Many Local businesses have consistently faced challenges in converting visitors into customers, particularly due to the overwhelming preference for Cash on Delivery (COD) in some countries.
This case study explores how we built an e-commerce store optimized for cash on delivery business model using WooCommerce.
Project Background:
Bior-H, a proud Moroccan parapharmacy, specializes in natural and organic skincare products tailored specifically for Moroccan consumers. Despite establishing a strong presence on social media, Bior-H faced challenges in expanding its reach across the country, especially in regions where COD is the most trusted or preferred payment method. The key obstacles included:
- High cart abandonment rates due to limited payment options
- Complex checkout process deterring potential customers
- Difficulty in managing COD orders efficiently
- Limited ability to cater to customers outside major urban centers
The company sought a solution that would address these challenges while maintaining the integrity of their existing e-commerce setup and appealing to the Moroccan market.
Hosting Configuration:
Bior-H operates on a robust hosting infrastructure to ensure optimal performance and security:
Server Specifications:
- 20 GB SSD storage
- Unlimited bandwidth
- PHP 8.0
- MariaDB 10.5
- Apache web server
- Cloudflare CDN integration
- SSL certificate
- Daily automated backups
- Staging environment for testing
WordPress Installation and Configuration:
The WordPress setup for Bior-H was carefully optimized for performance, functionality, and localization:
- WordPress Version: 6.2.2
- Theme: Astra (Free Version)
- WordPress Plugins used:
- WooCommerce (4.8.0)
- Rank Math SEO (1.0.96)
- Spectra (2.6.4)
- CODCheckout (1.2.4)
- WPvivid Backup Plugin (0.9.89)
- Theme Configuration (Astra):
- Custom header with logo and navigation menu in both French and Arabic
- Footer with social media links and newsletter signup
- Homepage layout featuring:
- Hero section
- Product Categories
- products grid
- Customer testimonials
- Blog section
- Custom typography using Google Fonts
- Color scheme reflecting bior-h brand
- Mobile-responsive design
WooCommerce Configuration:
WooCommerce was set up to handle the specificities of the Moroccan beauty market:
- Product Setup:
- Simple and variable products
- Product attributes
- Product categories
- High-quality product images and detailed descriptions in both languages
- Shipping:
- Flat rate shipping
- Free shipping for orders above 500 MAD
- Tax Settings:
- Configured for Moroccan VAT (20%)
- Tax-inclusive pricing display as per local regulations
- Payment Gateways:
- Cash on Delivery
- Email Notifications:
- Customized transactional emails with Bior-H branding in French and Arabic
- Order status update emails
- Inventory Management:
- Stock management enabled
- Low stock notifications set up
Implementing CODCheckout:
The integration of CODCheckout was a game-changer for Bior-H. Here’s how it was implemented:
- Installation and Activation:
- CODCheckout was installed by uploading plugin file
- License key activated for full functionality
- General Settings:
- Enabled direct checkout on product pages
- Customized checkout button text to “Achtez Maintenan”
- Enabled sticky add-to-cart bar for improved UX
- Enabled Terms and Conditions Agreement
- Customized checkout Form Fields:
- First Name (Required)
- Last Name (Required)
- Phone Number (Required)
- WhatsApp (Optional)
- Full Address (Required)
- City (Required)
- Email (Required)
- COD Fees Setup:
- Implemented a flat COD shiiping fee of 45 MAD in WooCommerce Settings
- Styling:
- Customized form colors to match Bior-H’s branding and Moroccan aesthetic
- Adjusted button styles for better visibility on mobile devices
- Archive Page Configuration:
- Enabled Direct Checkout from shop or product archive pages,
- Replaced “add to cart” with “Buy Now / Achtez Maintenant” buttons on product archive pages
- Thank You Page Customization:
- Added custom messaging for COD orders
- Included estimated delivery timeframe
- Integration with Existing Workflow:
- Set up WhatsApp notifications for COD orders.
- Configured inventory management to account for COD orders
Basic SEO Integration:
To ensure the new checkout process didn’t negatively impact SEO, and to capitalize on the improved user experience, several SEO measures were implemented using Rank Math:
- On-Page SEO:
- Optimized product pages with relevant keywords in both French and Arabic
- Implemented schema markup for products and reviews
- Created unique meta descriptions for key pages in both languages
- Technical SEO:
- Enabled XML sitemap generation
- Set up proper canonical URLs for multi-language pages
- Implemented breadcrumbs for improved navigation
- Content Strategy:
- Created blog posts about the benefits of COD for beauty products in Morocco
- Developed an FAQ page addressing common questions about COD orders in both French and Arabic
- Local SEO:
- Optimized for local searches in key Moroccan cities and regions
- Created location-specific landing pages for major cities (Casablanca, Rabat, Marrakech, etc.)
- Performance Optimization:
- Enabled caching through the hosting provider
- Optimized images
- Minified CSS and JavaScript files
Results and Sales Comparison:
The implementation of CODCheckout had a significant impact on Bior-H’s performance:
- Before CODCheckout Implementation (Monthly Average):
- Unique Visitors: 30,000
- Conversion Rate: 1.8%
- Total Orders: 540
- Average Order Value: 300 MAD
- Monthly Revenue: 162,000 MAD
- After CODCheckout Implementation (Monthly Average, 3 months post-implementation):
- Unique Visitors: 35,000 (16.7% increase)
- Conversion Rate: 3.5% (94.4% increase)
- Total Orders: 1,225 (126.9% increase)
- Average Order Value: 350 MAD (16.7% increase)
- Monthly Revenue: 428,750 MAD (164.7% increase)
- Key Improvements:
- Cart Abandonment Rate: Decreased from 80% to 62%
- COD Orders: Increased from 25% of total orders to 68%
- Customer Satisfaction: Positive feedback increased by 45%
- Return Customer Rate: Improved from 18% to 29%
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