About IBT Merchants
IBT Merchants are a local independent builder’s merchant, based in Central Belt Scotland. They provide a vast array of quality building and timber materials to both the public and trade businesses from their base in Grangemouth.
IBT wanted a showcase website where customers could search for and buy their own products online. Vital to the project was a website with excellent imagery, one that was easy to use and generated an uplift in sales for the retail side of the business.
Part of the selection process was ensuring that a proactive web partner could deliver on the look and feel of the website IBT were looking to achieve, whilst supporting the business through its growth with the potential to expand the site as required.
What We Created
Big Red designed and launched the e-commerce website at Christmas 2018 with the full product suite IBT Merchants offered. Built upon the Big Red Platform, IBT have full access and editing functionality on their site, allowing them to constantly update their products and services. In addition there is a news section allowing the business to publish latest blogs and company news to keep their customers up to date. The extensive reporting and analytics involved through our platform have given more visibility of the retail business to IBT for the first time.
Big Red have continually added to the features of the website in keeping with client requests, most recently adding a ‘materials calculator’ allowing customers to quickly calculate how many materials are required to cover their area to be improved. This has been in conjunction with a targeted digital marketing campaign to drive, and convert, traffic to the website.
Real Business Impact
In the first 6 months of the website, retail sales have increased by 3%, which surpassed client expectations as the weather in 2019 was significantly worse than the heatwave experienced in 2018. The website has also increased visitors to the store and over the phone, as well as generating revenue through the site itself. The website will have paid for itself in its first year, and will continue to generate a significant ROI for IBT.
The Customer Is Always Right
“IBT were looking for a fully transactional website to showcase our company and products to the local marketplace. We set a timescale of 6 months to plan, design and deliver this project. Working with Big Red Digital, we were impressed with their professionalism and commitment to delivering exactly what we were looking for. Because of this, we decided to partner with them for the project.
Big Red worked with us through every step of the development and listened to our own ideas, and also voiced their own opinion when it was required. We are not web developers so we have needed ongoing advice and support throughout the project; this has been delivered continuously and on a level that we can understand. There were no hidden costs or obstacles, which we thought were typical of this type of project. The website was delivered on time, and looked and functioned exactly how we wanted it to.
The subsequent support, from ongoing marketing, helpdesk and continual development, has been first class and we look forward to continuing to develop our website and work closely with the team at Big Red.”
- Gerry Carney, Managing Director, IBT Merchants