Websitewatch

Retail Ecommerce

websitewatch — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 12:44:12 +0000

Here in the UK we seem to love buying online, which is why UK based retailers really need to start thinking more about setting up their own retail ecommerce website and also using the wide range of online trading opportunities that are out there on the ‘web’.

Retailers in the UK can now take advantage of many cheap or even free (in the case of Google Products) selling opportunities and cash in on the UK public’s exploding demand for shopping online and the first thing to do it seems is to get a well designed ecommerce website set up to act as the base for all of this online trading opportunity.

Sounds to me like over the next few years traditional highstreet stores are going to have to massively increase their online efforts in order to keep up with demand!

Carhartt, Nixon and more

websitewatch — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:43:20 +0000

It’s always nice when we see a new website launched which promises a range of something different… Yak Clothing in Lincoln recently launched their new e-commerce website which promises to supply some very edgy clothing at realistic prices…

I’ve just had a look through the website as I am in need of some new clothes (too many pies this year ) and was staggered by the ranges on offer – Yak clothing have some great designer clothes and accessories from people like Carhartt Clothing and Nixon watches as well as a well balanced attitude to trading online, which you can see from the quality of the images used in the online store as well as the use of a good amount of descriptional text for products.

There is an online blog for the website although this as yet doesn’t have any entries but the main focus of the website is the huge array of very funky clothing available. Definitely one to check out!

European Golf… a great Online Golf Shop

websitewatch — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:21:11 +0000

European Golf Online Shop

If you’re at all into that most annoying of sports, namely Golf, then you probably find yourself hunting online for the latest Golf equipment on a regular basis… I know that I’m constantly looking around online, trying to find the best deals on new drivers and replacements for the literally hundreds of balls that seem to go missing every time I go for a round! Hmm… maybe time to give up and take up gardening…

Anyway I digress… European Golf have been around for many years, providing reliable golf retail services from their four stores in the midlands, infact with stores in Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and Syston it’s hard not to find a European Golf store somewhere if you live around this part of the world.

Now European Golf are trading online and there are some real bargains available via the online shop. Something that particularly caught my eye was the range of Skycaddie SG5 golfer’s satnav systems which give relative novice golfers like me a good indication of how far to those bushes I need to hit the ball to get over and into the duck pond… I get the feeling that these devices are probably provided to make semi-professionals even better as they allow accurate distance measurements in a visual format… so you can take all of the guesswork out of choosing your next club. Pretty cool and not expensive for a device of this ype.

One great brand which I wasn’t aware of previously came to my attention via the Eurpean Golf store – Footjoy golf shoes are apparently the bees knees when you want comfortable golf shoes which will last an entire round without pinching or feeling sweaty – they are available for men and women in a large range of designs, sizes and colours (including Pink I believe!) so there’s going to be something to cater to every taste there…

Oolong Tea Shop

websitewatch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 12:18:18 +0000

It’s pretty hard to find a decent Oolong tea shop in the UK, thankfully there are some now appearing. For those of you who aren’t oriental tea afficionados, Oolong tea is tea which is prepared in a specialised way so that it retains the healthy, free radical killing properties of green tea (with all associated health benefits) whilst having a very mild, flavoursome aroma and taste which is unique.

Oolong tea therefore is semi-oxidised, unlike black tea which has been fully oxidised and green tea which is unoxidised, giving Oolong tea a rich, light taste and result in this tea being a favourite with refined tea drinkers world wide.

Oolong ( or Wu Long, named after it’s founder ) literally means ‘black dragon’ and despite many legends which have been built up around the discovery of the processing method used to create Oolong tea, the most likely is that the discovery was by accident – legend has it that Wu Long gathered some fresh tea leaves and got distracted, leaving the leaves to lie overnight before processing – this semi-oxidisation of the leaves led to a tea which was surprisingly good to drink and soon there was great demand for this type of tea.

