OutdoorIndustry.org – Boosted Retail Partners’ Bussiness

In August 2015, Yakima launched an all-new, responsive website that was the result of an eight-month, multi-departmental project. The new site is stocked with tools for researching, installing and customizing a rack setup. According to Jenna Fallon, digital director at Yakima: “At the end of the day, the focus and initiative to invest in technology and digital tools is all about supporting the consumer. One of our main driving forces was to be able to meet their changing needs in terms of mobile.”

Supporting the consumer, in Yakima’s case, means empowering them with education and ease of research. In developing the site, Fallon and her team spoke directly to consumers who said they research purchases online and in store before they buy. To accommodate these user preferences and ensure ease of use, the new site allows customers to select a rack system by activity, vehicle or direct product search; to make an online purchase or to find a nearby retailer—all via smartphone, tablet or computer.

According to Fallon, the investment in mobile-friendly technology is part of Yakima’s commitment to its vendor partners as well as its customers. While Yakima does sell direct-to-consumer online, the site has built-in tools for connecting customers with Yakima dealers. A “Dealers” link has prime digital real estate on the website’s main navigation menu and in the online checkout process to help customers find their nearest retailer.

The mobile-accessible “Fit My Car” function, a simple and intuitive tool for selecting a rack system, can be embedded on Yakima retail partners’ own websites. By bolstering the functionality and the content of the website in a way that meets consumers’ needs, Yakima is simultaneously providing marketing, sales and educational tools for its retailers.

The results: Yakima’s mobile-friendly strategy is working. Mobile conversions have nearly doubled; mobile bounce rates are down 10 percent; page-per-view visits are up 22 percent. Especially noteworthy, in terms of direct sales and referrals to retailers, the average time spent on the site per visit has gone way up, a trusted indicator that the content is working and Yakima has its customers’ attention.