Petvalu
INTRO
ROLE
Web Design
Front-End & Back-End Development
E-Commerce Strategy
Content Management
Content Strategy
Client/Context
Petvalu
Year
2013
Category
Retail & Ecommerce
282%
Increase in unique & return traffic
98%
Increase in store locator accuracy
80%
Decrease in customer price complaints
Solving Operational and Customer Issues
A technical and visual website revamp
PetValu's website in 2012 struggled with an outdated inventory system, a lack of mobile compatibility, and a poor user experience for both franchisees and customers. Managing store details was cumbersome, search functionality was unreliable, and key features like pricing accuracy and store locators often caused frustration or simply didn't work.
I was part of a 3-person strike team to redesign and rebuild the website from the ground up. First, to ensure it better reflected the brand experience in store but also to improve operational efficiency and deliver a content-forward, reliable shopping experience for customers.
From Catalog to Content Hub
Starting with content strategy
When we began the project, PetValu's website functioned as little more than a static product catalog. For franchise owners, it lacked essential tools like a searchable product code database and all location info was manually entered.
To reinforce their brand focus on education, PetValu wanted to transform their website into a destination for pet parents (while also being a utility). We developed a content strategy that focused on informative content (like a magazine) while also designing a logic-driven CMS that would automatically refresh or populate content in under-updated categories to reduce the maintenance burden.
An Educated Look
To go clean or go skeuomorphic?
Refreshed PetValu stores were designed to be cozy and inviting using dark wood, black paint and chalkboard signs but PetValu's franchisees had many often conflicting ideas of how the website should feel. We set out to explore different ways the brand could be expressed in its new web presence.
We explored a range of light and clean visuals all the way to a more direct translation of PetValu's in-store experience. While some stakeholders enjoyed this look ultimately, the guidance was that it simply didn't "match" the store.
The Underserved Franchise Owner
Creating a reliable company tool
As a franchise-based company, PetValu depends on a network of independent owners who manage their own stores or districts. Many basic features that customers take for granted were previously unavailable or unreliable. This made operations unnecessarily difficult for franchisees.
To address customer and franchisee complaints, we developed:
A new Store Locator with location-based search and filtering.
Individual logins for store owners to manage their location including per location event-calendar and message of the day.
A fast, filterable, searchable, and always up-to-date product database.
Even small enhancements, like displaying which products were on sale were major quality-of-life improvements, giving franchise owners the tools they needed to better serve their customers and streamline daily operations.
