Case: Creating an online store for a company with boat trailers in the Netherlands

A client approached us with a request to create an online store with boat trailers. The company had many nuances, from creating a custom product with specific characteristics to the location (the company is located in the Netherlands). At this very minute, it was clear that this project would be challenging, but interesting.

Vanclaes is based in Alphen aan den Rijn, owns its brand, manufactures stainless steel boat trailers, and supplies marine equipment. Vanclaes specialists have created a unique roller system for a perfect boat fit on the trailer and safe transportation. Through an established network of dealers, trailers are delivered throughout Europe - the company is involved in developing water sports. The target audience is yacht and boat owners who love traveling, fishing, and relaxing on the water. They need to find the perfect boat trailer for boat transportation and storage.

Online store development tasks

This was not a migration; the online store was created from scratch and had incredible revisions. A design mockup was provided, which the team used to build the site. 

Dealer network

To work with dealers, an online form was implemented, through which a customer could see all the information about Vanclaes products, but order only through his dealer. This is what the new dealer registration form looks like. We can implement any form in your online store: for dealers, wholesale customers, dropshippers, and others.

Catalog

At the stage of catalog development SEO specialists were involved. The catalog had to be developed initially with optimization for search engines. Filters were implemented for easy search and taking into account the search queries of users.

We always ask you to get involved in the stage of catalog development, as you know your ideal customer, with what pains and requests he comes, how he is looking for goods. It is important to find a balance between user-friendliness and SEO optimization. This stage is one of the most time-consuming, but do not be afraid - we will remove the most difficult tasks from you, and only interaction with our experts will remain.

Let's get back to our Vanclaes catalog. To begin with, we studied the target audience to understand how exactly the user will search and filter products in the online store. It was clear that the buyer would be guided by the type and characteristics of their boat, so the subcategories were named by the type of boats, not trailers. We segmented the catalog into items:

• Powerboats
• Motor boats with Wave roller system
• GYRO motor boats - here we mean a unique roller system (more about it later).
• RIB boats - rigid hull inflatable boats
• RIB boats Wave
• RIB boats GYRO
• Standard boats (not custom)
• Jet Skis
• Pair of jet skis 
• Inflatable boats
• Dinghies
• Fishing boats
• Towing boats
• Sailing boats
• Axopar yachts

Categories with roller systems for trailers, marine equipment, and spare parts for boat trailers have also been included. And this is how concise the catalog looks.

Filters

Filters in an online store serve several important purposes that improve the shopping experience for users. Here are some of the main reasons for implementing filters:

• Improved navigation: Filters help users navigate through a large number of products, making it easier for them to find what they need without having to scroll through pages of irrelevant items.
• Efficient Search: By applying filters, users can narrow their search results to a more convenient and relevant set of products based on specific criteria such as size, color, brand, price range, etc.
• Improved user experience: Filters promote a more enjoyable and efficient shopping experience by reducing the time and effort required to find the right products. This can lead to increased satisfaction and the likelihood of repeat visits.
• Increase conversion rates: By allowing users to find the right products more efficiently, filters help increase conversion rates. Customers are more likely to purchase if they can easily find what they are looking for.
• Personalization: Filters allow users to customize their shopping experience according to their preferences, needs, and budget. This level of personalization can increase shopper satisfaction and loyalty.
• Comparison: Filters make it easy for users to compare products based on various parameters such as features, prices, and reviews, helping them make more informed buying decisions.

What filters have been implemented in the general catalog of the Vanclaes online store:

• the presence of the innovative GYRO roller system (yes/no)
• presence of the Wave roller system
• load capacity
• trailer weight
• trailer length
• trailer width
• number of axles
• tilt
• brake availability

A separate filter has been developed for each subcategory. This has a good effect on SEO optimization as well, as landing pages are created that can be filled with quality content.

Product Card

The product card for Vanclaes is a separate stage of programmers' work. The card had to meet the needs of retail customers and dealers at the same time. So, what additional features were implemented?

• Button for generating a commercial offer in PDF. When you press it, a document of this type is generated.
• Sending e-mail
• Compare checkbox button, which adds a product to the left column for comparison with other products.
• Share button (social network Facebook was chosen at the customer's request, but it is possible to connect to any social network).
• At the bottom of the card added tabs Description, Characteristics, Reviews, Suitable Products. We connected the Recommended Products module.

Language versions of the site

For this site were connected 3 language versions: English, German, in Dutch. This allowed us to cover more clients and locations. The number of language versions of the site is agreed upon at the briefing stage, but it is also possible to add any version after development with the Many Languages module.

What are the advantages:

• coverage of a wider audience
• SEO optimization for any region
• access to foreign markets
• Custom pages for clients

Several custom pages in the footer of the site have been created for the convenience of customers:

Trip Planner

Since the company works mostly offline, it was necessary to specify the location on the map as accurately as possible. Now even from your phone, you can plan your route and easily find an offline store.

Contacts

A map with the company's location has also been implemented on the Contacts page. On the left side, you can find information about the company, contacts and opening hours of each department, as well as financial information for money transfers.

Booklets and Downloads

A useful page for the user that provides all information about each type of trailer, technologies, and equipment, as well as the current price list. Clicking on each link the customer sees a booklet in PDF format with a commercial offer.

Lead times

This page presents the production timeframe for each product. It answers many questions of users.

Privacy policy

Such a page should be on every web resource, it prescribes the rules of information processing on the site, as well as the safety of data and financial information of users. We recommend making this page for each of our clients, besides it is a requirement of Google.

What are the advantages of a website?

The company's website has become not only a business card but also a resource where you can familiarize yourself with all the information, learn about the team and specialists who work on boat trailers, become a partner and register in the dealer network, place an order for products.

On the Vanclaes side, the benefits are obvious:

• spreading information about the company, customer confidence, strengthening their brand
• expansion of locations
• additional source of orders, analytics, statistics, planning, control, and accounting of orders.

Do you have an idea for creating your online store? We can help you. Submit a request for an online store via the feedback form or simply contact a manager. 
Want more information on how to create an online store? Perhaps you will be useful to our article: "How to create an online furniture store in 2024".