Background
Watersports World are a leading distributor of high-end sports equipment. Initially specialising in watersports, the company has since expanded into cycling and other premium sporting goods. Trusted for their quality products, Watersports World regularly showcase their offerings at demos, waterparks, and trade shows.
The challenge
Since launching their wholesale business in 2014, Watersports World explored various eCommerce platforms, starting with Magento. As their business evolved, they transitioned their B2C operations to Shopify for its user-friendly experience. However, the Sales team needed some additional features Shopify Plus didn’t provide.
They wanted a new eCommerce solution that didn’t require extensive development work. The team needed increased flexibility and the option for customisation without having to rely on external support or lengthy waiting times to push small updates live. Another layer to this included the ability to display accurate stock information transparently.
Additionally, the company were looking for support with their complex customer structure, involving various groups and tiers. Customers could belong to multiple groups depending on their purchasing behaviour across different product categories.
Each tier offered unique benefits, such as discounts based on reliability and payment history - like loyal customers using net terms to buy surfing items. Watersports World needed a dynamic system capable of adapting quickly to these demands.
The solution
SparkLayer helped simplify Watersports World’s operations without compromising on functionality. Watersports World gained the ability to manage their system internally, making quick adjustments without external development support.
Our bespoke customer group tool empowered Watersports World to tailor benefits across product categories and tiers. This ensured a seamless and personalised shopping experience for their customers.
SparkLayer’s user-friendly interface empowers non-technical customers to leverage B2B features effortlessly. By implementing SparkLayer’s Sales Agent add-on, sales representatives can log in and place orders on behalf of customers. This ensured consistent service, reduced errors, and improved transparency.
We also recommended Shopify agency, Rainy City, to Scott and the team. Together, they work on an ad hoc basis to push front-end website changes and development work live efficiently.
The results
The simplicity of the platform helps niche market customers efficiently manage their business without getting bogged down by complex functionalities. This has also reduced costs as there's no need to outsource minor customisations - or compromise on the necessary utilities. On top of this, the Watersports World team are able to put their time and energy into value-add tasks that benefit their end customers.
The team’s inventory management system now displays two layers of stock data - ‘stock on order’ and ‘stock in the warehouse’ - using customisable meta fields. This transparency, combined with colour-coded displays and price-per-quantity information, has boosted customer satisfaction.
Integrating their ERP with SparkLayer eliminated manual errors and ensured real-time, synchronised updates of customer data, pricing, and order history. This has allowed for further alignment of their operations and sped up internal and external processes alike. Their team is now using CSV uploads to further streamline their processes, too.
The Sales Agent tool ensures sales reps can work more effectively. With simplification and standardisation at its core, Scott’s team quickly adopted this feature and are providing enhanced customer experience as a result. Orders processed this way ensure correct receipts and tracking information, improving transparency and reducing queries for their Support team on order updates.
Watersports World are able to provide exclusive, tailored benefits to their customers thanks to our bespoke customer groups. This customer and order data now syncs with their ERP to provide a system that works with both Shopify and SparkLayer. Bespoke customer groups and tailored benefits have increased customer satisfaction, while transparent stock data provides buyers with better decision-making tools.
"We don’t have to waste time being developers rather than distributors. That’s the summary of what SparkLayer brings - we can focus on our job because we don’t have to do a developer’s job. Using the Sales Agent feature, I get better results from the team - and they have a nicer time using it… SparkLayer has made what we wanted possible; it’s rare to be working with a company that actually cares." ~ Scott Taylor, Managing Director
Explore more
To learn more about Watersports World, their product range, and the story of their brand, visit their website.
To see how SparkLayer works with Shopify, you can explore via the links below: