Summary
In 2020, Hageland, a leading garden retail chain in Norway, faced digital platform challenges during the pandemic’s surge in online demand. Partnering with Columbus, they migrated to Crystallize, an e-commerce solution with enhanced product and content management. The new website improved user experience, navigation, and product searchability. As a result, Hageland saw an increase in online orders, higher customer engagement, and improved operational efficiency. The digital update allowed Hageland to maintain its core values while positioning the company for future growth and innovation in retail. Today, Hageland has a website that reflects the same excellent service customers receive in-store.
About Hageland
Hageland is a nationwide specialist chain and a leader in the Garden and Plants category, according to the Norwegian Customer Barometer. It is proud to be Norway’s 11th most popular chain with physical stores, regardless of industry. Hageland consists of over 100 garden centres, each with its own unique charm and history, many operated by families with generations of horticultural expertise. The company offers a blend of professional knowledge and a wide range of products, whether customers are beginners or experts. Customers can find everything they need for their garden, along with helpful advice
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Industry
- Retail & Distribution
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Country
- Norway
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Service
- Digital Commerce
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Insight Type
- Case
When online shopping took off in 2020, Hageland noticed its platform could not meet with customer demand. Aiming to match its in-store experience online, Hageland teamed up with Columbus and increased engagement and sales.
Hageland has established itself as one of Norway's largest garden retail chains, with over 100 stores nationwide. The company has earned the trust of both hobbyists and professionals through its selection of plants, flowers, and garden accessories, backed by a highly skilled staff and personalised customer service.
"Our aim is to be the garden centre that grows with you through life. We want customers to return again and again, knowing they'll receive expert knowledge and trusted advice," says Frank Nortun, IT-manager at Hageland.
During the pandemic in 2020, Hageland faced challenges with its digital platform, which proved inadequate for handling increased online transactions and high visitor traffic.
Crafting a digital solution
Seeking to modernise its digital operations, Hageland partnered with Columbus. This collaboration has enchanced its online presence and digital marketplace while maintaining the company's high standards.
The new solution had to include a modern, inspiring, and user-friendly e-commerce platform to better serve its customers and reflect its brand values.
Through collaborative workshops and analysis sessions, Columbus identified Crystallize as the optimal platform. It offered product information management (PIM) capabilities blended with content management and e-commerce functionality.
“The migration process was a seamless partnership. Through workshops and strategic planning sessions, we guided Hageland through every stage of the transition,” says Alistair Spalding, Senior Business Consultant at Columbus.
“Our UX specialists refined the site’s design to ensure it was both visually appealing and easy to navigate. Additionally, we worked with Hageland to enhance product information, streamline searchability, and improve site navigation.”
New website and industry impact
The relaunch of Hageland.no delivered strong results across several key areas. The new platform achieved gains in customer engagement, with users sessions spending additional time browsing and viewing more pages during each visit.
Online orders rose significantly compared to the same period in the year before and customer satisfaction and operational efficiency saw improvements, including a reduction in order processing times.
By moving to Crystallize, it created a smoother shopping experience, and also gave Hageland a modern composable solution to build upon in the future.
"We've moved from our old, slow and hard-to-manage site to a fast, responsive platform that gives us much better control over our content and products," says Nortun from Hageland.
The digital update shows how traditional retail businesses can maintain their core values while executing on a clear digital strategy and making modern e-commerce an integral part of their business.
"Hageland.no now successfully combines digital product storytelling with the deep expertise found in their stores. That was our core mission for this project," Spalding concludes.
Looking ahead, this foundation positions Hageland to continue innovating in retail while maintaining its trusted customer relationships, and has strengthened the company's position as a leading retailer in its sector.