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Transforming a catalog retailer into an Internet success story

Figi’s is a retail company specializing in luxury gifts and food, with sales concentrated around the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. The company traditionally marketed its merchandise via catalogue to an extensive mailing list of customers and prospects. In 1999, Figi’s decided to expand it’s successful business from a catalogue-based environment in to the eCommerce arena. Although Figi’s maintained a website, it had been created as a complement to its catalogue and did not allow online orders.

DeCare Systems Ireland (DSI) was chosen as Figi’s technology partner to create an effective and cost-efficient online store. Using its expertise in e-commerce, DSI thoroughly reviewed Figi’s merchandise collection and customer demographics, then devised a recommended software architecture and site structure. The goal was to create a site that could be maximized during the all-important holiday season, but was also effective as an online retail store throughout the year.

The new Figi’s site was created using Microsoft ASP and SQL Server 2000 technologies. Since then, the site was migrated from Linux to a Windows 2000 environment after Figi's transitioned to a new Internet Service Provider.

During the peak holiday seasons, the Figi’s web site achieves tremendous sales volumes that complement its traditional catalogue orders. The volume of daily online sales has increased 125 percent since 2001, with a corresponding increase in daily sales value of 100 percent.

Following the success of this initial engagement, Figi’s has since partnered with DSI to provide a long line of enhancements to the site. September 2005 saw DSI redesign and implement a new look online store adding extra functionality:

Quick order entry with their catalogue numbers
Order tracking· Outstanding credit status tracking
Integration of in store search capabilities - Celebros’s Qwiser Salesperson

In September 2007 Figi’s had a significant upgrade, migrating their online store database and web servers to a Windows 2003 and SQL Server 2005 platform. In addition, this new set up was made PCI Data Security compliant, meeting strict standards that protect credit card encryption and storing of personal customer information. DSI worked with Figi’s to implement a sophisticated web services design to isolate the encryption process and create segmentation of duties, thus further securing their online systems.

DSI partnered with Figi’s to redesign the site again in September 2008. The redesign focused on providing customers with an enticing online shopping experience as well as improving merchandising features for Figi’s online store. In addition to a full creative makeover, the upgrade to the DSI built .Net eCommerce platform incorporated:

A product recommendation engine
An integrated personalised greeting card feature
Improved navigation options
Extra functionality to publish detailed product information
A new templating system for easier management of the sites landing pages

Figi's Gallery

Based on the highly successful Figis.com eCommerce application, April 2007 saw the company launched it’s new Figi’s Gallery website in April 2007. Designed and implemented by DSI, the new site promotes select product ranges from the existing Figis.com website, including merchandise from home and garden, jewellery, apparel and collectibles. The site targets personal purchase to complement the high level of business done by Figis.com during the gift giving months.

The sister site incorporates many of the features that are in Figis.com, including: catalogue and promotion management, content management, cross selling and up-selling, order tracking and sophisticated back office reporting. The site is fully integrated with the companies order management and fulfilment system. DSI currently supports both sites with one full-time member of staff available 24 hours a day; additional creative specialists are available as needed.

As their development partner, DSI work with Figi’s on analysing business and technical challenges to implement solutions that deliver bottom-line value. Figi’s website consistently rate highly in industry performance reviews and are a testament to the quality, reliability and technical excellence of this DSI built solution.

“DSI has helped Figis become an Internet success story. Since 1999, DSI have consistently delivered successful eBusiness applications for us. As a result, our website gains significant industry recognition for its performance and usability, ultimately providing the optimum online shopping experience for our customers. DSI’s professionalism and industry insight is unmatched.”

- Kurt Officer, Senior Manager E-Commerce Development, Figi's Inc.

www.figis.com