Streamlined operations, effective inventory management and BigCommerce’s B2B capabilities to provide Franchise / marketplace capabilities for Sod.
+24.25%
Retention Rate
-10%
Bounce Rate
+12%
Customer Engagement
SodStar, formerly known as BuySod, has a widespread network of sod farms throughout the Southeast, covering thousands of acres and a range of hardiness zones and soil types. SodStar produces branded, high-performance varieties that have been thoroughly tested in research trials, with proven qualities that deliver dependable results.
Equally important, SodStar’s advanced routing system fast-tracks customer orders for rapid delivery even on short notice. Upon delivery confirmation and routing, customer receives a delivery notification with the expected arrival time and a link to a GPS system that allows them to track exactly where the sod is in route.
SodStar
SodStar Transportation
Agriculture and Farming, D2C
BigCommerce
Acumatica
There are inherent difficulties in packaging and shipping a living plant, especially covering large surface areas. Sod needs to be grown, harvested, and shipped relatively quickly. Once harvested, the clock starts ticking. The sod must be delivered and installed as soon as possible. To provide prompt, accurate, and user-friendly selection and checkout, SodStar needed tools to offer customers the right purchase information along with streamlined checkout process integrated with delivery and scheduling systems.
Launch Project
Purchasing Sod goes through 3 complex processes: Sod Locator to determine the local retailer, Sod Selector to determine the type of Sod available for the customer’s hardiness zone, and Sod Calculator to determine the price based on the space. It is essential to take the customer through these processes before initiating the purchase process.
Checkout for buying Sod is not the same as a regular ecommerce checkout. Customers need to be provided with pricing estimates, delivery dates/times, and different delivery options based on the installer/location. Without an integrated system, customers had to call SodStar's service number to get this information, increasing customer service costs.
SodStar's customer, purchase, inventory, and shipping data needed to sync between their ecommerce website and their back-office operations (Acumatica Cloud ERP and Descartes Logistics) in order to ensure the purchase process and checkout are accurate and effective.
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With the right tools to help the buyer through their buying journey, SodStar was able to recreate the experience of a customer service person leading to an increase in customer satisfaction and conversion rates while reducing customer service costs.
One key factor in SodStar’s success was its D2C model. This strategy was powered by cutting out traditional retail channels and selling directly to customers through its website and physical stores. Thanks to this approach, SodStar was able to maintain control over the entire customer experience and gather valuable data on consumer preferences