Realm

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-owner of The Wild Orchid. We’re an everyday florist and boutique, but are becoming more of an event florist.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?

We weren’t satisfied with our previous site, and we also wanted to rebrand. I’m starting to take over the business from my mom and wanted to get everything up to date.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jay (Owner & Co-Founder) completely redid the platform on Shopify. I’m not tech-savvy, so he also assisted with Google Ads. He provided any information I needed on that. He also let me know about different things I could do with Shopify.  

What is the team composition?

We only worked with Jay.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

We met through a family friend. We were talking, and Jay mentioned that he did web design. In the back of my mind, I knew that down the road I wanted to do that. He gave me that extra push.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked on the website from February–May 2020. We started right after Valentine’s Day, and we finished the site by Mother’s Day.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Our business has doubled, maybe even tripled. We’ve had to hire a new designer.

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

From a project management standpoint, they’re amazing. As far as timelines and deadlines go, Jay was on top of everything. He got everything done so fast.

I’m the type of person that needs everything explained multiple times, so Jay was always responding to my emails within minutes. I planned to take maternity leave, so my team needed to be trained on the system. Jay made sure that everything was taken care of.

What did you find most impressive about them?

I think their customer service distinguishes them. Jay was there for me. Even though he works remotely, he was able to come in and sit down with us.

His design skills are also impressive. He customized everything. We only had a 30-minute conversation about what I wanted, and it all clicked for him. It was pretty spot on.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Honestly, I don’t even know.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

If you’re going to rebrand or start a new website, definitely have a vision in place. Be clear about what you’re thinking. We had a lot of trial & error, so communication was key. That’s how I got the most out of what I wanted by being open with him.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am one of the Co Managing Directors of AFRM Clothing. We are a direct to consumer e-commerce business that is a subsidiary of one of the largest private U.S. label clothing manufacturers, Topson Downs. I handle everything that has to do with the digital aspects of the business including operations.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design.

We had built a pre-existing business on Shopify and customized a template with a different developer.  We recently went through the process of a rebrand, and wanted to also redesign the website to reflect that; as well as add additional features. We were unhappy with our previous developer and were looking for another.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They’ve contributed all of the development. They recommended building off of a base template on Shopify, so that it would be continually updated in the backend – which was an excellent recommendation. They have been working with me as the designer, to implement my ideas and customized features around our desired feature list and business needs.

One of the biggest challenges has been associating products of the same style by color on the site. This is a common feature on major enterprise e-commerce sites. Often, if you see a dress of the same style with 3 different color options, you can hover each of those colors boxes and see the alternative product views. That's not possible on Shopify, as they don't build that into the default system. However, we were able to work around it and find a solution to achieve that. It was very creative and worked for our process. We've been very happy with the results.

What is the team dynamic?

We worked with Jay [Owner, Realm Web Design] as our project manager. My understanding is they had other engineers that were working on a project, but I never interacted with them, only with Jay over email or occasional phone calls.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

On Shopify's website, they were listed as one of their recommended developers. 

How much have you invested with them?

About $8,000–10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in June 2017, and the engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Generally, the response from customers has been very good for the site and the functionality of it. Our sales through the Thanksgiving holiday, and especially the cyber weekend deals, have been double what we normally achieve. I think that speaks to the quality of work. We haven't had any bugs, and everything’s worked well.

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

They did an excellent job. We worked exclusively over email, but I would have rather worked through a project management platform like Asana or Basecamp. Sometimes when you’ve got an email chain, the communication can get a little bit off; however, they’re always quick to pick up the phone and clarify things. Their response time is very impressive.

What did you find most impressive about them?

They are very willing to innovate. Often times, they will first want to understand the problem we’re trying to solve. Then on several occasions, they’ve recommended alternative solutions that are either less expensive on our end, or more easily maintained. They really seem to have our business in mind, as opposed to just thinking about the billing hours. They’re willing to correct problems or make little fixes that are easy for them but don't charge extra like many other larger agencies would. I appreciate that about them.

Are there any areas they could improve?        

We didn’t use a project management software, and that is definitely something I would like to do going forward. I’ve found it to be a bit clearer on the communication of individual aspects of a project when you've got multiple people working on a single release.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

To set their timeline expectations up-front, which is what we’ve done and it’s been really good. We have an understanding of when tasks are going to be complete and can check in all along the timeline with those expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the director of marketing for a company called White River Hardwoods.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm?

We wanted to create a responsive site that made it easier for customers to buy our products. We decided on a switch from Kibo to Shopify as an ecommerce platform, and needed a web development group to help us with the transition.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Realm oversaw the entire shift for two of our sites, one B2C sales site and one company overview site, both of which needed migration to Shopify. For the B2C site, they also assisted with UX/UI design and overall user flow.

