Seven country sites in six languages, live in eight months: launching OKdo.com
OKdo was a new global technology business, and it needed to sell in seven countries from launch. Box UK built its ecommerce platform on WordPress VIP and WooCommerce, integrated with NetSuite, and OKdo launched eight months after kick-off. A continuing optimisation programme followed, and personalised cross-selling now contributes 5% of OKdo’s revenue.
5%
of OKdo’s revenue from personalised cross-selling
8
months from kick-off to launch
7
country sites
6
languages
In short
OKdo is a global technology business selling single-board computers and Internet of Things (IoT) products to makers and engineers. At launch, it needed seven country sites in six languages, each selling more than 5,000 products, connected to every system a real business runs on.
- WordPress VIP and WooCommerce gave enterprise architecture with the flexibility a lean build needed
- NetSuite, chosen after a market analysis, was integrated with WooCommerce for every regional site
- Payments, tax and compliance, customer communications and third-party logistics were connected too
- Launched eight months after kick-off, and won an Award of Distinction at the Communicator Awards
- A continuing CRO programme followed: personalised cross-selling now brings in 5% of revenue
Customer background
OKdo was launched as a new global technology business focused on single-board computing (SBC) and the Internet of Things (IoT). It sells single-board computers and electronics to makers and engineers around the world.
It had big ambitions for the brand from day one, and needed an ecommerce platform to match.
The challenge
OKdo asked Box UK to implement a fully integrated enterprise ecommerce platform, quickly, to support the launch of the new business.
At launch, the platform had to cover seven separate country sites in six languages, each with an online shop selling more than 5,000 products. Behind them sat everything a real business runs on: payment mechanisms, tax and compliance, customer communications, third-party logistics (3PL) and an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
And as a new business unit, OKdo couldn’t start generating revenue until it could sell.
Our approach
Given the timescales and the flexibility required, OKdo wanted a lean approach to development, but the platform still needed a rich feature set. Box UK chose WordPress VIP, Automattic’s enterprise WordPress and WooCommerce offering, which provided enterprise architecture from the start along with a great deal of extensibility and flexibility.
For the ERP, Box UK worked closely with OKdo on an extensive market analysis and assessment of the available tools, which identified Oracle NetSuite as the most appropriate solution.
Throughout development, users stayed at the heart of decision-making. The team combined Design Thinking with user-centred design: design workshops focused on creative ideation and iteration, backed by hands-on prototyping and usability testing, so the solutions reflected real user needs, motivations and contexts of use.
What we built
Box UK built OKdo.com as a multi-site, multi-language and multi-currency ecommerce system: seven country sites in six languages, each with a shop selling more than 5,000 products.
NetSuite was integrated with WooCommerce, including mapping the information in OKdo’s extensive product catalogue for each regional version of the site. Payment mechanisms, tax and compliance solutions, customer communications and third-party logistics services were connected into the platform too.
The result was one cohesive system bringing together content, projects, products and accessories, giving OKdo the foundations to grow its ecommerce business quickly.
Delivery
OKdo launched to customers eight months after kick-off. Box UK went on to oversee OKdo’s entire third-party ecosystem.
“Box UK oversees our entire third-party ecosystem to ensure it delivers seamlessly against our business goals… giving us total confidence in the performance of our global ecommerce solution.”
David Duffy, IT Delivery Manager, OKdo.com
The outcome
Launching eight months after kick-off meant the new business could start generating revenue without delay. The site also gained international recognition, with an Award of Distinction from the Communicator Awards in the Shopping for Websites category.
After launch, Box UK ran a continuing conversion rate optimisation programme across the customer lifecycle. Abandoned basket emails gave an immediate increase in recovered baskets. Checkout changes, including moving from a single-stage to a multistage checkout, continued to add marginal gains in purchase conversion. And personalised cross-selling increased order value, and now contributes 5% of OKdo’s overall revenue.
“Thanks to the collaboration and transparency brought by Box UK’s product team approach, we’ve been able to consistently and rapidly deliver impactful changes on a global scale.”
Adrian Goodman, Global Digital Product Owner, OKdo.com
Frequently asked questions
It depends on the scope, but it can be months rather than years. OKdo’s seven country sites in six languages launched eight months after kick-off.
Yes, on the right platform. OKdo’s seven country sites were built on WordPress VIP and WooCommerce, integrated with NetSuite.
Map the product catalogue and other data between the two systems for every regional site. OKdo’s WooCommerce sites were integrated with Oracle NetSuite.
At minimum: payments, tax and compliance, customer communications, logistics and an ERP. OKdo had all of these connected into its platform.
Keep improving. OKdo’s continuing CRO programme added abandoned basket emails, checkout changes and personalised cross-selling, which now contributes 5% of revenue.
What this means for your organisation
If you’re launching a new business line, brand or market, the platform decision sets how quickly you can start selling. A well-chosen platform, properly integrated with the systems behind it, can get you trading in months, and keep earning more after launch.
If you have a launch to plan, send us a few lines about the markets and systems involved. We’ll tell you what we’d build first.
Talk to one of our digital experts
Pete Withers-Jones
Head of Development
Do you have an idea or a project you need support with?
Pete Withers-Jones leads Box UK’s Development Practice, and has over 20 years of experience in software development, working across various industries and technologies.
Or call us on 020 7439 1900
Related case studies
-
OneID®
Read more: OneID®Shielding retailers and consumers from fraud with an age verification plugin.
-
RS Components Vietnam and Indonesia
Read more: RS Components Vietnam and IndonesiaServing a global community of over 750,000 engineers worldwide.
-
RS Components DesignSpark
Read more: RS Components DesignSparkServing 750,000 engineers worldwide with a one-stop shop for their technical needs.
Have a project you’d like to discuss?
Give us a call on 020 7439 1900 or fill in the form and we will get back to you.