Following an exploratory meeting at the Bruton Street office, Holland & Holland have asked Keyhaven International to prepare a quote to design and implement a high profile website based on the fashion and accessory and Gunroom elements of the Company. This proposal has been prepared in consultation with Tim Joyce of HOOP, a London based website design company.
This website will appeal to two very different audiences, namely the shooting fraternity and the non-shooting community. It is vital therefore that the site is able on the one hand to promote the traditional and unique qualities of the Gunroom and on the other, give a strong, luxurious feel through the Holland & Holland clothes and accessories lines. The combination of these two areas will result in a site that will be highly branded, fun and exciting. The prices in this proposal are indicative of the high functionality and high degree of graphical presentation required to create a website that will reflect the quality and style of Holland & Holland.
GUNROOM
Holland & Holland are one of the oldest and most respected gunmakers in the world. Their heritage and reputation in this ancient and fine craft are legendary, and it is this tradition and the Company's royal patronage that Keyhaven are keen to promote on-line. In addition H&H offer some of the best and most exciting shooting in England, Scotland and Africa. This is a highly competitive market and the travel and sport section of the site will need to promote H&H as leaders in it.
SHOPS
Holland & Holland have established a unique brand of luxurious lifestyle through their lines of beautifully made clothes and accessories. Whilst maintaining a feel for the history and origins of the company the designs offer a high level of practicality as well as style and comfort. The company now has shops around the world competing with the biggest names in fashion. Keyhaven recognise that the H&H website must reflect this and challenge not only designers of country clothing but the Bond Street fashion houses that already have a presence on-line.
It is recommended that Holland & Holland establish a separate URL and site for the Gunroom and the shop as follows:
The sites will be linked, although the link from www.thegunroom.com to www.hollandholland.com will need to be handled sympathetically.
Both audiences need to be impressed by the sites, and take away a feeling of Solid Professionalism, Quality and English Heritage. In addition ecommerce consumers need to be (re)assured that their transaction is secure and safe.
It is felt that guns are simply too expensive to be appropriate for ecommerce, and prospective customers will generally want to have discussions with an expert before purchasing. Guns will therefore not be sold from the site at this stage, rather full specifications and pictures will be given, without prices.
Selling clothes online can also be problematic, as every item comes in many sizes and a wide range of colours. We therefore feel that the ecommerce side of the web site will concentrate initially on selling accessories. Collections of clothes will be profiled and people encouraged to visit or phone one of the shops. Selling clothes online will be considered in the future.
An often-overlooked aspect of launching a web site is that of promotion, both online and off-line. Off-line promotion should be handled by H&H, and should include ensuring that the appropriate web site address is printed on all published material. Keyhaven feel that further ideas for Off-line marketing of the web site should be developed. Online marketing could be co-ordinated by HOOP, who will ensure that the site is registered with all the major search engines. They will also design a full online marketing campaign, including banner advertising, and targeting of appropriate sites.
The majority of people who visit the H&H sites will not have heard of H&H before, therefore an important aspect of the design should be to establish credibility and branding. This is essentially done by providing highly polished graphics, and references to the 'real' company (a map to and picture of the shops in London, Paris Japan and New York, and phone numbers for real people).
The navigation needs to be consistent, straightforward and intuitive:
Every time an item that can be purchased on-line is mentioned, a link will be provided to the ecommerce system. This will allow visitors to the site to make 'impulse' purchases based on editorial content.
The design of both sites will be similar, although the content will be different.
3. Site Design - www.thegunroom.com
This menu will form navigation to the primary areas of the site. It will contain links to the following pages:
The home page will contain a brief introduction to the TheGunRoom site, so the visitors instantly knows where they are. The page will then go into brief detail about each of the pages available on the site, highlighting new areas, and areas of particular interest. For example, news about availability of the millennium gun range would be highlighted here. It is important that this page changes regularly, so the visitor is constantly seeing fresh content. This will be done as part of regular monthly maintenance, and will draw on Press Releases.