Tea Orient have premises in London (right opposite Debenhams on Oxford Street) as well as an online shop at http://www.teaorient.co.uk – this innovative company offer a full range of freshly imported teas from the Orient as well as a great range of tea drinking equipment and supplies. The online shop allows fast and efficient online ordering of all products offered and multiple payments methods which means you can get your hands on some very high quality oolong tea at surprisingly reasonable prices, direct to your door wherever you live!

A great Equestrian clothing website

websitewatch — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:17:27 +0000

If you’re into the whole equestrian lifestyle, Trot2.com should be on your list of websites which you visit regularly, especially if you live in the UK. This website offers a large range of equestrian clothing via their own online shop and there are a host of products on offer for both the horse and rider, as well as equipment for the yard as well.

A large range of Joules Clothing

Trot2 offer a large range of both equestrian and casual clothing from top manufacturers Joules, famed for supplying iconic and trendy clothing for a wide range of sports, but particularly hockey, polo and equestrian casual wear.

Joules have everything from rugby shirts to full-on riding wear for eventing in their collection alongside more casual fleeces and hoodies, infact there is something for everyone in the Joules collection which can be sourced via the Trot2 website.

Horseware clothing and blankets

Alongside the offerings from Joules, Trot2 have a great range of Horseware clothing, offering again everything from protective clothing to casual wear, plus a great range of horse blankets and sheets. Trot2 stock these for immediate delivery from their online store and via their premises in Newcastle Upon Tyne.

A real community website

Trot2 is run by Houghton Equestrian, who run a riding centre in Newcastle Upon Tyne with an integral shop and a host of facilities catering to the equestrian lifestyle. The on-site shop is the basis for Trot2′s online activities, so you are assured of receiving your goods when ordered via this website – full transparency is given and you have access to all of the contact details giving reassurance.

Children’s Swimwear and more from Cozymole

websitewatch — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:23:36 +0000

It’s a pity we’ve had such a dismal summer this year in the UK, as there are some great bargains to be had on children’s swimwear from one website I visit on a regular basis called CozyMole. This retail website specialises in outdoor and activity clothing, footwear and accessories for adults and children, with a large range of specialist clothing such as UV swimwear for children.

School swimwear

Always a nightmare, some schools specify certain types of swimwear to be used in school swimming sessions… Cozymole have a variety of approved swimwear for school use from leading suppliers such as Speedo and Zoggs which are well made and can withstand the abuse metered out by your kids.

Cozymole – an online store with a difference

Cozymole only trade online, which means they are able to keep prices low because of low overheads – with an easy return policy and next day delivery on offer plus multiple payments methods in place, Cozymole really do offer a good buying experience!

Dragon Well Green Tea – Your body’s friend!

websitewatch — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 09:51:34 +0000

With all the hoo-har nowadays about the state of health in the UK, it’s good to see one company selling healthy, natural products which have been shown for centuries to promote good health. Tea Orient, part of the MNG group of companies import a large range of fresh teas from the Orient, including not only green teas, but white tea, black tea and red tea.

The health benefits of dragon well green tea

Dragon well green tea has been drunk for centuries by knowledgeable consumers in China, this semi-oxidised tea has a great flavour and has well documented health benefits to the drinker.

Dragon well green tea is a well documented anti-oxidant, helping to destroy and stem the build-up of free radicals in the body. This property of green tea can help protect against certain types of cancers, a fact proven not only by modern scientific studies, but by the near absence of these diseases in the indigenous regions where the consumption of green tea is common on a daily basis.

Dragon well green tea is well known for it’s slimming properties, with many people using green tea on a regular basis to help with their weight loss efforts. This fat control property of dragon well green tea has been known for many centuries in China. Many people from the Western world now agree that daily consumption of green tea can aid their health, with a number of celebrities offering public endorsements of the benefits.

Dragon Well green Tea history

The history of the development of dragon well green tea, like so many teas from China, is shrouded in legend and mystery. The tea gets the name apparently from the swirling patterns which form on the water’s surface on the wells used where the tea naturally grows in China – this is caused by a denser water which naturally circulates in the water well, causing swirling patterns on the surface. There are legends associated with dragon well green tea, many involving dragons who help bring rain to the tea growing region also, which add charm to the drinking of this tea… I know which story I believe!

