Determine essential framework from ground up.

At first, we were uncertain about the specific functionalities required for the website and which e-commerce platform would be most suitable. Thus, we conducted a thorough analysis of competitors, examining their website contents, traffic sources and revenue streams. Additionally, we reached out to our potential customers to gain insights into their needs and preferences, helping us identify key areas of focus.

We reviewed our competitors' websites and identified key pages while comparing their areas of focus. However, when we spoke to smokers about trying our product, many expressed concerns about our legitimacy and safety. They also mentioned wanting to see our products in smoke shops, as retail items typically have more legal regulations. What sets us apart from our competitor's key pages is as a new brand, we need to emphasize our legal lab reports and utilize our partnerships with established smoke shops to build trust in our brand.

While using Semrush to analyze competitors' website traffic sources, we discovered that newer brands are increasingly utilizing influencer programs to drive traffic to their sites. ShareASale is a platform that legally manages influencer partnerships for D8 products. Our analysis revealed that influencer-generated traffic accounts for nearly one-third of the total traffic among these competitors.

During our stakeholder meeting, we proposed the plan for opening an online store for FLO. Initially, there was resistance due to the high costs associated with launching an online store—not only the platform fees but also expenses related to banking and legal services. Stakeholders also questioned the necessity of an online store, given that our primary revenue source is currently wholesale. To address these concerns, we presented our research findings and developed a comprehensive business model outlining the potential benefits after establishing an online store. We detailed projected revenue streams and estimated expenses, painting a bright vision for the brand’s future. This approach helped to clarify our intentions and demonstrated the viability of our plan, which ultimately helped us to get their support.

After analyzing the results from my research, I created this e-commerce site map to clearly outline the structure for the intended Shopify website, which helps me to build the whole platform in a more efficient and organized way.

In the same time as building the website, I not only focused on creating the individual pages but also improved the overall system processes that an e-commerce platform should have. I developed a comprehensive email workflow to support this goal. For these automated emails, I created basic HTML templates for the company to use in the future. Additionally, I established official social media accounts for the company’s affiliate program to facilitate the development of social media campaigns and foster greater engagement with users.

Potential user touch points based on our current development

Based on the touch points I presented, I identified the need to connect email flow with FLO's Shopify platform in the early stages, as email builds a crucial bridge between the brand and customer. I separated my target audience into two groups: individual buyers, and business partners.  

For individual buyers, I developed this automated email workflow (top image) and integrated it with Shopify's Analytics to achieve two primary objectives: keeping users informed about their orders and keeping the brand top-of mind for users, increasing the likelihood of return visits.

Sample of New User: Welcome, and Newsletter emails