The popularity of e-commerce is reaching historical peaks. Thanks to Amazon's services, one can receive practically any product at their doorstep in less than 48 hours. However, in January 2024, Maison Orphée made the decision to convert its online boutique into a showcase site with all the relevant information regarding our range of products.
This well-thought-out decision requires some explanations, shared with you in all transparency. To put it simply, despite numerous attempts to minimize costs related to e-commerce, the company was losing an average of $8 with every order.
A difficult dilemma
Despite this, the decision to end the operations of our online boutique was neither quick nor easy. We are aware that even though our products are distributed in over 3,000 points of sale across Canada, not everyone has access to a well-stocked grocery store. Moreover, some people have transport and mobility challenges, and offering them an online alternative seemed to be the only option.
Above all, as the whole world seems to be celebrating e-commerce, we didn't want to look old-fashioned, disconnected, nor out of touch.
But numbers are numbers. In the challenging landscape of the food processing business, where margins are low, every dollar, especially every marketing dollar, holds significant value. That's why we've taken the initiative to consider how we could better utilize the marketing funds allocated to the online boutique. By redirecting these resources, we aim to invest in other projects that directly benefit and serve our customers.
Improving Our Service Offering to Better Serve Our Customers
Thanks to the decision to convert the online boutique into a showcase website, not only will the company stop losing money on every transaction, but new tools and benefits will be put in place for our customers across Canada.
Destini: a powerful product and store locator
Do you love our basil olive oil or fresh mayonnaise, but never know where to find them? With our locator, you will be able to enter your postal code to easily find a retailer near you that is likely to have them in stock!
GoCoupons: printable coupons or montly cash rebatesWhile we're actively engaged in various promotional programs at grocery stores, we're excited to unveil something special: each month, savour an additional discount on a selected product or range. Every first day of the month brings a new discount, so if you want to stay in the loop, subscribe to our newsletter!
Web exclusives: a formula to give access to new releases as soon as they are released
Any new product can take some time before appearing in major banners, in big or small cities across Canada. We decided it would be best to offer our latest products on our showcase website. This way, everyone will be able to try them as soon as they are released!
The decision to convert our online boutique to a showcase website was not taken lightly: it is the result of several months of careful consideration. In addition to improving the services we offer all our customers, this transition will enable us to maintain our financial performance and, consequently, our long-term viability.
This article is the first in a mini-series of two. Read more: Online Boutique: The True Costs