1st Car Imports
1st Car Imports operate in the highly competitive left-hand drive import industry. They realised that in order to maximise their potential it was essential to have
a website that put them on an equal footing with the major players. With this in mind we created a substantial database-driven website featuring
sophisticated car searching functionality and a powerful CMS to manage cars, delivery zones, exchange rates, faqs and testimonials.
Key Requirements
- creation of logo and corporate identity
- powerful, flexible and easy to use search facility
- delivery quote calculator
- feature-rich Content Management System (CMS)
- context sensitive testimonials on every page
Our Approach
The overall design of the site was inspired by sunny, continental tones to give the required warm, Iberian feel.
With ease of use a primary consideration we ensured that in its default state the powerful search functionality is simple and intuitive to use. We provided an optional advanced version of the search routine for in-depth filtering.
Usability was also enhanced through the use of a consistent layout. The search facility and online garage (where users can easily keep track of the cars that interest them) are placed within easy reach in the same place on every single page.
In Detail
We created a simple yet easily identifiable logo which helped tie together the warm, sunny tones chosen for the site colour scheme.
A powerful search facility was created and placed in the same place on every page for consistency and ease of use. The user can instantly toggle the display between simple and advanced search options - ensuring that the search functionality won't automatically intimidate the novice user, or leave the more advanced user wanting more.
Search results are presented in pages of 20 at a time, with a simple paging control underneath the list to allow the user to jump to any page at will. The lists themselves can be filtered by attributes such as price to help the user view the results more efficiently; and this functionality is placed both above and below the actual list of cars for maximum usability. To further enhance usability the display of car images is optional to maximise the usefulness of the site for users on a slow internet connection.
All the details of the selected car clearly presented from this one page. As well as being able to browse the car description, specification and colour options, from here the customer can also easily add the car to their online garage or calculate the delivery charge applicable to their particular town.
The CMS gives 1st Car Imports complete control over the car details database driving the website. In addition it also provides simple yet powerful facilities to manage car delivery zones, FAQs and testimonials, as well as to control site-wide settings such as exchange rates.
