How to Create a Refill Shop Website That's Eco-Friendly and User-Friendly

Client:

Scope: Website re-design, website re-build, dynamic pricing structure, tare weight calculator, variety of payment options, reviews and rewards scheme, subscription services

Refill shops are a growing trend as people become more aware of the environmental impact of single-use plastics. These shops sell products by weight, encouraging customers to bring their own reusable containers. This can help to reduce plastic pollution by up to 80%.

Challenges of Creating a Refill Shop Website

Inventory management: Unlike traditional retail websites, a refill shop's inventory needs to be tracked by weight rather than pre-packaged units. This can be complex, but it's important to ensure that the website accurately reflects the shop's inventory levels in real time.
Weight-based pricing: Pricing products by weight requires a dynamic pricing structure on the website. This means that the price of a product should change based on the weight of the product that the customer selects. This can be a challenge to implement, but it's important to ensure that customers are charged the correct price for their purchases.
Tare weight: Tare weight is the weight of the container used to hold the product. When calculating the price of a product, the tare weight must be deducted from the total weight of the product. This can be a challenge to implement, but it's important to ensure that customers are not overcharged for their purchases.

Sustainability messaging: The website should effectively communicate the shop's commitment to sustainability and the importance of using reusable packaging. This can be done by creating engaging content, providing educational resources, and highlighting the environmental impact of single-use packaging.
User experience: Designing a user-friendly and intuitive interface is crucial. Customers should be able to easily browse products, select quantities, choose packaging options, and view pricing information. Incorporating a smooth checkout process, including options for local pickup or delivery, to enhance the user experience.
Online refill ordering: Enabling customers to order refills online poses an additional challenge. The website needs to provide a seamless process for customers to submit their refill requests, specify the desired quantities, packaging, and any additional instructions.

What We Did for The Keep Refillery

We worked with The Keep Refillery to create a visually captivating and user-friendly website that amplified their eco-conscious message and streamlined the online refill experience.

We implemented a number of features to make the website more user-friendly, including:

A dynamic pricing structure that calculates the price of products based on their weight.
A tare weight calculator that helps customers determine the correct weight of their containers.
A variety of payment options, including local pickup and delivery.
A comprehensive educational section about sustainability.
A reviews and rewards scheme that encourages customers to return to the website.

We also helped The Keep Refillery to set up a subscription service that allows customers to easily schedule regular refills. This is a great way for customers to save money and reduce their environmental impact.

Conclusion

Overcoming the unique challenges of creating a refill shop website requires innovative solutions and a commitment to sustainability. By working with 8th Dial, The Keep Refillery was able to create a website that is both eco-friendly and user-friendly. This has helped them to attract new customers, increase sales, and reduce their environmental impact.