Creating a Click & Collect Webshop

Project Goals

PPG Trilak, a paint manufacturer and distributor, was founded in 1907 in Budapest. The company, still a market leader in Hungary, operates as a subsidiary of PPG and exports about one-third of its production abroad.

Due to the rise of online shopping and the impact of the pandemic, the company decided to take its first decisive step toward electronic sales. They sought a solution that could be launched quickly and developed incrementally, fully meeting their sales vision.

The click & collect webshop best met our client’s expectations. We created a custom solution tailored to the unique characteristics of the franchise network and the complexity of the customer base.

Challenges

The complexity of the task lay in PPG Trilak’s diverse customer base, which includes both professional experts (B2B) and occasional home renovators (B2C). Creating an optimal customer experience for all target groups was a significant challenge, as we had to provide knowledgeable support for casual buyers while not hindering the product selection process for returning professionals.

A key goal was to ensure that all customers could quickly and easily find the right products with the appropriate level of support, without the different journeys interfering with each other. For example, frequent professional customers should not be slowed down by excessive guidance, while casual shoppers should receive comprehensive assistance and expert support, similar to what they would experience in stores. To support informed decisions, we conducted UX research to understand the real needs and behaviors of the client’s customer base.

Design Process

Various UX and UI design methods were employed during the project to understand the needs of the client and the different user groups.

1. Research and Analysis

• Stakeholder Interviews
  Decision-maker interviews aimed to uncover key pain points and expectations related to the project from organizational leaders, as well as to understand the business model and goals behind the new webshop in detail.
• User Interviews
  We interviewed professional painters (B2B) and DIY users (B2C), aiming to understand their purchasing habits, needs, and motivations related to buying paint and other accessories, so we could thoroughly grasp the user needs associated with the new PPG Trilak webshop.
• Web Analytics
  The web analytics aimed to map users’ attitudes and behavioral patterns based on visit data, further deepening our understanding of the target audience.
• Competitor Analysis
  We analyzed competitors’ online solutions to identify and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. We examined key areas like content served and technological solutions in competing webshops.

2. Processing Results

We grouped the most important findings from the UX research by identified problem areas, then synthesized the results into wireframes based on significant insights. The problem areas included:

• Functionality adapted to the target audience’s habits,
• Product structure suitable for both professionals and casual users,
• Store locator within the webshop,
• Color search process aligned with business needs,
• Analysis of multiple partner webshops operating concurrently,
• Consideration of economic trends and the rise of digitalization.

3. Developing the Operating Model and Final Interface

The click & collect solutions effectively showcase the product range, guide customers to stores, and promote products online, allowing conversions and transactions to be measured during online marketing campaigns. Another major challenge of the project was the franchise network’s unique characteristics, which had to be considered when designing the e-commerce solution.

Since there was no central, up-to-date system for the franchise partners’ inventory and operations, we expanded the admin functions to ensure quick and efficient handling of functions such as:

• Product range expansion,
• Price import,
• Order management,
• Virtual product management based on color palettes.

Results and Outcomes

Based on initial feedback from franchise partners, a well-thought-out and carefully implemented solution was delivered, providing a solid foundation for the company’s future development plans and the gradual build-up of the digital sales channel.