence to remain relevant and to reach generation Y. The importance of the internet is just getting bigger every year and this is something that we have to embrace.”
“We really addressed all of the little niggles of the old site and we have produced a new site that tells our story in a more powerful way. The way that customers now interact with the site is more organic and it is built on a platform that has been rigorously tested and is very robust.”
The new site will feature a carefully curated range of products from Opus and its two sister stores; Octopus in Newtown and the homewares and design store Opus Design Co in Paddington.
There will also be new features such as The Opus Happiness Initiative – sending happy thoughts to your inbox every Monday, the Gift Guru Chronicles – blog, and Opus Instagram.
“The new layout design, especially the homepage, was inspired by Pinterest. It is really visually exciting and interactive. The whole idea is that it allows our customers to enter the world of Opus and be entertained by our incredible range of gifts and homewares.”
