Four51 Helps Minnesota Brand Meet eCommerce Expectations in Today's "Amazon Age"

Four51, a Minneapolis-based technology company dedicated to out-innovating the limitations of eCommerce, partnered with Bachman's, Inc. to deliver a new and improved ecommerce experience that meets the needs of today's digital shoppers. This summer, Minnesota's gardening novices and master gardeners alike can shop locally while still ordering all of their gardening supplies online for delivery with Bachman's new "Gardens to Go" experience.

When Bachman's, the Minneapolis-based, 134-year-old national floral retailer, approached Four51 they weren't new to the eCommerce game.

Bachman's opened their online shopping experience in 1998 when they first launched Bachmans.com, enabling their online customers to shop and gather information about the company online.

"Our customers have decisions to make in regards to shopping local, but convenience is still of highest priority," explained Karen Bachman Thull, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Bachman's. "It's been our goal for years to provide our customers with both."

Bachman's recognized that redevelopment of their Bachmans.com experience was needed in order to support an enhanced digital shopping experience and continue to innovate on the way customers purchase their products.

According to a survey conducted by Salesforce, 87% of shoppers begin their product searches online, however nearly half still prefer to buy in a physical location. Despite the fact that the in-store shopping experience is still so important, retailers, like Bachman's, understand that in order to continue to stay relevant, simply maintaining a convenient in-store service counter isn't going to cut it. Preparing for the next wave of retail trends - things like voice search, eMarketplaces, and artificial intelligence (AI) - is top of mind.

"Today we're offering our customers the Amazon-like eCommerce experience they expect," explains Bachman Thull. "But in order to remain connected, inspired and easy to do business with, we knew we needed a technology platform and a partner that could become an extension of our team and help guide us through the changes of tomorrow's digital landscape."

That's why Bachman's turned to Four51, a Minneapolis-based technology company.

Four51 partners with businesses like Bachman's who require complex, custom, scalable eCommerce, order management and digital marketplace solutions that the largest software companies in the world cannot deliver in the timeframes needed, at the budgets desired, and with the flexibility and scalability required.

"The traditional approach to eCommerce doesn't work for our customers because of the extremely unique and highly complicated ways their businesses are run," explains Mark Johnson, CEO of Four51. "Companies like Bachman's need a different approach; they need a strategic partner with a depth of experience that is going to get their customers the experience they expect today, and prepare the business for the pivots they'll encounter tomorrow. They also need a modern, flexible eCommerce platform that doesn't force them to change their business to fit within the confines of the software."

Four51 worked with the Bachman's team to redesign and replatform the Bachmans.com eCommerce experience on the Four51 OrderCloud eCommerce platform. Today on Bachmans.com, customers can browse, shop, and order from Bachman's expansive product catalog; learn from extensive resources, tips and tricks; join the Purple Perks loyalty program; select from a variety of shipping and delivery options, including same-day delivery; and more. The customer service team also has their own, personalized experience within the eCommerce application that allows them to assist customers and place delivery orders for them, as needed.

"We're thrilled to partner with another Minnesota-based firm, Four51, to continue to enhance and grow our digital shopping experience for Bachman's customers," Bachman Thull said.

After a record-breaking snowfall this winter and wetter than average spring, Minnesotans are sure to continue to enjoy gardening and yard work well into the fall. The Bachmans.com experience and their delivery services are ready to support gardeners needs.

To learn more about how Four51 is helping other brands accelerate their digital transformation with custom, scalable eCommerce solutions, visit www.four51.com.

About Four51

Inspired by the temperature at which paper burns (451°), Four51 is a technology solutions company dedicated to shattering antiquated business processes and out-innovating the limitations of eCommerce. We develop true partnerships with our clients that allow us to deliver digital transformation through customizable and scalable eCommerce, order management and digital marketplace solutions that dramatically change the economics of their businesses. Companies like Aveda, Winmark, Bachman's, Archway, and Diversified Foodservice Supply have looked to Four51 as their go-to strategic partner for the past 20 years. Learn more at www.four51.com.

About Bachman's

Bachman's was founded in 1885 and remains family-owned, with fifth-generation Bachman family members leading the company today. Based in Minneapolis, Bachman's operates retail locations in the Twin Cities, including six full-service Floral, Home and Garden Centers, a floral and gift store in U.S. Bank Plaza (downtown Minneapolis) and the Galleria, a Hardscape Center (Farmington) and 28 floral departments within Lunds and Byerlys grocery stores. The company also operates indoor and outdoor landscaping divisions, a wedding/special events department, a nursery wholesale division, seven acres of greenhouses, and a 670-acre growing range in Lakeville, Minn., which produces many of the plants, flowers and landscaping products sold by Bachman's today.

To place an order with Bachman's, call 612-861-7311 from within the Twin Cities or 866-222-4626 from outside the Twin Cities area. Or, to find retail locations, more information about Bachman's, or answers to your gardening questions, visit Bachmans.com.