This page will also link across to the www.hollandholland.com web page so that visitors can browse the clothing and accessories.
The key to a successful home page is to provide quick access to things that the visitor wants to see.
This page will be a calendar of sporting events, both sponsored by H&H, and others that H&H customers may enjoy. The page will be updated following an event, reporting on winners, losers and the fun had by all. For forthcoming events, details of important information can be provided such as contact details, maps of how to get there, and the entertainment laid-on.
This page will also be used for press releases, which will be archived online for future reference, providing a 'corporate memory'.
Journalists and others will be encouraged to sign up for an email newsletter so that they can receive notification of forthcoming events.
This page will provide both an overview and a detailed profile of the guns made by H&H. No prices will be given, and visitors will not be able to purchase guns on-line. Each of the following items will have their own page:
Each page will contain photos and descriptions as per the Sporting Guns Brochure. Visitors interested in buying guns will be encouraged to contact H&H either by phone or email.
The page will give details of the travel and sports that can be organised through Holland and Holland. Specific trips will be detailed on individual pages:
This page will allow visitors to purchase online various accessories specifically associated with guns. Each item will be accompanied by a photograph and brief description.
This page will detail about 20 books and 10 Fine Art Prints chosen for their appeal to people interested in shooting and hunting. Each book and print will have a picture and a brief description. All items can be purchased using the ecommerce system.
3.8 The Shopping Trolley
This link is the interface to the ecommerce system. The ecommerce system is detailed in Section 5.
This page will allow visitors to contact H&H in a number of ways;
Additionally, we will encourage visitors to sign up to a H&H mailing lists, where they can be kept informed of new additions to the site and general H&H news.
3.10 About H&H
This page will provide detailed information about the company and its history. It will also give information on the following:
This page will be used to list links to websites that have linked to H&H, providing visitors a great jump-off point to continue surfing.
4. Site Design - www.hollandholland.com
Many of the pages on this site are shared with www.thegunroom.com. All shared pages will be hosted under the www.hollandholland.com domain, and simply linked to and from www.thegunroom.com
This menu will form navigation to the primary areas of the site. It will contain links to the following pages:
The home page will contain a brief introduction to the H&H site, so the visitor instantly knows where they are. The page will then go into brief detail about each of the pages available on the site, highlighting new areas, and areas of particular interest. For example, news about availability of the new summer collection will be highlighted here. It is important that this page changes regularly, so the visitor is constantly seeing fresh content. This will be done as part of regular monthly maintenance, and will draw on Press Releases.
This page will also link across to the www.thegunroom.com web page so that visitors can browse the guns. This link will be subtle, inviting users who are genuinely interested in shotguns but of no interest to the non-sporting types.
This page is designed to provide a context to the clothing. It should include news articles and stories that give the foreign visitor a taste of the lifestyle they are buying when they purchase clothes and accessories from H&H.
This page can draw on material published in magazines by H&H.
This page will be a calendar of society events, both sponsored by H&H, and others that H&H customers may enjoy. The page will be updated following an event, reporting on the fun had by all. For forthcoming events, important information can be provided such as contact details, maps of how to get there, and the entertainment laid-on.
This page will also be used for press releases, which will be archived online for future reference, providing a 'corporate memory'.
Journalists and other will be encouraged to sign up for an email newsletter so that they can receive notification of forthcoming events.
This page will showcase the best of H&H clothing, with detailed pages containing the following collections:
Each page will contain several sets of clothes with price details. Visitors will not be able to buy the clothes online, but will be encouraged to visit or contact the shops and request brochures.
This page will allow visitors to browse and purchase all of H&H's accessories. We will avoid accessories directly associated with shooting on this page, as they can be put on the Accessories page in www.thegunroom.com.
Pages for the accessories shopping area will include:
Generally all items that are sold as a single size and colour will be included on these pages. Each item will have an associated picture and short description.
All items can be purchased using the ecommerce system.
This page will detail about 20 books and 10 Fine Art Prints. We will stick to the bestselling items, and vary and expand the range according to sales. Each book and print will have a picture and a brief description.
