LemonStand Blog

Showcase: Little Moose

4 Comment(s) | published by Danny H. on Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Little Moose just recently launched their online store using LemonStand. It was built by James Saunders and features a great design that compliments the products well. The shopping experience is simple and straightforward too; just what drives conversions.

Self described as a shop for cute gifts, bags and accessories from top brands like Hello Sailor, Doodllery and Disaster. In addition to big brands, they try to showcase products from small independent boutiques and new designers as well.

We're going to try doing our Customer Showcases in a Q&A format, starting with Little Moose. Unless specifically mentioned, all quotes come from James Saunders. Let us know what you think of the format by leaving your comment below.

How do you feel about integrating custom designs with LemonStand, in comparison to other shopping carts?

"Before finding Lemonstand I investigated several other carts, ranging from free opensource to the monthly hosted solutions. I never really felt comfortable with implementing my own design with any of them. There always seemed to be restrictions with every solution – be it incredibly rigid templating, inflexible elements or simply a bloated language.

As soon as I found Lemonstand it felt familiar. I felt at home looking over the demo store and making quick changes here and there to get a feel for how the software would work and react. The templating system and partials mean that each element is self-contained.

In all honesty, it was easy to forget that Lemonstand was actually a very high powered shopping cart because everything was so easy and intuitive. I created my homepage in basic HTML and really just dragged and dropped snippets of the code across. It really took the fuss out of the process allowing me to concentrate on creating the right solution and not just settling for what was on offer."

What are some of your favorite features of LemonStand, and why?

"It’s so difficult to pick out just a few because LemonStand does all fundamentals and even some extras, so well.

The templating system makes for a really easy and flexible process enabling me to implement a design which wasn’t limited by technology or structure.

The seamless integration with Google Analytics is a real treat.

What struck me with other carts was that you would get a very basic system as standard and then have to rely on additional (bloated) plugins to maximize maximize your return. That is not the case at all with LemonStand.

I have to give a special mention to the support of the LemonStand team as well. They’ve been quick to respond to any queries and actively working to create solutions to specific problems that I’ve faced. There are new things coming through every week – customizable HTML email templates, a robust and effective blog module - For me, that makes LemonStand the best option."

Did using LemonStand make your development process faster, more enjoyable, more creative?

"Absolutely, without a doubt. I never once worried that something wouldn’t be possible. And really, that is the highest accolade I can bestow upon LemonStand.

My creativity isn’t limited by the technology. The templating means that the workflow is efficient and speedy and that makes for a far more enjoyable experience than I’ve had with other carts."

Would you recommend LemonStand to others who need an eCommerce site? Why?

"I already have!

From a client, designer or developer perspective I can’t see any reason why you wouldn’t want to use LemonStand. The dashboard is intuitive and responsive for the user, the system encourages creativity and the PHP framework allows for a seemingly endless array of future development, beyond the impressive amount of features already available."

Do you plan on using LemonStand again, for future projects?

"There’s no doubt in my mind that I’ll be using Lemonstand again. It represents exceptional quality, support and value for money."

How does your client feel about using LemonStand? Do they have a favorite feature?

"I think the biggest compliment from the client is that they haven’t once asked me how to do anything. Within a few hours of handing them over the controls there were products on the site, pages filling with content and a couple of blog posts. You couldn’t wish for any more as a developer.

They’re delighted that the site looks and works as I’d shown them – nothing has been compromised which is a real rarity in any development, let alone something as complicated as eCommerce."

- James Saunders, Developer – Little Moose

“I’ve found navigating through the dashboard to be very easy. Adding a product is simple and straightforward and the layout makes it easy to understand the next steps. Everything seems to come naturally and effortlessly. The whole management of the ‘shop’ is really well thought out.

I’m really pleased with the built-in blog module as well.”

- Carrie Lewis, Owner – Little Moose