Information Architecture

Would you invest in a house built without a blueprint? Neither would we. That’s why when we build your new ShopFront, we’ll do so from our own easy to use and understand information architecture, made up of the following aspects: 1. Workshop and Strategy Session will be conducted with you and selected members of your team to review your products, discuss business objectives, analyse your ideal customers through user profiling, review branding and product categorisation, gather merchandising and sales statistics and generally review all content, requirements and concerns related to building your ShopFront. 2. WireFrame Layouts will detail the content, design allocation and functional specifications of all your main pages including your front page, category template, product template and up to 3 content pages (such as your About Us page)

When starting your online business in the fast paced world of eCommerce , a plan is probably the most important thing you can have to start with. Would you invest in a house built without a blueprint? Neither would we.

That’s why when we build your new ShopFront, we’ll do so from our own easy to use and understand information architecture, made up of three important phases:

1. Understanding Your Goal

A Workshop and Strategy Session will be conducted with you and selected members of your team to review your products and discuss business objectives. In this process, ShopDirect will be able to synchronize its efforts with what you have planned by analyzing your ideal customers, discussing your brand identity and sorting through a phased outline of how your business will grow considering your overall plan. We acknowledge that even if we have two customers selling a similar product – the brands, needs and therefore strategies are very different. We treat each eCommerce ShopFront as a unique entity. 

2. Understanding Latest Market Trends

In order to create a successful online shop, one must consider trends, market needs and changes as well as competition. An internal research process is undertaken by certain members of the highly expereinced ShopDirect team regarding all information gathered during the Strategy Session. User profiling, reviewing of the brand, product categorisation, the gathering sales statistics and a close examination of similar sites is done so that your new storefront can match the superior eCommerce software in terms of its design and merchandising. As the world of eCommerce is in constant flux, this research is an excellent planning exercise.

3. Creating a Clear Plan

A WireFrame Layout will be designed to detail the content, design allocation and functional specifications of all your main pages including your front page, category template, product template and up to 3 content pages. The amount of content pages can vary depending on exactly what you need. In our experience we have discovered that the most successful shops are those that offer clarity and a wealth of relevant information. This is why believe that before the design even begins, we plot out a detailed WireFrame based on the unique needs set out during the Strategy Session and findings of our internal research.

By simply gathering all the right information, ShopDirect offers an all inclusive service and software all focused on doing what is best for your online sales.