View Entry

Company: Beanbag Bazaar Ltd
Project: Beanbag Bazaar Website

http://www.beanbagbazaar.co.uk

Dates: Jan 2007 to Dec 2007

How did the project start?

Beanbag Bazaar was started because Jayne, the founder of the company wanted a large comfortable beanbag similar to the one her father had made her as a child. When she was unable to buy one that met her requirements she decided to make her own. With the help of her mother she overcame the problems of being unable to sew, design a pattern or pattern cut. The end result was admired by family and friends and a small Ebay based business began initially as a hobby.
Quickly demand was outstripping Jayne’s ability to make every beanbag herself and she joined forces with her partner Mark to set the business up on a commercial basis. The next year was spent developing the product range and the supply base along with some unsuccessful attempts to self build a website.
In 2006 a successful website was established and the business moved from the spare room and the garage into its first commercial premises. More space, more people and more aggressive marketing helped to grow the business that quickly out grew its new surroundings.
Beanbag Bazaar is now the UK’s leading specialist online retailer of beanbags and trades from a 15,00sq ft new and bespoke premises with a state of the art stock management and dispatch system that is fully integrated with its website.

What options did you consider?

Having tried and failed to build an e-commerce website we chose one with a simple and quick process to buy. We also wanted a rock solid platform to deliver a quick and reliable site.
We took the decision to populate and manage the site ourselves and went about acquiring the skills to produce top quality product images.
We wanted to deliver the very best in customer service and extensively researched market for the best stock management system that was integrated to both our website and our carriers’ systems. We chose a company called Axida who provide this service for some of the largest retailers in the country and offer to bespoke their system on a “pay as you go” basis for SME’s.

What help and expertise did you receive?

We received a start up grant from Northumberland County Council along with invaluable business advice and sign posting through Business Link. In addition we have recently received an SFI grant through One NorthEast

Did you face any challenges or learn any lessons?

Too many to list!
Beanbags was, and now is more so, a very crowded and competitive market place. We quickly learned that success was down to combination of excellent quality, value and service driven by strong marketing.
In terms of capital investment in the business, we have extensively researched each project and then bought the best solution we could afford. The results of this have been much quicker and more successful than we had anticipated.
Finally, we speak to as many people as possible and treat them in the way we would like to be treated. Although we have made some mistakes we have found that most people will help if they can and this has led to a high quality support network for the business.

What are the outcomes and how has it improved your business?

The main outcomes for us are that we now have a website that converts at 3 to 4 times the industry average and we have developed the skills and a team of people that we can leverage into other product areas.

What are your plans for the future?

To replicate the formula of Beanbag Bazaar into other product areas.