When an established company launches an online store, the work never starts from scratch: the solutions must be integrated with existing systems. In the case of Finland's leading sporting goods chain, the project requirements were heightened by the extensive chain operations, vast product selection, and high sales volume.
| Challenge | Intersport aimed to create an online store that seamlessly supports in-store shopping and integrates with all necessary backend systems. |
| Solution | Crasman designed a solution that not only meets the evolving needs of consumers but also guides them to better engage in their hobbies through curated content. |
| Results | Intersport’s easy-to-use online store provides top-notch, expert service to customers 24/7. |
Intersport embarked on building its first online store at a time when consumer behavior was undergoing significant changes both online and in brick-and-mortar stores. The digital solution needed to serve both customer groups—those who shop online and those who make their final purchase decisions in-store.
“Considering Intersport's position as Finland's leading sports chain, the absence of an online store was a significant gap. Today, people browse selections online before heading to the store to buy. That’s why we want to provide comprehensive product information before customers even step into the store,” says Ilkka Saastamoinen, Head of E-Commerce at Intersport.
Intersport already had key technical systems in place that were critical to their business, as well as high-quality content on their old web service. The custom approach was designed to fully leverage these existing resources. Crasman was selected to implement the online store.
The e-commerce project extended from inventory management to the cash register systems in the stores. A year prior, Intersport had already adopted Crasman’s product information management system for their store and marketing materials. Utilizing this material was essential for the highly visual and image-driven online store.
The design focused on providing an effortless and clear user experience. The goal was to create an online store that not only meets the evolving needs of consumers but also guides them to better engage in their hobbies through the content provided.
The online store was designed with a strong emphasis on creating a seamless shopping experience, where selecting, purchasing, and returning products is made easy. Clear views and product highlights enhance the user experience and guide customers as they navigate the online store.
The implementation effectively serves the needs of both online and in-store customers. When a home address is entered into the store locator, it shows the exact locations of nearby stores with kilometer precision. This feature is based on the understanding that customers often want to try out products in-store after viewing them online.
“We wanted an online store that conveys quality and expertise while supporting the brand of our physical stores. Crasman developed a platform that works on all devices and features technical solutions tailored to our specific needs. We now have an online store that is as simple as possible for consumers, yet visually engaging,” says Ilkka Saastamoinen.
The online service enhances customer engagement with rich content, increasing both the appeal and visibility of the store. In addition to self-produced videos and articles, the platform publishes dynamic content through an RSS feed. A key benefit for ongoing content production is the ease of publishing—updates can be made effortlessly without intermediaries. The flexible web platform also allows store owners to update content related to their specific locations themselves.
Site speed was seen as a critical requirement for the implementation. The platform is built to handle high traffic, withstanding up to 100,000 visitors per day without issue. The speed and responsiveness provided by Crasman’s solution ensure that customers enjoy the best possible user experience across all devices.
Behind the scenes, Intersport's online store is an exceptionally large-scale project by Finnish standards. It serves as the largest Intersport store in Finland in terms of visitor numbers. For users, Intersport.fi is a clear and easy-to-use marketplace that understands their needs and encourages them to experience the joy of physical activity with expert guidance.
“I have never seen a project of this scale executed in such a short time. The number of different integrations is incredibly large, and Crasman handled them very well. Crasman’s approach is innovative and flexible. ‘It can’t be done’ is not something you’ll ever hear from them. They implement all our requests for new features and make changes quickly. The site is fast and has withstood the traffic peaks during campaigns,” says Ilkka Saastamoinen.
Interested? Want to learn more about developing online stores and customer experience? Get in touch!