What is the team dynamic?

I worked with Jay [Owner & Designer, Realm Web Design], and he coordinated with his team separately.

How did you come to work with Realm?

We interviewed a few different firms that we had found through recommendations and searching online. After speaking with about five different firms, we decided that Realm would be the best fit for the project.

How much have you invested with them?

$60,000 to $70,000 in total.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in October 2016, and the project is ongoing. We're going to launch the second site in the next few weeks. We also still go to them for changes that we need incrementally done.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We’ve gotten very positive feedback, but more importantly, our sales have increased 60 percent over the same period last year. The project paid for itself in the first 6 months.

How did Realm perform from a project management standpoint?

Jay has been fantastic since day one. He’s customer oriented and very technically sound. We mostly communicate via phone or email, I’ve never met him one-on-one, which is common with this scope of project.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Realm has a great team. They’re very flexible and they’re good listeners, which is rare these days. Typically, agencies want to push their thoughts and ideas on which technology to use, but that’s not the case with Realm.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Not that I can think of.

Advice for potential customers?

Have your project organized, and set expectations.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Moneyline Tees is an e-commerce apparel business. I am the owner/operator.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?

We needed a fast, efficient, mobile-friendly website that could easily convert transactions.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Jay [Owner & Designer, Realm Web Design] developed our e-commerce from the ground up. He was responsible for the design and functionality coding, as well as some small design features for our homepage. He also provided insider tips, helpful apps, and other ways to better my business.

What is the team dynamic?

We only work with Jay. We communicated mostly by phone or email.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

A colleague recommended searching through Shopify’s list of experts. Realm had good reviews, so I reached out to them. I had a conversation with Jay, and felt he was a good fit.

How much have you invested with them?

We’ve spent $25,000–$30,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working with them in January or February 2017. The original project is finished, but we’re building another e-commerce website with them now.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

We really like the new site. The functionality and efficiency are great, and the process of finding a product and converting it for a quick sale is simple and easy.

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Project management was terrific. Jay is a busy guy, but he gets back to us quickly, and we’ve had no issues.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Jay’s attention to detail and responsiveness show that he cares about our business, beyond just getting a job done. He takes time to build a relationship. That doesn’t happen much in his industry. This is the fourth or fifth company we’ve used, and he really stands out among them.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the owner of a watch repair and service website. We sell accessories online, and do watch repairs nationwide.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?

Our website launched 10-12 years ago, so the platform was outdated. We needed professional help upgrading to a modern platform, like Shopify, that was more mobile and user-friendly. We wanted to change the entire website, but also transfer all of our product inventory to the new site.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They transferred all of the information from our old site and built everything for the new Shopify site. They provided the new design, customizations, and all kinds of extra features. We have forms and search features that didn’t work with Shopify’s templates, so they built those from scratch. The finished product looks fairly simple, which I wanted, and it is mobile and tablet responsive.

What is the team dynamic?

I only dealt with Jay [Owner & Designer, Realm Web Design]. There may have been other people on the project, but all of my interaction was with him. He sent mockups for each page and design element, and if I approved it, they moved forward. There was always a dialogue.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

We were looking for a Shopify expert in Los Angeles within our budget and with good customer reviews. Jay met all our criteria and was knowledgeable and responsive in his interactions with me and my SEO [Search Engine Optimization] team member.

How much have you invested with them?

Overall, we’ve spent between $25,000-$35,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in May 2016. We finished the first site a while ago, but they’ll still provide small fixes or new features when we need them. I’m working with them on a different project now, so we’re still in contact.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Everybody likes the new site. They think it’s user-friendly, clean, and neat.

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

We originally wanted a company in L.A., but they moved around the time we started working together. We never met face-to-face, but communicated about 90% through email. We scheduled conference calls when email wasn’t thorough enough. They were very responsive, and I’d definitely give them an A-plus.  

What did you find most impressive about them?

They were really involved with our project, and went beyond just completing directives. I did a lot of research on companies that just take your money and only do what you ask, good or bad. Realm gave us personal attention, made recommendations, and showed that they actually cared about the project’s functionality and appearance.

Are there any areas they could improve?

After the initial build is finished, it would be helpful if they offered an ongoing maintenance plan for small businesses. They have good service, and will do small things on request, but it would be great if they expanded their team to offer that kind of option.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I am the co-founder and owner of The Sweet Box. ​I do everything except for fulfillment, as we opened a fulfillment center for that earlier this year.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?​

We had a free template Shopify site. This isn't bad, but we needed something better. That's when I reached out to some preferred Shopify web design experts and contacted Realm.​

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

They were in charge of making a new website focused on a new homepage.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

He was saying the right things and knew exactly what to do. He had a vision​ for the site, which is what I needed, as I did not. That's what a true expert is and does.

How much have you invested with them?

