The British Museum increase users by 80% through new Adobe Commerce website
The British Museum welcomed over 4.5 million visitors in 2022/23. Thanks to continued support from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport it can provide free admission to its permanent exhibitions. To continue its other important national and international work, essential finances come from special exhibitions, donations and retail sales.
The Museum’s online shop features some 4,000 products including books, catalogues, replicas, jewellery, textiles and stationery. From beautifully crafted kimonos to kitchenware based on the museum’s collections, it represents a unique online shopping destination.
Problem.
The Museum recognised the importance of digital sales to reach audiences around the world. It prioritised attracting new visitors and helping them choose and purchase items from their exceptional catalogue. Increased sales and improved profitability contribute to the Museum’s important cultural and community engagement projects. To support these aims, the shop’s Adobe Commerce Cloud site needed updating to improve user experiences, customer service and efficiency. The existing solution was unstable, performing poorly and outdated. Williams Commerce (part of Brandwidth) were appointed to support with this project.
Solution.
The first step was to complete a detailed technical audit. This quickly identified opportunities to deliver immediate improvements to the shop’s performance.
With ongoing support and robust service levels agreed, the shop’s team could focus on further development sprints to achieve even better results.
Following upgrades with full testing and deployment, the shop has moved to a current version of Adobe Commerce Cloud. The next phase was to collaborate to develop a digital roadmap for growth with the help of our in-house experts. This included a discovery project and an in-depth audit of user experiences and needs, mobile performance and accessibility. The result was a clear framework to achieve the next level of digital sales. Our collaborative approach has enabled us to build a strong, lasting relationship.
Regular updates and progress meetings have kept everyone up to date as the requirements and implementation plan developed. Our thought leadership, ecommerce experience and expertise have contributed to the Museum shop’s vision for the future.
Our work covered:
- Initial scoping
- Detailed auditing and reporting
- Relevant UX and design work
- Custom and configuration changes
- Testing and deployment
- Bedding-in and re-auditing
Results.
- 80% increase in users between 2019 to 2022.
- We successfully stabilised the Museum’s shop site and improved security. We have collaboratively created a digital roadmap that has already improved functionality and performance.
- Ongoing support to resolve issues was a priority to quickly minimise any impact on sales.
Williams Commerce is a great web agency with a team of knowledgeable professionals who have been incredibly helpful throughout our partnership. Their commitment to providing excellent account support is outstanding, and we are grateful for their continued dedication to our success.
Tom Costello, Head of Commercial Income at The British Museum