In the current era, ecommerce has become an important channel for businesses and one of the ways to reach their customers and provide them with diverse products and services. Companies that previously sold to businesses and are adopting the direct-to-consumer (DTC) model face the challenge of finding the right platform to support their operations.
SodaStream, the globally recognized manufacturer of home sparkling water makers, set out to add a direct-to-consumer channel to a business built primarily on B2B distribution and become more consumer-focused. Working with BOA Ideas, which specializes in building ecommerce operations on Shopify, SodaStream used the platform to achieve its goals. DTC sales grew to 20% of total sales!
This article explores the lessons and principles learned from the project and the collaboration between a Shopify development agency and a global giant like SodaStream.
Principles:
Partnership and Mutual Interest
At the heart of the project's success was establishing a genuine partnership between SodaStream and BOA Ideas beyond being just a regular supplier. As an agency specializing in Shopify, we assumed the role of a strategic partner, leading to success. Our experts actively participated in discussions about the processes and offered insights on the technical aspects of the project as well as best practices in ecommerce. In some cases, we even advised against developments and programs that we thought would not be profitable for SodaStream's long-term success. This partnership built trust and fostered a mutually beneficial relationship.
Maximizing the Shopify Platform
With a deep familiarity with Shopify's robust infrastructure and vast knowledge and capabilities, we adopted an approach that seeks to leverage the platform's capabilities to benefit the SodaStream project (and every project we undertake). We sometimes questioned the need for developments that we were asked to perform if similar functions were already available on the platform. This approach ensured that SodaStream could benefit from Shopify's proven and advanced features. When specific business requirements arose that justified the development of customized solutions, we carefully considered all possible alternatives to ensure that SodaStream received the correct and best solution for its business plans.
Thinking Long Term
In a large-scale project like SodaStream's initiative to sell directly to consumers in many countries worldwide, maintaining the flexibility and efficiency of code maintenance were essential issues on the agenda. Each solution we developed for SodaStream's unique business requirements was made while ensuring compatibility with the store-building process in Shopify and with SodaStream's existing infrastructures. Despite the project's complexity, we ensured that maintaining the code over time would be quick and straightforward. This approach involved managing complex development processes and many DevOps processes, but the advantages outweighed the disadvantages over time.
Challenges and Solutions:
Here are two examples of challenges the companies faced and the solutions proposed and implemented in the project:
The Challenge of Global Expansion to Support SodaStream’s Worldwide Operations
This was the first challenge we addressed. From the outset, we designed every solution for rapid deployment to additional markets while keeping code maintenance simple and efficient. When SodaStream rebranded in 2021, we moved 14 websites to the new look overnight. We made extensive use of advanced deployment tools provided by Shopify Plus, including Slate, Theme Kit, and CLI, to streamline the process. At the same time, local teams could independently customize their sites' appearance and functionality without affecting other websites or the shared codebase.
Global Customer Service Challenge
As part of the project, SodaStream implemented a global customer service system with seamless integrations with Shopify. We developed a dedicated Zendesk application for SodaStream that allows service representatives to view orders placed on Shopify and customer details and perform various operations such as returns, cancellations, and changes - all from the customer service system without switching between different systems. The solution's highlight was service representatives' ability to create orders over the phone with customers from the Zendesk system itself based on the existing commerce processes in Shopify without duplicating solutions between Shopify and Zendesk. This solution also provided control over permissions granted to each representative and offered a multilingual interface for global support teams.
Conclusion
SodaStream's successful transformation from a B2B-focused company to an organization that also focuses on direct sales to consumers in 16 markets worldwide serves as a testament to the power of Shopify's ecommerce platform. By adopting a partnership approach, maximizing Shopify's infrastructure, and thinking long-term, SodaStream and BOA Ideas have successfully created a global-scale project that reaches millions of private customers worldwide every month. We have learned many lessons from this collaboration that will help us make every customer's website accessible and advanced in the market. The conclusions learned emphasize the importance of adapting business goals to the platform's capabilities and adopting innovation and initiative for success in large-scale ecommerce projects that are constantly changing and advancing.
