Montana’s MarketPlace, a statewide e-commerce driven marketplace, unveiled its new website and brand. The site can be viewed at www.montanasmarketplace.com.
The locally-owned company was conceived as a way to help Montana businesses by giving them access to a global platform through which they could sell their products. The innovative site features a wide assortment of quality products made by Montana artisans and sellers. Buyers can purchase items from a variety of product categories including Made in Montana, Farmer’s Market, Jewelry, Fashion, Artwork, Home Decor, Kids and more. From the locally-raised beef to jewelry made with locally-mined sapphires, the state of Montana has enjoyed a long reputation for producing exceptional products.
Creating Montana’s MarketPlace as the premier site to buy made in Montana products
When small business make the inevitable transition to online sales, they’re often met with high cost barriers to entry. For large businesses with large budgets, this may not be a real concern. But for the majority of small businesses who have lean budgets, such a barrier can make or break the company before it has a chance to really get off the ground. Montana’s MarketPlace’s business model is designed to help such businesses overcome this hurdle by offering free store set up and low commissions on sales.
The new site gives sellers the flexibility to fully manage and control their online storefront. Sellers can add, edit, or delete products at their leisure and even tailor their store with custom graphics. They also have access to a robust ticketing system that allows them to address any questions from customers. This level of freedom on the seller side is one of the many qualities that make this site truly a first of its kind. On the buyer side, our team added user-friendly options to make the shopping experience smooth and seamless. Usability is important in any web setting but it’s especially vital when building e-commerce systems. At the end of the day, buyers aren’t just looking for a quality product. They’re also looking for a quality experience. This fact was central in planning the site’s flow of information. Buyers can create personalized wishlists, earn Mountain Points which are credits that can be used to buy anything on the site, and get answers to questions using the live chat feature.
Creating a site of this kind introduced many design considerations with each of them shaping the direction of the project in major ways. In determining the site’s visual style, we knew the end result needed to have a distinct Montana feel to it. We didn’t know exactly what this would translate into at the time. But we knew there was a certain rustic and outdoor experience that comes with living in Big Sky Country. And It was important these qualities were prevalent and clear throughout the new site design. The end result is a warm and inviting color scheme that sets the proper emotional tone of the site.
As an integral partner with Montana’s MarketPlace, ThreeCell developed the entire site and brand from start to finish. This included producing all of the company’s print and logo design needs. Our creative team continues to be a part of the marketplace’s national branding efforts.
To start shopping made in Montana products or to set up your new free online store, click here.
