DIY Imaging Tool Drives Online Engagement for Montana Silversmiths, Kid's Creations

Montana Silversmiths, a manufacturer and retailer of Western-style jewelry, belt buckles and gifts, had been using an online catalog for custom products, but there wasn’t a direct connection between the products and checkout, leading to a less-than-desirable shopping experience for consumers and a headache for the brand.

“All our custom orders had to be handled one-on-one by phone or email,” says Melissa Smith, manager of e-commerce and retail sales for Montana Silversmiths.

While custom buckles have been a Montana Silversmiths specialty since 1973, a near equally outdated checkout process couldn't last. Knowing that, Montana Silversmiths has begun using a custom “Buckle Builder” tool powered by LiquidPixels, a dynamic imaging solution for websites. With this “Buckle Builder,” Montana Silversmiths' customers can design their own buckle with custom options like base, engraving and figure.

“LiquidPixels is used to display how the custom selections would look together,” says Smith.

At the end of the design process, shoppers can now easily proceed to the checkout page to complete their purchase.

Kid's Creations, a retailer of wood swing sets, was using a "Design Your Own" option on its website that was archaic and slow, according to Dean Duncan Jones, SEM and operations director at Trademark Productions, a LiquidPixels partner that focuses on web design and marketing. Jones says the old design tool was built in Flash, so it didn't work on certain devices and required a browser plugin to function properly.

Upon implementing LiquidPixels' custom builder tool on its site nearly four years ago, Kid's Creations' customers have been able design their own swing sets — everything from the size of the set to the color of the canopy to what kind of swings they want. Trademark Productions helped Kid's Creations' update its website with a new "Design Your Own" option.

"It generates a static image that consumers can share with others via email or social, provides an image to the company and installer for easier installation, and has a ton of benefit to Kid's Creations," says Jones. "Its swing set configurator also integrates with several other third-party services, including its ERP system, a third-party sales tax service and others. It’s a very effective tool for everyone involved."

Jones points out that online retailers need to display products with the best images possible to keep potential customers engaged and on site.

"Failure to hit those key points just means that the potential customer will find a competitive business that does it better, and can do so in seconds," Jones says. "Getting traffic isn’t enough anymore — engagement is key in today’s online landscape."

Both Montana Silversmiths and Kid's Creations are getting that engagement with their custom imaging tools. Thirty percent of Kid's Creations' sales are directly generated by the "Design Your Own" tool. Montana Silversmiths has noticed a steady increase in new custom orders year-over-year, reports Smith

“We’re able to reach out to more people than ever before, allowing them to own their own personal piece of Montana quality,” she adds.