Schaeffer Manufacturing Co.
Schaeffer Manufacturing Co. is the maker of Schaeffer’s Specialized Lubricants, the highly engineered oils, fluids and additives fortifying everything from race cars to combine harvesters.
Role
- Website Design + Development
- Copywriting
Industry
- Engine Oils
- Fuel Additives
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Hero.jpg)
Challenge
When Schaeffer moved to start selling its products directly to consumers on Amazon, it discovered that they were already there — and their presentation left much to be desired. Schaeffer’s products were being sold by distributors online with inconsistent item descriptions and outdated photography. It was a poor experience for both the customer and the brand, so Schaeffer moved to invest in a brand new e-commerce platform of its own.
We provided strategic, creative and technical leadership for Schaeffer as the company migrated to a new e-commerce storefront.
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Shop-Banner-B.jpg)
E-Commerce Strategy
Choosing an e-commerce platform is a major undertaking — so major that we’ve written a guide on what to consider beforehand. In Schaeffer’s case, the company needed a system that would seamlessly integrate into its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, NetSuite. We helped the Schaeffer team evaluate several options before selecting Shopify for its robust capabilities and user-friendly features.
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Mockup-B.png)
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Photo-B.jpg)
Before we could deploy Shopify, though, we still needed a way to integrate it with NetSuite. Our technology team evaluated third party integrators to bridge the two systems. We considered numerous requirements: reliability of the software, flexibility for future updates, ease of use for the client and level of support from the vendor. Once we identified a software partner, we conducted extensive configuration and testing to ensure smooth operation for the Schaeffer team.
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Mobile-A.png)
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Shop-Banner-A.jpg)
Web UX Design
With Schaeffer’s two systems online and integrated, we moved to improve the user experience before launch. Although Shopify and other e-commerce systems offer default UX options, we wanted to design a more buyer-first experience that would inform and engage users every step of the way.
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Mockup-A.jpg)
To do that, we developed new page templates, integrated colors, textures, iconography and photography from the company’s primary website. We also gave attention to the site’s menu systems and made a dedicated effort to reduce the number of menus in favor of a simplified, category-driven architecture.
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Mobile-B.png)
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Mockup-C.png)
![](https://pnmg.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Schaeffers-Oil-Photo-A.jpg)
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