Indianapolis, IN - March 4, 2008
Harvard Health Publications, working collaboratively with its strategic partner StayWell Consumer Health Publishing, recently launched a completely overhauled custom e-commerce platform built by Indianapolis-based Rare Bird, Inc.
The new site features an enhanced interface design built around modern usability concepts and has high-level integration with Harvard’s fulfillment company in Texas. “This integration was extremely important to us,” said Helen Hoart, president of StayWell Consumer Health Publishing. “We’ve long recognized the inherent benefits of having fulfillment closely aligned with the web site and we’re thrilled that Rare Bird was able to make it happen.”
According to Ed Coburn, Publishing Director of Harvard Health Publications, there are many benefits of a more robust custom e-commerce platform with fulfillment integration. “We have much better control over the entire user experience and we can react much more quickly to the changing environment to capitalize on opportunities,” he said. “Using the fulfillment company as the main gatekeeper for customer access, order history, and customer service makes the site better for our subscribers and visitors and ensures the highest possible data integrity, not to mention providing increased opportunities for additional product sales.”
The site provides a platform to sell six different topic-specific, health-related newsletters in both print and digital formats, either as a subscription or by individual issue. Customers can also choose from more than 50 special health reports covering topics from Alzheimer’s disease to weight loss, also available in both print and digital formats.
“Each time a customer makes a purchase, the order is instantly inserted into the customer record with the fulfillment company and digital products are immediately available for access online,” said Hoart. “This is a huge benefit for our customers and simply wasn’t possible with our previous site.”
Coburn wrapped up his thoughts with high marks for the development team and the result: “I could not be more pleased with this… We finally have a site I can recommend to customers, friends, and colleagues with full confidence and pride. The new site is a great improvement.”
The statistics support him. Since the site launched, the number of pages per visit is up 44%, the conversion rate for sales is up 25%, transactions are up 12%, and the average value of each order is up 3%, even though the site offers discounted promotions that were previously unavailable.
Comparing site performance to the same time period a year ago shows similar results: the number of pages people visit is up 35%, the conversion rate for sales is up 23%, and the average value of each order is up almost 12%.
“Pulling this project together required a great deal of teamwork at all levels,” said Jim Cota, president of Rare Bird. “Everyone involved– from Harvard, StayWell, SFG and Rare Bird– really put their hearts into this work, and I think it shows in the result. I’m really proud of the team and what we’ve accomplished so far, and I’m excited about the additional things we’re working on now.”
Harvard Health Publications is a division of the Harvard Medical School. Their goal is to bring the public the most current practical, authoritative health information, drawing on the expertise of the 8,000 faculty physicians at the Harvard Medical School and its world-famous affiliated hospitals.
Rare Bird, Inc. is an internet media firm specializing in custom e-commerce development, Internet marketing, web and new media development, search engine optimization, and advanced customer communications. Rare Bird was founded in 1998 and provides marketing services to clients across the country in a wide spectrum of industries.