Unifying the global marketplace with a centralized Internet infrastructure

As a result of its expertise in e-commerce and its sophisticated understanding of the global marketplace, DeCare Systems Ireland (DSI) was asked to develop a coordinated strategy for Avon's Web sites in multiple markets throughout the world. Avon currently has consumers and representatives in 143 countries on 6 continents.

Avon's request stemmed from the increasing role Web technology is playing in the cosmetics industry, combined with the need to have an efficient online presence for various market segments. Essentially, the company wanted to allow each global region to maintain a business, geographic and culturally appropriate Web presence on the front end, but achieve economies of scale with system architecture, infrastructure and functionality on the back end.

Once the system architecture was completed, DSI managed a comprehensive deployment and training program to launch the sites throughout the world.

The overarching Web site design has been recognized by numerous IT industry organizations for its usability, functionality and effectiveness, as well as its complementary support of existing communication channels and marketing programs.

Avon has since partnered with DSI to implement their international rollout. September 2005 saw the launch of an Avon Products UK eCommerce site. Based on the highly successful Avon.com and Avon.ca sites, the new UK site incorporated many of the features of the award winning Avon.com site, which is ranked the #1 apparel/beauty site on the Internet today. These features include: integrated content, catalogue and promotion management, seasonal boutique microsite capability, cross selling and up-selling, representative integration and sophisticated back office reporting.

Following the Avon Products UK launch, the highly successful site had a full creative makeover and extra functionality added in October 2007. Colours and layout were slightly modified for the UK market making it more attractive and easier to navigate. In addition to the site redesign, existing features such as the A-List members section and online credit card authorisation module were re integrated into the new website.

MeetMark.com

This flexible eCommerce platform has been central to Avon’s global web strategy, enabling them to get multiple branded sites up and running in a matter of months to gain a quick foothold in markets. In January 2007, Avon launched a new online store for their youth brand, MeetMark.com. The MeetMark.com shopping site is part of Avon’s direct-selling beauty business, focusing on the fast-growing market for young women.

Basing the new online store on the extensible DSI built eCommerce platform allowed Avon to select functionality from a list of available features to brand it as a distinct Mark shop. These included: catalogue and promotion management, cross selling and up-selling, sophisticated back office reporting, representative locator and integration with existing analytics, site search and email marketing applications. August 2008 saw DSI and Avon launch a dedicated online store for the MeetMark Representatives, a site which allows them to place their orders through a rich online store experience similar to that enjoyed by customers. The site includes a fresh design and is integrated with the existing MeetMark application through seamless login.

Continuing their international rollout, 2008 will see the launch of Avon’s Spanish version of the online store. This eagerly awaited release extends the DSI platform to provide full multi-lingual support and opens the site up to a further 34m customer’s in the US whose primary language is Spanish.

View or download Case Study PDF in full