How a Website Redesign Drove Record Orders for Simpsons Wine Estate

Scope: Website Design & Build

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Background

Simpsons’ Wine Estate produces state-of-the-art English wines. Having launched in 2012, the world-class winery conveys a rich sense of provenance and integrity, firmly rooted in the exquisite characteristics of the land.

In 2014, having grown the business significantly, Simpsons Wine moved to their current residence in a unique corner of England, the Elham Valley, where the climate and chalk soil provide the perfect environment for viticulture.

On their 30-hectares, Simpsons produces still and sparkling wines. Their wines have been heralded both nationally and internationally and the husband and wife team behind the brand, Ruth and Charles Simpson, have recently been named two of the 50 most influential people in British Luxury on the Walpole Power List.

Objectives

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Simpsons realised the potential of selling online, directly to their customers. They were aware that their current website didn’t have the pulling power to bring in the number of visitors and orders needed to hit their sales target, and so contacted and began working with 8th Dial to create a brand new website. It was important to Charles and Ruth from the offset that the website aligned with their business values and ethos. They wanted something that would showcase their luxury wines as well as communicate their classic and tasteful brand persona. This would enable their audience to experience the full style and substance of the Simpsons’ brand.

Simpsons required a completely new website design and look. They needed a website which would increase their customer conversion rate, overall sales and further support their SEO efforts. Their online presence needed to communicate their personality as a luxury wine brand and maker, giving the consumer a unique and special experience.

The Design

8th Dial worked with Simpsons to understand their vision and clearly define their brand identity. The website needed to reflect Simpsons’ heritage, knowledge and upcoming news to connect with their visitors and keep them on the website.

The 8th Dial team began by implementing a full website redesign, creating a new homepage, custom menu and footer. From here, the focus moved to an updated product and collection page, recommended product feeds and individual product landing pages. An updated checkout journey was implemented to allow for a more user-friendly experience, alongside a newly designed journal, events and articles page where the customer could be kept updated with all happenings at Simpsons.

Across the website, 8th Dial worked on creating bespoke services. These included gifting bundles and builders allowing customers to create their own case or mix and match their wines of choice. A click and collect system was also implemented and pre-order options were made available.

In terms of keeping the brand at the forefront of the customer’s mind, 8th Dial assisted with the set-up of a new newsletter template in addition to the creation of automated email flows. This created ease and consistency across the business, freeing up time for employees to focus on other brand areas.

Results

From January 2020 - December 2020, Simpsons has seen an increased conversion rate of 34%. This resulted in a total sales increase of 119%. Total website sessions rose by 42% during the same period, not due to any additional marketing, but due to direct traffic which increased by 54%, and the implemented SEO which increased customer return by 55%.

Overall results were extremely positive and the total order number after the year long period rose by 131%. The luxury experience a consumer would expect from a company like Simpsons is evident in these statistics and through the design and creation of the brand’s website.

Client Testimonial

"It has been a real pleasure to work with 8th Dial. We were delighted to be introduced as part of our Walpole connection and they have demonstrated a thorough understanding of our website redesign brief and brand positioning. They have been very accommodating and flexible to be able to fit in with our busy schedule. Plus, they have taken time to really consider our various requests and needs, in order to deliver the sleekest solutions for our digital presence. Huge thanks to the 8th Dial team and we raise our glasses to you!"