Sirius, major buying group in the electrical appliance and kitchen retail sectors, is delighted to launch its PIM (Product Information Management) System and brand new website – specially designed to improve the online customer experience with a focus on driving more traffic to group members websites, so consumers support and buy from the independent retailer.
Steve Jones, Managing Director at Sirius, says, “These newly created and ultra-beneficial resources are both exciting and important developments for Sirius Buying Group, ensuring we continue to do all we can to help our Members position themselves in the digital world and thrive. The PIM System feeds our Sirius website with over 5.5K products, complete with technical specifications and visual assets from our market leading Approved Suppliers, which is also available to all 185+ Sirius members to utilise across their own websites.
As a direct consequence of this digital group investment, our Members are able to have the most current product content on their websites, without the difficulty and time constraints of keeping it up-to-date themselves. It also greatly benefits our Approved Suppliers as product information can be added and updated in one place, rather than sending to each and every Member in different required formats.
We are proud to lead by example, as we encourage our members and the KBB industry to use the latest digital resources to their advantage. At a time when supply chain issues are proving challenging to the economy, while raising awareness to the end user on finding their nearest reputable, local independent.”
The latest consumer research from Google indicates that UK shopping patterns have changed across all sectors so that a seamless Omni-channel experience is only going to become more vital. Recognising this, the new Sirius website is designed with clarity and ease in mind so that visitors can find what they need with minimum effort, whether they are consumers looking for a local retailer or retailers keen to see what the group has to offer.
General Manager and Project Lead for the new Sirius website, Mark Veysey says, “We really wanted to optimise the flexibility of search on the website and make it mobile friendly so that all users can navigate with ease: which is why there’s a dedicated function to search for product type, name and number and an intuitive filter section for the consumer to find exactly what they require. In doing so, we’re able to provide end users the option to search however they wish in order to provide the best possible products for their needs”
“We know that every business is unique and constantly-evolving and nowadays, consumers are extremely discerning when it comes to choosing suppliers of integrity. Trust, mutual respect and likability need to be conveyed through a positive and highly visible online presence, as we must recognise that retail now takes many forms from traditional bricks and mortar store to the Internet. With this in mind, by treating the web as a natural extension of your retail space and your digital offering will remain sustainable and actively drive new foot traffic to your business – be it online or in person. In my opinion, a website needs clarity and structure so your visitors always know where they currently are and where they need to go. Amongst the numerous services our members benefit from the PIM is designed to support them in achieving an online presence allowing them more time to spend on their business and it also removes the countless hours manually adding products to their website” adds Mark.
