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Best Retailer Website of the Year (accepted by Katie Ruocco)
Best Retailer Website of the Year (accepted by Katie Ruocco)

Best Retailer Website of the Year: Ellie Sanderson

We caught up with Ellie Sanderson to find out how it feels to have won Best Retailer Website of the Year

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How does it feel to win Retailer Website of the Year?

I know everyone says they are proud and happy, but truly I am. I spent a lot of time on my website and to win was the cherry on the cake. We also won this category four years ago and for me it’s astonishing to look back at what we did then and what we do now.

See the full list of winners at the Bridal Buyer Awards 2018 here.

What made you decide to enter this category?

I am always obsessed with websites and the visitor experience and felt that my site was a little different and fresh when compared to most sites.

Read more: Bridalwear Retailer of the Year: England - Abi Neill of Abigail’s Collection

What was the thought process behind the look and feel of your website?

I wanted it to feel easy to navigate, I wanted it to be clean and fresh and not fussy. I wanted a unique appearance and I was desperate to make it engaging.

Initially, the white-ness scared me but I totally embraced it and now I love it! The site is also easy to navigate as it’s dotted with arrows. Also, our dress selector by style or feel of wedding has been a huge hit for my brides. I wanted to offer an alternative to the rows of dresses by label and show brides style options based around the kind of day they want. We spend hours arguing over the categories when the new dresses come in.

Read more: Winners of Best Supplier Customer Service of the Year: Catherine Parry

What advice would you give to retailers looking to revamp their digital offering?

Always speak to a few companies before you decide who you want to work with. Your website designer has to get your brand, your personality and style. They have to understand how people shop and this changes all the time. Instagram has brought on a generation of brides who want image rich sites, not heaps of words.

Read more: Best Men’s Formalwear Retailer of the Year: Chimney Menswear

Anything else you’d like to add?

My previous site was loaded with video content and every year I shot every single dress like an ASOS runway. Four years ago my brides loved it but over the last few years it was apparent they were too busy to even watch a 20 second video with most opting out at 8 seconds. It is so important to understand the back office of your site so you can analyse how people shop it. I know I am a numbers freak but this stuff seriously keeps me awake at night.

Don’t be afraid to try things and don’t be afraid to stop doing things that once worked if they stop working.

If you loved reading about Ellie’s win, enjoy our exclusive interview with Veni Infantino for Ronald Joyce after the 2018 awards.

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