Less than $5,000​.

What is the status of this engagement?

The site was completed a few months ago. I will be using Realm for all future work and enhancements.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that demonstrates the productivity, quality of work, or impact of the engagement?

The site looks completely professional now.​

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?​

Excellently. They were on time and on price target.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Their vision and ability to take charge most impressed me. I needed someone to tell me what the site needed, and that's what Realm did really well.​

Are there any areas Realm Web Design could improve?

No.

Do you have any tips or recommendations for other prospective clients that might increase their success when working with Realm Web Design?​

Definitely give them an opportunity to compete for your business.

BACKGROUND

Please describe Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company offers a variety of beauty and skin care products through our website and Amazon. I am the owner of the company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?

Our website at the time was more of an informational page, describing what our company did and linking to our products on Amazon. We wanted to have a full e-commerce solution.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Realm Web Design created a website for our company using the Shopify platform.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

I was looking for a website that would allow me to organize my products properly, have promotions, use coupons, and display our contact info easily, allowing customers to follow us on social media and subscribe to a company newsletter. I decided to use Shopify because it also allowed us to connect to Amazon in the backend for fulfilment.

I looked at a couple of firms broadly, giving them requirements for my project. Realm Web Design came recommended as a good vendor for this platform. I gave them a couple of examples of websites that I liked, and they came back with a couple of proposals. We talked about the scope and pricing, and went on from there.

How much have you invested with Realm Web Design?

The total cost of Realm Web Design's services has been under $10,000.

What is the status of this engagement?

I started working with Realm Web Design at the beginning of 2016. The project was completed quite fast. I'm still working with Realm Web Design for small improvements and support.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I like the way in which Realm Web Design approached projects; we didn't have a lot of back-and-forth. They understood what I was looking for, gave me examples of similar websites, and helped me decide on what style I wanted. It was an efficient process, and especially for a person without a lot of experience like myself. It was very helpful to be guided.

The site is excellent from a design and graphics perspective. There were a few glitches in the beginning, but Realm Web Design fixed them right away. I'm not fully utilizing the site yet, since I'm only starting to market it, but it's doing what it's supposed to do. It allows me to collect contact information, issue coupons, and promote our products cross-market. We could do more with it, but we haven't reached that point.

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

The turnaround time was quick, and my conversations with Realm Web Design were insightful. They always responded quickly to any questions I had. Realm Web Design couldn't work without my feedback, so they always pushed me for responses.

What did you find most impressive about Realm Web Design?

The responsiveness offered by Realm Web Design and their familiarity with the Shopify platform made them stand out. Realm Web Design was able to make the platform connect seamlessly with Amazon, and guided me through what did and didn't matter during development.

Are there any areas Realm Web Design could improve?

I found a couple of errors in the site. One of the main pictures on the front page had a spelling mistake. It was only a minor issue, which we detected after three days. A part of this was my fault as well, given that I was responsible for writing the content.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Realm Web Design?

Any clients should be clear in terms of initial goals and timeline. As long as they can continuously follow those and have an open discussion, they will have a good working relationship. Having too many revisions is not a bad thing, as long as the process takes the client to where they want to be.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

lizzyjames.com is a jewelry brand, offering bracelets, necklaces, earrings, and so forth. I am the head of online marketing.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?

Our company started out by selling wholesale to stores and via trade shows. I suggested having a direct-to-consumer line, for which we needed a website.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Realm Web Design built a web store for our company. I had the architecture of the site in mind, but our developer was more adept in knowing which apps to use. Shopify is our core platform, but we also needed other modules for different features. We have used Realm Web Design as a technical expert, offering an understanding of the web code and facilitating the functionalities of the site.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

I looked for local companies in San Diego, doing research on Shopify boards. I interviewed Realm Web Design's lead over the phone, along with six other firms. Realm Web Design seemed to be the easiest to work with. They had the right knowledge.

How much have you invested with Realm Web Design?

The total cost of Realm Web Design's services has been in the low tens of thousands. The total cost will depend on how much of the work the client wants to do themselves. Realm Web Design was very reasonable in terms of cost, compared to other companies I contacted.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started together with Realm Web Design in early 2015. Our site went live in May 2015. We keep a retainer with Realm Web Design, using them for assistance on a monthly basis.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

I would classify our resource from Realm Web Design as a very good generalist. He has been able to understand all of our apps and features, and helped us figure out the best solution. This may be specific to our Shopify platform, but given how popular it is, I think this is good general feedback.

Our website's success is partly attributable to our marketing budget, but we've gone from having a handful of sales to 6,000+ orders per month. Doing this requires a properly-functioning website, so Realm Web Design was a big part of our success. They understood the whole client journey in the sales tunnel, and were able to help us come up with the right setup for accommodating thousands of customers and orders each month.

