Readings Bookshop Website
Readings have been a cornerstone of Lygon Street Melbourne since their flagship store opened in 1969. Over the years, they have continued to grow and have accumulated many accolades, including Australian Book Retailer of the Year. Readings came to Erudite for assistance with their eCommerce website, as there were many inefficiencies with their processes for the website itself and their order management and fulfilment processes. They also required a way to manage their library customers through the website effectively.
Issues
- Working with multiple third-party vendors
- Complex data interfacing requirements
- Integrating B2B features within a B2C site
- Creating new back-end features for an existing front-end platform
Objectives
- Create efficient order management & fulfilment systems to increase Readings ability to fulfil orders in a more efficient and timely manner.
- Allow Readings to work with their existing website platform for the front-end.
- Interface with key data providers to ensure accurate pricing and availability information for all systems.
- Interface with financial systems and POS to ensure accurate stock information and financial data accuracy for the business.
Research
We performed extensive scoping of the existing business processes in consultation with Readings to ensure that we had a comprehensive understanding of where the issues were. We then performed detailed analysis and developed technical specifications with third-party vendors for all interfacing points. Using this information, we then tailored our J2EE Order Management and Dispatch Management systems and our eCommerce Content Management System to meet their requirements. These customisations automated the previously manual processes and provided a fast framework for their website, increasing their ability to process large amounts of orders in peak times.
Conclusions
We successfully implemented our Order Management and Dispatch Management System for Readings that met their core business requirements and improved efficiencies within the business. Following the implementation of the system, they were able to increase order processing capabilities, expanded their product catalogue from several hundred thousand to ten million products, all of which drove an increase in sales from the online arm of their business.