4.8 The Shopping Trolley
This link is the interface to the ecommerce system. The ecommerce system is detailed in Section 5.
Again, the Contact page will be shared between both sites, and is therefore identical to that detailed in section 3.9.
The page profiling H&H is shared between both sites, please refer to section 3.10
This page will be used to list links to websites that have linked to H&H, providing visitors a great jump-off point to continue surfing. It is anticipated that there will be a different page of links for each site.
When a visitor clicks on an item to buy it, or when they select the Shopping Trolley link from the menu, they will be taken to their current shopping trolley. This allows them to add and remove items, and change quantities. From the shopping trolley, visitors can go to the 'checkout' and complete the purchase.
A help page will be accessible from the Trolley. It will describe the ordering process, and contain answers to Frequently Asked Questions such as 'How long will I have to wait for my goods'.
Before the user goes to the checkout, they will be asked for a delivery option, where they will specify where and how they want the goods delivered. They can also choose to recalculate the order quantity into whatever currency they prefer. It will be explained that this calculation is for guidance only and their actual transaction will take place in Pounds Sterling.
Many visitors to the site will not be from the UK. It is important that they can see the price of books in a currency they understand. Wherever a price is displayed, an option will be given to change the currency. Currency conversion rates will be held in a database and can be updated automatically from a reliable web site or maintained by H&H. It will always be explained that the converted price is for guidance only, and the transaction will take place in pounds sterling.
Most of the products sold by H&H are subject to VAT inside the EC. It is important that the correct price is presented to the visitor. This is achieved by asking whether the delivery is EC or non-EC when establishing the delivery method. Typically EC and non-EC delivery costs differ anyway.
The ability to securely process a credit card transaction and quickly get the goods to the customer are crucial to the success of the site. Visitors will return to the site if they have been well served. If items are dispatched late, or credit card transactions get confused, an on-line shopper can be lost for good.
Security (or lack of it) is a hot topic when discussing ecommerce. If you do not set up your system correctly you are vulnerable to people stealing credit card numbers, and the bad press generated could easily sink your website. We therefore advise that you pass the transaction processing completely to a 3rd party, thus removing any handling or processing of credit cards from H&H. There are several companies that provide this service (such as Netbanx). We will need to discuss the most appropriate partner to handle this side of things.
Time moves quickly online, and people expecting a delivery are not impressed by delays. It is essential that goods are dispatched promptly, and customers provided with timely and accurate information. An example of good fulfilment procedures are:
Search Engines are a black art. They are nasty untamed beasts which the entire online community battle with, and there are many hopeless warriors out there offering bulk search engine registration. Unfortunately there is no alternative for hard graft. To appear on the first page of a search engine is a significant achievement and will bring many visitors to the site. HOOP and Keyhaven have extensive experience tackling search engines, which we will use to promote the H&H sites.
Banners are a good way of bringing qualified visitors to the site, there are essentially 2 types of campaign:
This is the best way to generate traffic to your site. Exchanging links with sites that are relevant to the country pursuits industry will help build traffic. It must always be remembered that we are working on a network (the Internet), and networking is crucial to success. Good amateur sites should be supported, and we should look at the feasibility of creating a referral programme where sites who send traffic that result in a purchase are rewarded.
Spam email campaigns are not recommended. Although they are an easy way to generate traffic to your site, they are strongly detrimental to the image of your site (and therefore company). In the long run, you are looking to build a strong base of loyal customers. Bulk email will not encourage this.
Visitors to the site will be encouraged to leave their email address through a number of mechanisms, including during the purchasing process. If consent is given, these email addresses will be used to build targeted mailing lists. Press releases and information about new products can then be run on these lists. It is important that these lists are not abused (sold on), on-line customer loyalty is hard won and easily lost.
Hosting can be handled by any respectable ISP, there are no special requirements for this site. HOOP have an existing relationship with I-way (www.i-way.co.uk), and would recommend using them for hosting the site.
