Homeworks, the home improvement and lifestyle brand, has launched its ecommerce website in Saudi Arabia, providing enhanced payment and delivery services to customers across the country. Al-Futtaim's newest home improvement and lifestyle brand, Homeworks has three physical stores, located in Riyadh and Jeddah. The company provides a wide range of inspirational and contemporary products from power and hand tools, homeware, garden necessities to outdoor furniture, barbeques and accessories that are both practical and affordable. The new ecommerce solution, developed in partnership with Astound Commerce, the Middle East's largest digital commerce agency and systems integrator, means Homeworks' customers can enjoy a simple and seamless online shopping experience across mobile, tablet and desktop. The website's capability extends beyond commerce to include marketing content including promotions, and customer service focused applications, such as cancellations, returns, refunds and delivery. This enhanced user experience (UX) includes a fully automated delivery experience, allowing the fulfillment and delivery of heavy and bulky items requiring a specialist two-person delivery service. The scalable solution created by Astound allows Homeworks to offer the special two-person delivery option to customers outside Riyadh for the first time and configure the delivery cost for each area in real-time. The site was the first in Saudi Arabia to offer Apple Pay, which became available in the Kingdom just three weeks prior to the launch. The Homeworks site is strategically significant as Al-Futtaim Group looks to grow its ecommerce offering in the country. Astound Commerce has recently completed a number of projects for Al-Futtaim Group and this close working relationship is evident in the joint approach to design and delivery of this project. The internal Al-Futtaim team led on development of the UX and user-interface (UI) while Astound Commerce designed and delivered the solution, configuring and integrating Salesforce Commerce Cloud. Launching Homeworks was an ideal example of the ‘Working Together As One Team' ethos shared by Astound and Al-Futtaim, said Khalid Khan, Managing Director at Astound Commerce Middle East. "Our team was challenged to work alongside our colleagues at Al-Futtaim in both UAE and KSA to overcome the complexities presented by Homework's unique delivery proposition. We accepted the challenge and we were able to deliver the solution necessary to grow sales and improve customer relationships based on our comprehensive market knowledge and partnerships." "As retailers across the Middle East map their way through a complicated landscape of ecommerce and digital transformation, Astound Commerce asks the questions and gives the answers that help trail blazing businesses like Al-Futtaim and Homeworks succeed." In addition to the Homeworks site, Astound Commerce has recently completed three more ecommerce projects for Al-Futtaim Group. The first site, toysrusmena.com, went live in October 2018. The second collaboration, the UAE specific ecommerce site for French clothing house, Kiabi, went live in late March 2019. In April 2019 Astound launched two Reebok sites in both the UAE and KSA. Astound Middle East, operating out of Dubai, opened in 2017. As part of the global Astound Commerce business it brings two decades of digital commerce expertise, serving many of the world's best-known brands, to the diverse markets of the Middle East. — SG
