ImagesMagUK_February_2021

www.images-magazine.com FEBRUARY 2021 images 71 IS ECOMMERCE I n 2009, Lana Corsano founded Bolt Printing, a screen printing, embroidery, and DTG operation in Brookfield, Connecticut, US, that turns out 500,000 pieces a year. Later, she was joined by her husband Anthony Corsano, former head of clothing brand Anvil, who now leads production. Before many decorators had an online presence, Lana saw the writing on the wall and built a bespoke ecommerce site. “Our database is custom-built in PHP,” she explains. “In 2018 we began the process of migrating to the Laravel Framework; a massive undertaking that requires us to rebuild (edit, rewrite or improve) existing code. We believe the forward-thinking actions we take now cement our future by allowing us to exploit what we do well, develop new features easily, significantly reduce script errors and maintain a much higher level of security. It is without doubt the single largest technology project I have ever worked on; it is the history of Bolt on day 1, each and every improvement along the way and defining our path for the future.” Lana asserts that the biggest challenge the garment decoration industry faces from an ecommerce perspective is managing the ever- expanding complexity of pricing. “Delivering an accurate price to a customer is a challenge when the variable factors and combinations are limitless. Product variations, embellishment methods, customisation choices, any limitations (product, embellishment method, customisation), fluctuations in purchase quantity, delivery of a price (as a quote, in a design studio, as an easy order, editing a design or the purchase quantity), and browser/session issues all combine to make delivery of accurate prices to the customer incredibly difficult. “Calling a customer to explain a price discrepancy is not fun; it breeds anger, distrust and a whole lotta friction,” she The nuts and bolts of an ecommerce operation James Andres of S&S Activewear argues that the way to stand out from competitors is to find your niche. Here, he talks to Lana and Anthony Corsano of Bolt Printing about how they created a highly successful ecommerce site and how you too can succeed online the shop’s ease of ordering, quick turnaround time, pricing and quality. Things move quickly online, Anthony says, so you need to understand ecommerce, online advertising, blogging, SEO, and also how to build a social media presence for your business. Providing a seamless online ordering and delivery service is key. “That’s why we have a tremendous repeat business,” he concludes. “We cater to customers who buy one shirt with a picture of Grandma, right next to big brands that buy 10,000 shirts for an anniversary.” www.boltprinting.com adds. “For Bolt; delivery of an accurate price at checkout is our number one goal. It defines us and everything we stand for: honesty, integrity, speed and value. It is the jumping off point for everything that happens next.” A lean operation Lana opened Bolt as a one-person shop. “We laugh when people say we’re an overnight success,” Anthony says. “We were early ecommerce adopters.” Now, the US$3 million firm scores 99% of its business via its site. Bolt’s team of 20 decorates every garment in its 10,000 sq ft facility. “We’re a lean operation,” explains Anthony. “That’s why we put procedures in place to turn out high volumes on a quick turn.” He is clear about the benefits of operating in cyberspace “Online, you can create a great customer experience. A person can order, get an accurate quote and receive their T-shirts the next day. It’s easy, but it’s not magic.” The shop boasts 4,000 positive customer reviews raving about James Andres is content manager of US multi-brand distributor S&S Activewear www. ssactivewear.com Lana Corsano founded Bolt Printing in 2009