– BlueBolt June 2020

23rd of June — 2020

SRAM Selects BlueBolt to Tune Up Its Digital Presence

Chris Risner

B lueBolt launches an innovative digital commerce experience for SRAM, the preeminent manufacturer of state-of-the-art bicycle components.

Chicago, IL – June 23, 2020 – BlueBolt, Inc., an award winning digital agency, today announced that it helped launch an innovative digital commerce experience for SRAM, the preeminent manufacturer of state-of-the-art bicycle components. BlueBolt provided development and design services for their site: www.sram.com, with Quarq and Zipp launched as SRAM brands going Direct to Consumer.

“While SRAM had worked with BlueBolt previously to digitally enable their robust network of customers, distributors, and retail partners through an Optimizely, formerly Episerver, based business portal, we were now looking to host all our brands on one consumer-facing platform and introduce a more consistent consumer journey.” said Dragana Pajovic, Director of E-Commerce at SRAM. “With our new Quarq and Zipp sites, we have introduced a multi-brand cart and we can now own our brand experience from start to finish – it’s been an exciting step in our digital transformation.”

With the launch of the new sites, SRAM’s products are showcased in an elevated user experience, and early performance shows positive results. Built on the Optimizely Commerce platform, and leveraging the previously implemented B2B site and infrastructure, the B2C site rollouts included innovative functionality and key integrations with several third-party vendors. Some notable features include:

A redesigned site experience on desktop and mobile to enable a frictionless B2C buyer’s journey across the site, including a shared shopping cart across brands.
A custom configurator specific to the Quarq product site, which enables a user to build their chosen product directly on the product detail page. This is a unique customization within Episerver that takes any number of SKU’s and drills down options based on the buyer’s selections, to deliver one final finished product and price.
Refreshed brand experiences for Quarq and Zipp, with the addition of the “My Account” section that enables users to store their information, access order history, and create wish lists, resulting in more meaningful customer touchpoints and encouraging brand loyalty across all of SRAM’s brands.

“We’re extremely proud to have designed and developed a beautiful site that truly demonstrates the excellence of the SRAM brand,” said Dave Risner, CEO at BlueBolt. “This new site is not just a place to purchase SRAM’s world class products; it’s a destination for cycling enthusiasts from all over to connect with the brand on a deeper level and immerse themselves in the lifestyle that SRAM represents.”

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About SRAM

SRAM® is a manufacturer of innovative bicycle components that was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in September 1987, with the invention of its first product, Grip Shift®. Throughout its 31-year history, SRAM has focused on its product development and innovation expertise in all bicycling disciplines. SRAM has also acquired some of cycling’s most exciting brands. With 3000-plus employees working in offices and manufacturing facilities in 15 countries, SRAM and its brands – RockShox®, TRUVATIV®, Zipp® and Quarq® – comprise the second largest manufacturer of bike components in the world.

About BlueBolt

BlueBolt, Inc. is a full-service digital commerce, content, and enterprise search agency, focused on delivering exceptional B2B & B2C online experiences for leading manufacturers, distributors, and retailers. By combining our deep expertise in Digital Strategy, User Experience Design, Enterprise Search, Development, and Managed Support, we partner with our clients to ensure successful outcomes that drive user adoption and increase revenue.

Since 2005, BlueBolt has had the privilege of working with some truly amazing clients including: SRAM, Rather Outdoors, Indian Motorcycle, DISH Network, and many others. We partner with the leading platforms, including, Optimizely, Shopify Plus and BigCommerce to implement solutions that make our customers’ digital goals a reality. Learn more at www.blueboltsolutions.com.

15th of June — 2020

SMS Marketing in the Time of COVID

Jason Lichon

T he best consumer experiences are the ones that meet buyers consistently throughout all touchpoints of the customer journey.

Now, more than ever, mobile experiences are having a huge impact on how people shop. Consider the following data from the eCommerce marketing platform, Yotpo or Okendo.

