“We made the changes to help our member-owned stores meet the needs of their customers,” said Rob Schmelz, e-commerce manager for Do it Best Corp. “Ship-to-Store, for example, is a service we’ve provided for years, and now we’ve made it easier for consumers to find and use it on our web site.” Schmelz says they’re already seeing a significant increase in customers using that service.

With the Ship-to-Store option, customers can choose to have their online order shipped to their local store, ensuring safe delivery of their product while taking advantage of no shipping and handling fees. This option also allows customers to receive non-shippable items like patio sets or other large merchandise. Ship-to-Store brings the consumer into a specific location where store personnel can create relationships with new customers and answer any questions they might have about their product. It also gives the store the opportunity to sell additional products. “The customers also benefit from having access to 65,000 items online,” said Schmelz, “giving members the opportunity to expand their product offering.”

Various aspects of that improved navigation include:

More robust search function: Customers will notice the more specific results for search requests. Now an online shopper can select whether results will be displayed by brand or price with quicker results.

Recently viewed items: Another new function is the display of up to 16 recently viewed items to help the consumer return to an item of interest easily. 

Consumer product ratings: Helpful for consumers who want to hear from real people about how a product looked or worked and whether it might be right for their needs. Consumers can leave their own comments so others can read them. Consumers will also find a special area comprised entirely of top-rated products.

Specialty shops: These areas allow the shopper to see related items or other products of interest all displayed together to help them plan their purchases. For instance, customers can choose from Energy Star products, sale items, Just for Kids, and even an eco-friendly shop.

Map: Since many online shoppers will utilize the Ship-to-Store feature and will need to find a local store, there is an improved mapping display which uses MapQuest to find the closest store by city, state, or zip code and will then provide the driving directions to the store.

Rob Schmelz adds, “We’re very pleased with the results. Our most recent online holiday sales significantly exceeded last year’s growth. As for Ship-to-Store, the consumer use and popularity has exceeded even our wildest goals.”

Bill Zielke, vice president of marketing and international development for Do it Best Corp., says the goal of the redesign is simple. “The winners in today’s marketplace are finding ways to reach customers through multiple channels. We want to offer our stores’ customers the easiest way to find and to buy the products they need, whatever and whenever. Our enhanced site does just that.”