NEW WEBSITE FOR COLLECTIONS, ETC. - Multichannel Merchant

LOW-PRICED GIFTS AND COLLECTIBLES CATALOGER COLLECTIONS ETC. revealed a new and improved Website just in time for the holiday season.

As part of a phased relaunch, which began in late October, the company redesigned and recategorized the current site “to make it more meaningful, appealing and easier to navigate,” says Collections Etc. president Todd Lustbader. The merchant has been adding new layers to the Website, from social media and feature content to product video and a new blog.

So what’s different about the site? The color scheme, icons and a more user-friendly interface makes for better site navigation. The expanded home page allows shoppers to quickly find the most popular items, sale items, newest merchandise and seasonally appropriate goods, Lustbader says.

The site has also revamped product categories organized for easy shopping, and included larger product images, easier-to-read buttons and instructions, product stories, tips and features. And it now provides the ability to share pages with friends and family on social-media sites such as Facebook and YouTube.

Collections Etc.’s site also boasts new interactive sections, such as Deal of the Day — special sales on selected items for 24 hours. The company’s future plans call for greater community efforts, contests, and more, Lustbader says.

Collections Etc. would not provide specific numbers, but Lustbader says that a few weeks into the relaunch the Website had recorded significant increases in sales and traffic.

“The most interesting is the differentiation between item performance in our catalog vs. the new site,” he says. “It’s clear that while there is overlap, the site is bringing in a different customer than the catalog.”

Low-priced gifts and collectibles cataloger Collections Etc. is ready to face the all-important holiday season with new and improved Website.

In what the company views as a phased relaunch, “we’ve first redesigned and recategorized the current site to make it more meaningful, appealing and easier to navigate,” says Collections Etc. president Todd Lustbader. “And each week brings new layers, from social media and feature content to product video and a new blog.”

The new CollectionsEtc.com, which launched Oct. 29, offers faster, easier access to thousands of affordable seasonal items, religious products, and novelty and gag gifts, to name a few. The site includes 3,000 products with more than 1,500 items priced under $14.99.

A new color scheme, new icons and a more user-friendly interface makes for better site navigation, while an expanded home page allows shoppers to quickly find the most popular items, sale items, newest merchandise and seasonally appropriate goods, Lustbader says.

Some of the enhancements to the site include a contemporary logo and an updated look that focuses on the theme of “Smile More. Pay Less.” The site also has revamped product categories organized for easy shopping, and included larger product images, easier-to-read buttons and instructions, product stories, tips and features. And it now provides the ability to share pages with friends and family on social-media sites such as Facebook and YouTube.

Collections Etc.’s site also boasts new interactive sections—Deal of the Day (special sales on selected items for 24 hours), Customer Favorites (savings on best-selling and seasonal items) and Stories & Tips (articles and ideas such as decorating on a budget and choosing unique gifts). The company’s future plans call for greater community efforts, contests, and more, Lustbader says.

While the Website has been a popular ordering channel for Collections Etc. print-catalog customers for years, Lustbader says, “We’ve long recognized that a sizable portion of our base is made up of ecommerce-only shoppers who’ve never received a print catalog from us.”

Many customers have found Collections Etc. through the Web “and reached out to us there,” he says. “We’re returning the favor with a more user-friendly site that’s easier to browse and does a much better job of showcasing our offerings.”

How is the new site doing? Collections Etc. would not provide specific numbers, but “we’re already seeing significant increases in sales and traffic,” Lustbader says. “The most interesting is the differentiation between item performance in our catalog vs. the new Website. It’s clear that while there is overlap, the site is bringing in a different customer than the catalog.”

Lustbader says the company’s catalog business remains strong, “but we know that e-commerce is an exciting and fast growing area for us. We intend to develop it to its full potential—and have a lot of fun doing so.”