Woodwelder.net
A multilingual, multicurrency e-commerce site.
Project Summary
Woodwelder.net is a multilingual, multicurrency e-commerce website revolutionizing the wood industry one click at a time. Sold in the North American market by Brookhuis, the Woodwelder is a machine which uses RF frequencies to speed-up the drying time in glue from 24 hours to 15 seconds. This machine is revolutionary to the industry because it quickens the production time of any business who adds it to their production line. So why wouldn’t everyone jump at the chance to own a Woodwelder?
The answer is simple, they just don’t know about it yet. The wood industry has not yet seen the value in traditional marketing, mostly because the majority of companies are small businesses who don’t have the budget. So how do they get the word out about the products? They go to trade shows or have advertisements in wood-centric magazines. So, what happens if they are interested in a product they come across from one of those avenues? They will either send wood samples to the machine dealers for testing or they’ll fly out to the dealers themselves to take a look at the product in action. This practice is costly and time consuming for all parties involved, and doesn’t always lead to a sale in the end. If it does lead to a sale, the ordering process is also lengthy and in need of an overhaul. What if there was a way to get all the information a customer would need about a product, readily available and give them the power to make a purchase whenever they wanted to? That’s where Woodwelder.net was born.
Whether a customer is in search of detailed information, wants to see a video of the product in action, is ready to make an order on a new machine or just needs replacement parts, Woodwelder.net has everything they need, without having to call a salesperson for assistance. The added functionality of being mobile-responsive, and having the ability to convert text to a desired language or payment in the desired currency, as well as making an order through a preferred method of payment, Woodwelder.net offers everything a customer needs for a successful transaction. This means less time spent for salespeople on each sale, less time playing phone tag and faster processing for customers. Woodwelder.net solves all the problems for both the company and customer side of the business and ensures accurate information every time.
The Problem
It’s hard to get clients engaged with a product they’ve never seen in-person, and it’s costly to spend time and money to go see a product when you’re not sure if it’s right for your shop. Brookhuis knows the need for an e-commerce website, so much so that they already have one, but it doesn’t have all the features they need and it hasn’t made a sale for them yet since the site launched over a year ago.
Visit their current site.
The Solution
Getting the word out to customers about the Woodwelder and giving them a one-stop-shop for everything they need to place an order. An e-commerce website with multilingual and multicurrency options with video demonstrations is exactly what this small business needs.
Features
- Multilingual — Switch between English, Spanish and French.
- Multicurrency — Switch between the US dollar, the Mexican Peso and the Euro.
- E-commerce — Find the product you want, the information you need, and the ability to purchase through multiple payment options, all in one convenient location.
- Video Demonstration — of key products.
Technology
- WordPress Website via GoDaddy
- Shopkeeper E-Commerce Template
- WPML Wordpress Plugin — for multilanguage and multicurrency options
- WooCommerce WordPress Plugin — for e-commerce and purchase options
Potential Impact
The potential impact for this website would be the adoption of technology throughout the woodworking industry.
Client
My client is American Wood Technology. They sell wood machinery products from Europe in the North American territory. Our partnership was inspired by personal connection as my Father-in-Law is the business owner and over the years I have come to learn the business. While getting familiar with the business I also noticed that a lot of their practices are out of date, or could be done more efficiently with the use of technology.
It was a win-win to have a Capstone project at the same time that they launched a new machinery product to introduce to the North American market. It’s a machine which is more affordable and can be used by any wood shop from hobbyist to seasoned professional. I have enjoyed learning more about the business as well as bring the company online for the first time.
Lessons Learned
Research
I learned a lot though this process. This was my first e-commerce website, and the wood industry is so different than any other businesses I’ve been a part of. Mostly because they place the value in day-to-day operations in sales and not marketing. While it was easy to get Brookhuis on board for a new website, some comparison companies seem content with their current websites which are behind the times, have outdated and stale content, and are hard to navigate and find what you’re looking for. They’d rather rely on face-to-face or over-the-phone interactions.
Design
Design of the website came together pretty quickly. The client and I did research independently and then came together in a meeting earlier this semester to hash out the important and nitty gritty details of what they needed. The hardest part of the project has been that they are constantly selling machines, and it takes about a month for them to be shipped over from England to Georgia so having a machine in the area to take photos and videos of was the hardest part to conquer.
Development
Development has been great, and it’s clear to be through my personal relationship with the client that this site will continue on past the end of my Emerging Media days. The client will be equipped with the tools necessary to continue updating and adding new products to the website along with me being only a phone call away to lend a hand. The client has been very happy with the progress of the site and we’re excited to officially launch and see how the new site will increase sales of the Woodwelder.
Journey through the EM Program
My journey through the EM program began in Summer 2016. I was working at UGA in Auxiliary Services and my boss encouraged me to start taking classes in the NMI. Originally, I was just pursuing the certificate, but once I learned about the Emerging Media program, I decided to take a chance and apply. I only had about 3 weeks to take the GRE, and get everything together that I needed to apply (it was a busy December)!
Low and behold my efforts paid off when I was accepted for the Spring 2017 semester. As a TAP student, I was only able to take 2 classes per semester, so while my journey through the program was longer than most, juggling two classes and a full-time job sometimes gets the best of you.
I weaved my way, slowly but surely, though ADPR, NMI and JRMC classes and finally arrived at my final semester for Capstone and Advanced Coding (FUN — no I’m serious, take this class if you can)!
Capstone has been an interesting challenge, this semester they have changed it to only meet 5 times during the semester, and relying on Slack for communications in-between. As this is a GREAT set-up for someone working full time who also likes to procrastinate, it leaves a few gaps open for things to fall through the cracks in terms of expectations being met.
Hopefully my fellow capstone survivors and I can come out the other side unscathed and when we don our black garb and move our tassel that it will all be worth it! (And I 100% think, nay, know it will)!
Advice for the next Cohort
- Ask questions if you don’t understand something. Everyone is here to help you but it’s up to you to ensure you have everything you need to be successful. If you don’t understand what you’re supposed to be doing, speak up!
- Be a team player. Seriously, you will be with these people for years and there will be countless group projects. Without a strong bond of people you can trust, you’ll only be frustrated.
- Start thinking about your capstone project NOW. You don’t want to be in a spot where you do a different project for each class and have to start over because you didn’t like your original idea. Find a good project and stick to it.
- Don’t worry about your deliverables being not-so-good. You’re here to learn. Some people will have more design skills than you do, but you will excel in another area. And hey, you can always work in pairs for your capstone project!
Capstone Deliverables
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