How did Realm Web Design perform from a project management standpoint?

Realm Web Design has been very responsive. They laid things out in a way that would allow me to perform much of the work. Our developer was available whenever we needed help, so our project was completed in a reasonable amount of time. Some companies can become involved with multiple clients and stick them in a queue, but I never got that feeling with Realm Web Design.

What did you find most impressive about Realm Web Design?

Realm Web Design has a breadth of knowledge, being on top of all technology updates. Our developer was also a very patient person, which helped with client interaction. When someone had an issue, he was able to calmly solve the problem.

Are there any areas Realm Web Design could improve?

I can't think of anything. We've grown incredibly as a company over the past year and a half, and there's nothing that Realm Web Design could have done better.

What tips or recommendations could you share that might increase the likelihood of success with Realm Web Design?

We had a fair number of customizations done on our website. At a certain point, we needed to contact an outside developer who could program those functionalities. Realm Web Design was key in those interactions, but they didn't handle much of the coding themselves.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

Our company is developing a connected car technology for the aftermarket. However, I have worked with Realm on several different projects. Our target market is B2C [business-to-consumer] and B2B [business-to-business], but the current site is oriented towards consumers. I am the CEO of the company, and I worked directly with Realm along with members of our technical team.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Realm Web Design?

We had to develop a new website that created a brand image.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

The campaign evolved over time from a prelaunch site to a post launch, commercial site. Realm took into account our requirements and target market and designed a professional but aesthetically pleasing format. In addition, Realm set up the commerce side of our site. We needed a rather complex 3-way integration with an automotive database, inventory selection, and e-commerce capabilities. Realm worked with members of our technical team to pull this all together.

How did you come to work with Realm Web Design?

Realm was selected based on the fact that I had previous experience working with the firm.

What is the status of this engagement?

They have delivered on time and within budget. The elements of the project included design, development, and ongoing support. In addition, we have used Realm's advice on how a website can be used to market to consumers.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Could you share any evidence that would demonstrate the productivity, quality of work, or the impact of the engagement?

The website was evolving over time to match an ongoing marketing campaign as we approached product launch. This required both design changes and updates to the e-commerce site. The system was set up using WordPress such that we can make simple changes and updates to the site; however, we continue to use Realm to this day to implement more significant design changes as required.

What did you find most impressive about Realm Web Design?

I am very impressed with Realm’s ability to listen and create an aesthetically nice design based on only rudimentary input from a customer. Our strength is not in design but between understanding the target market and taking “aspirational” input from a customer. Realm has repeatedly developed a comprehensive theme for our sites and built it in an expedited fashion.

BACKGROUND

Could you briefly describe your company?

My company is called Hipknoties. It’s a multifunctional, convertible garment designed for women.

What is your position?

I am the CEO and founder.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

Can you describe your business challenges that you were attempting to address when you initiated the project with Realm Web Design?

My challenges revolved around SEO, consistency on my website, and an intuitive user interface.  

SOLUTION

Could you describe the scope of the project in terms of components? For example, did it include custom design, development, training, or support?

They provided significant backend development, some aesthetic design, and SEO. Anything I needed on the backend of my website they’ve helped me with. They’ve also integrated a number of custom apps into my Shopify site, which has really expanded what I can do with my content.

Is there any particular reason you selected Shopify vs. some of its competitors?

In all honesty, it was because when I created my product, I had no knowledge in this arena. I was too green and naive even to know what other options were available to me at the time.

How do you feel that the Shopify solution has met your business needs and technical requirements?

I think up to this point it’s been adequate. I’m happy with it. There are certainly things that I think it lacks, things that I’m trying to figure out right now. But, for the scope of my business and my revenue goals, it works fine. I’m not sure if it’ a viable long-term solution, but I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.  

How did you select Realm Web Design as your solution partner?

I discovered them through the Shopify Experts directory. I reached out to a number of developers and Realm was one of the first to respond. I interfaced with them, described my objectives and requirements, and we essentially went from there.

What parts of the project did you contribute to with your in-house expertise?

I provided all of the content. I do not know how to do coding. The partnership has been very fruitful overall. Realm can take my content and integrate it into the site in an intuitive and easy-to-use manner.

Could you give me a sense of the size of the project in monetary terms?

I suspect it cost between $3,000 and $4,500 in total.

When did they complete the bulk of the work for your website?

There were two separate times. In June of 2012, they performed significant SEO work on the site. In June of 2013, they completed a theme transition on the site, which required a complete overhaul of the frontend.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

In terms of results from these projects, could you share any metrics or statistics that would demonstrate the effectiveness of the work that they delivered to you?

Unfortunately I do not.

How do you feel that Realm Web Design has performed on these projects?

Excellent. They’re very responsive, quick, easy to work with, effective, and pleasant.