Cowboy Boots from Rocky Horrors

websitewatch — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:30:59 +0000

A favourite of mine this one… Rocky Horrors in Sheffield is a well established store selling ‘alternative’ clothing, footwear and accessories. So what is ‘alternative?’ Well, think of alternative wear as anything which is not high street, including things like gothic clothing, biker wear and punk clothing. The online store kind of reflects the goings-on in the Rocky Horrors shop in Sheffield… if you have a trawl through the website you will see this is a vibrant and socially active bunch of people who like to enjoy themselves – a look at the Rocky Horrors staff page will tell you all you need to know!

Stylish Cowboy boots

Rocky Horrors sell a large range of highly decorated cowboy boots from leading manufacturers New Rock and Sancho. The boots are very well made and their toughness belies the masses of decoration on the boots… these boots really are made for walking, riding or whatever else you can do with your feet!

A Huge Range of Alternative Boots

The ranges of boots from New Rock show who’s boss in alternative footwear, which is why Rocky Horrors stock such a huge range! These boots range from mega platforms to almost subtle rocker biker boots which are sturdy enough for using as motorcycle wear.

A Website with a Difference

Rocky Horrors provide an ‘online experience’ which mirrors the store in Sheffield – with special offers and an online blog telling of news in the industry and ‘goings on’ in the shop, it’s clear the crew at Rocky Horrors have lots of fun with both their staff and customers who visit… well worth a trip to Sheffield if you ask me!

The leather shop with staying power

websitewatch — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:22:04 +0000

There aren’t that many businesses nowadays which have been going since the last world war… even some well established and respected companies have gone to the wall recently, including Woolworths… as big a name on the high street as they come!

Best 4 Leather is the online shop of a Lancashire based company, Marsdens Leather Shop. Started in 1948, Marsdens leather shop has been trading in high quality leather goods ever since – supplying everything for the business or private traveller plus some very nifty leather gifts.

The Best 4 Leather online leather shop can be found at http://www.best4leather.co.uk/ offering leather suitcases, travel bags and all manner of other items such as briefcases and high quality handbags. The range on offer includes items from the ultra high quality ‘the bridge’ company, who have been producing leather goods since 1969.

Other brands on offer in the shop include Radley, Texier and Tula, with items from Samsonite also available.

It’s nice to see a retailer like this prospering and utilising online channels to sell – just goes to prove that you need to re-evaluate your marketing methods as technology changes!

Scribbler Greetings Cards new website

websitewatch — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 08:42:28 +0000

Well it’s been a long time coming… but Scribbler, purveyors of fun and laughter in the form of amusing greetings cards, are about to launch a brand new website! Scribbler have for years been expanding their customer base, first in London (with stores all over the capital such as Covent Garden and Oxford Street) and then in Oxford, Cambridge and now that fabulous City of Edinburgh!The new Scribbler website is full of features, offering secure online shopping and multiple payments methods and has a fabulous new design which reflects the image of the Scribbler shops. Below is a sneakily done screenshot (pre-launch) of the new website homepage, showcasing the design talents of Intelligent Retail, EPOS software and website gurus.

Screenshot of the new Scribbler homepage

Scribbler have just opened a brand new store in Edinburgh (80A Princess Street, if you know the area!) which is right in the heart of the shopping area in this beautiful City. The new store offers all the fun and frolics available in the English stores, with a large, bright and above all fun selection of greetings cards, gifts and stationery on offer from a fabulous range of designers.

Keep an eye on the Scribbler website, offering a large range of fabulously brilliant greetings cards for all occasions – we anticipate that the launch will be in then next week or so!

UPDATE!

The new Scribbler website is now online, with new stock just in time for the Christmas holidays! This new website offers shoppers easy shopping for some of the most hilarious cards from top designers around the planet… all delivered to your door.

Together with this, Scribbler have now launched yet another high street store in Glasgow which appears to be going well… and their website now appears at No.3 for the term ‘card shops’ in Google – just shows you the power of relevant, good quality content!