As part of the hosting service H&H will receive detailed statistics regarding the site traffic. These will show details such as which pages are most popular and where in the world most traffic comes from. Analysis of these statistics is crucial to building a successful site.
If appropriate it would be sensible for H&H technical staff to meet with I-way (based in Soho), in order to discuss the details of the hosting arrangements.
Site maintenance breaks down into 3 areas:
This is designed to keep the site up and running, and breaks down into a number of regular tasks:
The site needs to be kept fresh with new content. There are a number of areas where new content can be added to the site throughout the year.
All web sites should undergo a significant review every 6 months or so. This should include:
All costs given here are for guidance only, and will be revised as we discuss this document.
All prices are exclusive of VAT.
The payment schedule works as follows:
|
Commitment to project |
25% |
|
Signoff of skeleton and design |
25% |
|
Completion and launch |
50% |
Design and build includes site launch and maintenance tasks for the first month. The first table gives the cost for launching both sites, individual items on each site are broken down in sections 8.2 and 8.3.
|
Task |
Details |
Time (hours) |
Cost (pounds sterling) |
|
Pre Sales Consultancy |
Initial Design, Documentation and Meetings |
30 |
1350 |
|
Design and Skeleton Site sign-off |
HOOP will provide a final design for look, and a text based site (with no content) to establish 'feel' and navigation. H&H will sign off this look and feel before the site is built |
25 |
1125 |
|
www.thegunroom.com |
Build of the site as specified in Section 3 (see table 9.2 for a breakdown). |
110 |
4950 |
|
www.hollandholland.com |
Build of the site as specified in Section 4 (see table 9.3 for a breakdown). |
120 |
5400 |
|
Ecommerce System |
A Shopping Trolley facility, and setting up a secure credit card transaction facility with a 3rd party (including estimated 3rd party costs) |
60 |
2700 |
|
Contact H&H |
Shared page for both sites |
15 |
675 |
|
About H&H |
Shared page for both sites |
30 |
1350 |
|
Marketing |
Keyhaven recommend spending at least 25% of the cost of the site on promoting it. Marketing will be covered in greater depth at a later stage and no costs are given here. |
N/A |
N/A |
|
Hosting (1st year) |
The sites will probably take up some 25MB of web space. This price includes set-up, and Webtrends statistical package. This cost will be payable directly to the chosen ISP. We do not mark-up hosting costs. |
N/A |
1200 |
|
Totals |
|
390 |
17550 |
Task |
Details |
Hours |
Cost |
| Home Page | Design and build of the home page | 15 | 675 |
| Events Page | To include a calendar of 1 years events and detail about 1 event | 15 | 675 |
| The Gun Room | 10 pages of detail, including second hand guns and a Gun Number look-up | 35 | 1575 |
| Sport and Travel | Details of 3 destinations | 15 | 675 |
| Shooting Accessories | At least 20 items linked to the ecommerce system | 10 | 450 |
| Books and Fine Art Prints | 30 items linked to the ecommerce system | 15 | 675 |
| Links | Page of links | 5 | 225 |
Total |
110 |
4950 |
Task |
Details |
Hours |
Cost |
| Home Page | Design and build of the home page | 15 | 675 |
| English Country Life | One article or story describing English Country Life | 15 | 675 |
| Events Page | To include a calendar of 1 years events and detail about 1 event | 15 | 675 |
| Clothing | 2 collections | 25 | 1125 |
| Accessories | Approx 100 accessories linked to the ecommerce system | 30 | 1350 |
| Books and Fine Art Prints | 30 items linked to the ecommerce system | 15 | 675 |
| Links | Page of links | 5 | 225 |
Total |
120 |
5400 |
Initially regular maintenance as detailed in section 7.1 is expected to take 20 hours per month, and cost £720. Irregular maintenance such as profiling events and adding collections will be priced on a per job basis.
HOOP is a well established and accomplished web design company based in London. Keyhaven use HOOP as their preferred design company. They have experience both in design and ecommerce issues. Please visit their website at www.hoop.co.uk for examples of their work and clients.