Michael Hill wins bling in tech awards

INTERNATIONAL Brisbane-based jewel retailer Michael Hill has won accolades at an international technology conference for its innovative online development. The sites enticed visitors to engage in novel experiences online, such as creating virtual charm bracelets.

Michael Hill has been acclaimed for achieving an 85 percent lift in website visitors and 220 percent lift in conversion rates since its latest round of online upgrades, engineered by cloud commerce solutions provider Demandware. 

The jeweller was recognised at the 2014 XChange Conference in the first annual Commerce Pacesetter award. One of three finalists, Michael Hill was voted first by almost 1000 conference attendees, who were asked to choose the winner based on factors such as online customer experience, visitation and conversions.

Since launching four e-commerce sites via Demandware in November last year, Michael Hill has seen the extraordinary lift in website visitors and conversion rates.

The jewellery specialist attributes part of this success to its development partner Amblique, which assisted Michael Hill in developing an interactive user experience including a feature that encourages customers to build their own charm bracelets.

Michael Hill group digital manager James Johnson presented his brand’s successes to the conference attendees, highlighting its 97 percent growth in mobile traffic since launching on Demandware.

“It’s our mission to deliver a quality, deeply engaging retail experience for each of our customers, regardless of where or how they choose to shop,” Mr Johnson said. “The growth of digital shopping channels encouraged us to pursue a digital experience that would rival that of the in-store experience.

“Demandware is a powerful foundation for our digital commerce initiatives, allowing us to develop some truly innovative consumer experiences. And our local partner, Amblique, was instrumental in this initiative.

“Their vast knowledge of the Demandware platform helped turn our vision into reality. We’re honoured to receive this year’s Commerce Pacesetter Award and congratulate the other finalists for their incredible work over the past year, as well.”

The other finalists included international lifestyle brand Crocs, and Amsterdam-based fashion brand Scotch & Soda.

www.michaelhill.com.au

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POSTED MAY 17, 2014.