Retailer’s website revamp set to be ‘game changer’

A BAHAMIAN retailer says its revamped website, which has amassed more than 10,000 registered users since its launch at COVID’s peak, will be “a game changer” for contractors and other clients.

CBS Bahamas, the home improvement products merchant, confirmed in a statement that it has unveiled an upgraded CBSBahamas.com e-commerce platform. The new online store has been designed to empower both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) customers, providing them with a simplified and improved shopping experience.

The retailer added that it first launched its online platform in April 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Since then, it has grown to over 10,000 registered users and gained more than 2.5m page views annually. The online portal now showcases more than 11,000 home improvement and hardware items, including both customisable and built-to-order products, and has been redesigned to boost speed, functionality and security.

Brent Burrows II, CBS Bahamas’ senior manager of e-commerce, said:

“Our goal with this allnew e-commerce store is to change the way you interact with CBS. To empower you, the customer, and to provide the tools necessary to make your shopping experience as self-service, informative and easy as possible.

“We’re introducing what is perhaps the most comprehensive self-service account management module for our enterprise users - providing them with a host of tools that allow for buyer approval workflows, detailed user management, personalised job site delivery, budget snapshots and reporting, and so much more.”

CBS Bahamas said it also plans to debut its new Quote Builder tool. It added that this is a free solution that empowers small contractors to create custom quotes for their customers, using their own information and logo in order to price jobs using CBS products as well as materials from other vendors.

Contractors who use the quote builder will be able to set their own margins and labor charge add-ins. The tool is designed to provide them with better client management and professional legitimacy.

Other new features include better product data with more than 25 attributes for the average product, and a new system for product questions and answers and reviews.

CBS Bahamas said it is also introducing a ‘Quick Order’ feature and realtime quantity and pricing updates linked to in-store point-of-sale (POS) systems. The revamped website includes a delivery scheduling module, providing customers with the option to select preferred delivery dates and timeframes, view real-time availability of delivery slots and track orders with detailed tracking events and digitised signatures. Multiple project calculators have also been incorporated, enabling customers to make informed decisions on product and material quantities required for various projects. Customers now have more payment options, including credit cards, purchase orders or bank transfers in order to simplify the checkout process.

CBS Bahamas said it plans to start enabling access to the new platform in the coming weeks, and will be hosting training sessions to onboard users. Existing rewards customers, preferred contractors or credit account holders can register now for early access.

“This new website will be a game changer for the DIY customer, the small contractor and the enterprise buyer. We are now setting the standard for the way B2B and B2C e-commerce is performed here in The Bahamas,” Mr Burrows said.