Tapio's automated online shop runs itself

Our long-term client Tapio Group asked for a functional and maintainable eCommerce solution that would be integrated into Tapio's new ERP system. Equally important was to improve customer experience and boost sales. Tapio also wanted support in selling, uploading, and order management of digital products.

Tapio had three separate online shops, each on their own platform, with respective visual brand identities. Karttakauppa map shop, Metsäkauppa for forest industry professionals, and forestry magazine Metsälehti’s bookshop attracted visitors, but the shop complex lacked unity. It also needed technical solutions that would make daily life easier for the people working with the shop.

We helped Tapio’s people define the most suitable solutions and keep sight of the big picture in a complicated multi-supplier environment, where the requirements are constantly changing.

The ordering process requires no human hands

Our customer asked for two separate online shops with their own brand identities, in two different web addresses: Karttakauppa for consumers and Metsäkauppa for professionals.

In the definition phase, we went through, among other things, the most important contents of the service as well as the end users’ needs. In our KPI workshop, we planned together with Tapio which indicators would measure success and how the customer would be guided to make purchases.

After careful definition, we decided to combine the two shops on the same platform, with one shared shopping cart. The bookshop on Metsälehti's website merged into both online shops. The books aimed for consumers can now be found in Karttakauppa map shop and the professional books in Metsäkauppa. The new WooCommerce based online shop makes life easier for both the buyer and the administrator. The online shop was integrated into Tapio’s new ERP system to make the order processing as automated as possible.

Integrations free up working time

One of the most significant features in Tapio's eCommerce renewal is that the order information is automatically transferred to Tapio's ERP system, payment and financial management systems, and logistics and supplier partners. Also, digital products such as license codes, digital service IDs, and digital materials are automatically created and delivered to the customer as soon as payment is received. People’s time is freed up for more productive work.

The online shop was integrated into the following systems:

• Sonet Premium ERP system

• Procountor Financial Management

• Collector Bank invoicing

• Nordea Connect payments and settlements

• Moodle online course platform

• Finnish postal service and Matkahuolto branch search

• Book brokerage logistics partner

• Auth0 SSO

• Tapio's various services as well as license and digital products

A shared shopping cart makes buying easier

The renewal brought synergy benefits, as Tapio now only has one online shop and selection to maintain. Product descriptions, as well as availability and price information, are transferred directly from the ERP system to the online shop.

From the customer’s perspective, buying is made easier due to the shared shopping cart and checkout process. In practice, this means that the customer can move from one online shop to another, keep the tangible and digital products they selected in the first shop in the shopping cart and buy them all at the same checkout.

The shared shopping cart also opens up cross-selling opportunities between the two online shops. Analytics track the customers visiting the different websites and support further development of the shop through conversion optimization. Based on the data collected, sales can be boosted by modifying the shop interface, content and product presentation in a more favorable direction.

The key is quick adaptation to change

It was fascinating to create an online shop that sells a wide variety of products including forest tree seeds, books, online courses, and physical and digital maps. Variability had to be considered in both design and implementation. We also had to adapt the eCommerce renewal to go together with the simultaneous ERP renewal.

The renewal made in sprints was a tricky project in which our broad expertise was truly tested. Several suppliers were involved, which required managing a complex supplier environment and varied scenarios. Our team reacted quickly to changes, and we were able to provide flexible support to Tapio along the way to determine the best solution for them.

Compared to the past, we reached considerable improvements. Tapio’s new online shop is functional and smart-looking, its customer experience has significantly improved, and sales are busier. The manual work of the delivery process has already been significantly reduced, and as the development work progresses, it will reduce even more. Tapio’s people will have more time to study the diversity of the Finnish forest.

Comment from the client

Tapio's e-commerce renewal has been the most extensive and fascinating project I have taken part in. The numerous suppliers in the core and on the outskirts of the project set challenges on schedules as well as managing the big picture. With these, Frantic’s support and experience played an essential role. Working in sprints, we were able to proceed flexibly even when we had to quickly change the plan or leave something pending for reasons beyond our control. 

We are very happy with the outcome. Now we have our various customer groups "under one roof" in one combined online shop, and cross-selling happens on a daily basis. A combined online shop and its user management also opens opportunities to bring new digital products and services up for sale in this same environment.

–Mari Pousi, Service Manager, Tapio Palvelut Oy