It is always interesting and exciting doing something that you have never done before. When Elvira of Crescendo Retail contacted Rev Software about designing and building their website and e-store it was a great opportunity to really demonstrate our creativity and programming prowess.

When designing and building this web store it was the nature of the products being sold that presented the most challenges. See, selling oils, vinegars, and spices by weight and volume in different containers, or in no containers at all, over the internet is not something most shopping carts and out-of-the-box solutions can handle. This niche market requires something unique, something custom, a solution that can help customers to find the products they want and purchase them in an easy, intuitive, and attractive manor. We are confident that this is that solution.

For us building the web store for Crescendo meant re-imagining the shopping experience. We researched, and white boarded, and thought hard to come up with ways to reproduce the natural and effective shopping experience you get from walking into a Crescendo store and here is what we came up with:

1. Visual: walking into a Crescendo location you are immediately treated to a feast for the eyes, oaken barrels, spices you can see and smell, and a soft and inviting Mediterranean colour scheme. For the web store we matched this by using super high resolution and high contrast images of the base ingredients to really make the different varieties of oils and vinegars “pop”, we had macro photos taken of all the herbs and spices so you could see them as if you were there, and finally we took the mediterranean colour scheme and expanded it with warm and appealing background images.
2. Selection Process: when you are buying an oil or vinegar in a Crescendo shop you first select your liquid, then you are able to select from a wide variety of containers. Your container selection determines the amount of liquid you purchase as well as adding a decorative quality to the purchase. For the web store we built an intuitive system that guides you through this very same process of first selecting a liquid and then selecting the desired container, all the while keeping you apprised of the final price and amount of product being ordered.
3. Information: when you are in a Crescendo shop you will never be overwhelmed by information, but you also will never leave without knowing all of the important information about your product, how to care for it, and how to use it. This same philosphy was applied to the website through the subtle use of info buttons for the products description, origin, acidity and other important information, the FAQ page for answers to common questions, and the Recipes section for all sorts of amazing ways to use Crescendo products to make amazing meals.

So by identifying these, and other, essential features of shopping Crescendo and ensuring they were preserved in the web store we at Rev Software hope that customers find their experience online as pleasant as their experience in store. Well maybe not quite since we can’t offer samples online .

This website and the accompanying web store is our largest and most important web development to date. It is our opportunity to showcase what we are capable of. We encourage all of our readers, and anyone who enjoys amazing food products and fantastic service to head over to Crescendo Canada’s Web Store.

I only hope people enjoy shopping Crescendo online as much as we enjoyed building it. I would also like to extend a very big thank you to Elvira and Daniel of Crescendo Retail for providing our small company the opportunity to create this website.

Living in a small town, and being a business owner myself I can really appreciate the efforts many people take to purchase local. I myself am willing to pay more, say up to 40% more in some cases, not just to support a local business but also for the convenience. But what do you call it when a local merchant is charging say, a 600% markup on a product which they are the only providor of?

Last week at my day job employer, there was concern that a recent computer failure had been caused by a power surge. This in turn brought about a discussion of upgrading many of the non protective “power bars” with proper surge protectors. After counting up the number of protectors needed we headed off to the local computer/electronics store to purchase some new surge protectors. Upon arrival I was shocked and horrified to see the exact same surge protector I had bought for my home (~$9.99 at Costco) priced at $69.99!!! How can they justify this? This was no mere small town markup, or “local premium”; this was price gouging comsumers who had no other choices. Having a total loss for words, we quietly purchased the one we absolutely needed, and have decided we will be heading out of town to purchase more.

Buying local vs shopping out of town

I am all for keeping local business local, but I believe that it is the businesses responsibility to maintain a relationship of trust with their clients. I need to trust that the business I am buying from is being honest and selling their products at a fair markup, fair being where they make a profit and I get value for my money. If a retailer gets too greedy this trust is broken and I feel no guilt in taking my hard earned money out of town, where I will no doubt pay less and get more.

I understand that it costs money to bring in merchandise and that many stores are not large enough to get significant supplier discounts, but a 600% markup? Please.

Sunday October 26 starting at 1pm you can bring old computers, electronics, batteries, and practically anything else you would like to recycle to the Revelstoke Curling Arena. This is a great opportunity to free up some space at your home or office so get rid of those old VCRs, TVs and computer equipment and feel a little less guilty since they will not end up in the landfill.

Following the recommendation of the Director of Community Economic Development, Alan Mason, Revelstoke City Council has agreed to endorse the application of Citation Networks to have land removed from the Crown for a new high tech park in Revelstoke.

The high tech park was pitched by Robert Sharkey, CEO of Citation Networks, at a public hearing several weeks ago, where it achieved unanimous approval by all 37 people who attended. The park, which would be located on Westside Rd, could provide up to 300 white collar IT jobs and attract a new demographic to the area. The bootstrap resident for the proposed technology park would be a 450,000sq/ft datacenter with the aledged business backing from the likes of IBM, and Microsoft.

The reasons for building such a facility in Revelstoke may not seem immediately obvious, but dig deeper and the reasoning becomes clear:

1. Two hydro dams within 100km to provide cheap reliable green power
2. All four transnational fiber optic lines run along side Highway #1 directly through Revelstoke
3. Land for the datacenter is located on the Columbia River which could provide ample cooling
4. The temperature profile of Revelstoke means little need for A/C most of the year
5. As if all of that wasn’t enough, there is of course the world renown Revelstoke lifestyle.

With similar projects already completed along the Columbia River in Wenatchee (WA),  Quincy (WA) and most recently, the Dalles (WA),  it seems only logical that the quest for cheap power, fat pipes, and cool weather would bring development of such facilities to this area.

Expect to hear more on this as I hear about it.

Moonrise Over Snowy Revelstoke Peak

The leaves have turned, the air is crisp, and snow is falling on the mountains around Revelstoke. You can feel the excitement as you walk around town. This years ski season is just around the corner and I am looking forward to getting my feet wet for the first time on this, soon to be, legendary mountain.