During the pandemic, 57% of consumers are shopping online more than usual
65% of consumers prefer to shop directly from their phone
There’s been a 30% increase in time spent on mobile phones since the COVID-19 pandemic began

Delivery personnel deliver goods to customers during the Covid-19 virus epidemic around the world,Therefore must wear a mask to prevent the spread of the disease, Express delivery . Quarantine

With such a big window of opportunity to reach your customers through mobile, short message service (SMS) marketing can be a valuable tactic. The average person already spends more than 4 hours a day on a mobile device and checks their phone more than 150 times in that same span (Yotpo). By using SMS marketing to send your customers the right mobile messages at the right time, you’ll be able to capitalize on this channel by not only converting browsers into buyers now, but also by building meaningful relationships and encouraging customer loyalty well into the future.

Here are just a few scenarios where SMS marketing can move the needle with your customers:

Using messaging automation, you can trigger perfectly timed, personalized messages to encourage conversions. For instance, if a buyer abandons items in a cart, sending an SMS reminder that they’ve forgotten something can inspire them to go back and buy
Segment out audiences to hyper-target buyers based on advanced data like past behaviors and transactions
Have a new product or campaign launch? Use SMS to easily and quickly notify customers instead of getting lost in a sea of other marketing emails in their inboxes. After all, SMS has a 6-8x higher engagement rate than email with an average open rate of a whopping 98%
Provide more engaging and personalized customer service through managed chats and helpdesk integrations

To learn more about these features and how to create a winning SMS marketing strategy for your brand, check out Yotpo’s Complete Guide to Generating Fast ROI With SMS Marketing. The guide includes best practices for more personalized mobile experiences and real-life examples from a variety of brands finding success through SMS marketing.

In a time when customers crave highly targeted mobile experiences more than ever, brands need to deliver. It’s clear that shoppers love to use mobile, and I think they’d love for you to as well.

10th of June — 2020

The Clock is Ticking: What Merchants Should Consider When Migrating from Magento 1

Chris Risner

J une 30, 2020 is the end of life for Magento 1, both Commerce and Open Source. It’s been a long time coming since the news of its end was first announced in November 2015. Yet, even just days before the deadline, some merchants may still be trying to wrap their heads around what to do. If you’re one of them, here’s some information that might help.

Remain Calm, but Don’t Wait!

Before any remaining Magento 1 merchants start to completely panic, please know that the end of Magento 1 will not serve as a light-switch that shuts off your online store as soon as July rolls around. Instead, it means that your store will still exist, but any support previously provided by Magento, like security patches or updates, will not be provided.

Merchants will be solely responsible for any security breaches and their Magento 1 sites will fall out of compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS). And while there are companies out there offering solutions and support for Magento 1 merchants after June 30, the truth is, the ability to remain competitive and keep up with customer expectations will diminish significantly the longer you wait to make a move. So even though your store will remain on, it’s in your best interest and the interests of your customers to migrate platforms.

At a time when many businesses across all industries are trying to rein in spending to weather the current global crises, it may seem risky to invest in a platform migration for your online store – even we can admit the costs and timelines can sometimes seem daunting!

However, we cannot stress enough how important it is for merchants to take action now. By doing so, you will be better prepared for success down the line, even well after things have settled. Your customers will still be shopping and are still expecting a certain level of service and security from your store, regardless of outside forces. The rewards of pursuing a migration now far outweigh the risks of staying with Magento 1.

Options for Migrating from Magento 1

While migrating to Magento 2 is an option for all merchants, it won’t be any less effort to implement a completely new platform, since there is no simple upgrade path. Plus, the documented issues and ongoing expenses with Magento did not evaporate with M2 – they have continued on. Keeping all this in mind, we encourage you to take a look at commerce platforms available to you, including Shopify, Optimizely, BigCommerce and others. Whether your business is B2C, B2B, or both, the various platforms offer robust and unique solutions for merchants of all kinds. If you’re not sure of where to start, we can help.

BlueBolt’s expert strategists and developers have helped hundreds of clients over the years by providing best practices and information to make decisions on what’s best for each individual client’s business. We work to thoroughly understand your business and requirements, and make recommendations based on what specific needs your business has. As you embark on the next step in your digital transformation journey, let us help you take control of your future and make decisions that will enable you to reach your goals – contact us today!

Remain Calm, but Don’t Wait!

Options for Migrating from Magento 1

Need a great partner? We would love to connect.

Need a great partner?
We would love to connect.