Craft Central

Project overview

An enhanced user experience was a crucial factor in the new build, and the site caters for two distinct customer types we identified during the UX discovery workshop — hardcore beer fans who know exactly what they want, and casual, curious shoppers searching for gifts and recommendations.

The menu feels like a virtual guide from a master brewer — customers can search for beers by country, brewery, style, price and ABV, and a new ‘Wheeler Dealer’ section for emerging trends and offers. The hundreds of cans and bottles are presented in a colourful gallery with expert guides and visually appealing product carousels, quirky quotes and subtle animations. And for the special beer nerd in your life, you can buy and use gift cards if the huge selection feels overwhelming.

Key features

• New integrated eCommerce functionalities to enhance the customer experience and sales journey;
• New Shopify CMS, with an intuitive backend and powerful plugins;
• Intuitive and educational search and categorisations, with highly specific filters;
• Bright, bold new branding and images of individual beers and their physical store, for a more engaging blended experience;
• Inclusive messaging to appeal to a wide range of customers.

Goals

To position Craft Central as Ireland’s leading craft beer specialists with a new site that showcases their expertise and their incredible selection. 

• Boost online sales and visitors to the store with an inviting interface and seamless browsing and shopping experience;
• Become a constantly updated learning hub for beer enthusiasts;
• Increase international sales by showcasing exclusive Irish beers.

Process

Collaboration is key, from branding to developing a winning UX and eCommerce model.

• Branding and UX discovery workshops to define distinct beer customer types, simplified user journeys and eCommerce functionality; 
• Custom graphic design phase, from wireframes based on the sitemap, to final templates, signed off by the client;
• Development phase with ongoing feedback on test site;
• Staff training for future edits and updates on site, before extensive QA phase and live launch.

Impact

Craft Central can crack open a cold one to toast a site that sets them up as industry leaders.

• A new site that finally catches up with Craft Central’s reputation as Ireland’s leading beer experts;
• Increased conversions and sales through improved messaging, offer highlights and seamless UX;
• Future-proofed website that staff can update easily, in line with their quickly rotating collection.