In the early part of the summer of 2009, Plug Connection (one of BatesMeron’s oldest and dearest clients) came to us with a need to redesign a website for their popular brand, Organiks. This would go far beyond a superficial reskinning of the look and feel of the site—it would be a ground-up overhaul of both the front and back end, with robust new features behind a sumptuous new design.
Custom-programmed every inch of the way, the site has several nifty abilities, some you may be familiar with and some you may not have known were possible. Among them:
- User-adaptive logins. When you set up your account, you can select to be either a Home Gardener or Grower/Retailer. Whenever you login in the future, the content of the site changes to fit your needs, offering recipes to home gardeners and merchandising resources for retailers. The search options also change by user login, giving each demographic selected fields suited to their needs.
- Client-controlled database. The product database is client-controlled, meaning that Plug Connection can log in to the administrator control panel through any web browser and change information, add/remove products and swap pictures.
- Custom-generated PDFs. One of the most impressive aspects of this site is the ability for users to custom-generate a downloadable PDF of the products as a branded catalog. Complete with thumbnails and abbreviated descriptions of the products, it’s a fantastic addition that puts more power in the hands of the users.
A freshly tailored design breathes new life into the Organiks brand, with mouthwatering vibrant images and a clean, sophisticated layout. Combined, this refurbished back and front end elegantly demonstrate that design and programming can work seamlessly together to reinforce brands through both appearance and experience.