How seamless integrations worked for a multi-site eCommerce platform

01

What John Smith Group Needed from their Website

Complex websites need to hit two key goals to be successful.  They need to have an effective and easy-to-follow user journey, so they provide a user experience that will promote customer loyalty, and they also need to be very simple to manage by internal teams, whether that’s marketing, IT or product management. These two goals sat at the core of the project, even as the complexity of integrations and product management increased.

The JSG website is more than a standard eCommerce platform — it is multi-institutional and caters to a broad spectrum of customers. Each university has its own branded microsite, maintaining a consistent user experience across the network as a whole while providing for personalisation across institutional brands. Universities can tailor their offerings, from product ranges and reading lists to bundles and student engagement content.

Implementing customisation provides a greater level of freedom for JSG’s individual clients, however, the more options are available, the greater the risk that overall website structures and functionality suffers.  Therefore, it was important to ensure JSG retained full control over this customisation, ensuring consistency and compliance across all sub-sites. This flexibility, combined with a user-friendly design, means the platform has become a valuable asset for universities looking to provide tailored resources to their students.

02

Critical Website Integrations for Products and Suppliers

To provide a one-stop store for students, the site requires a vast product catalogue of over 10 million items, with an aim to provide as many essential items as a student may need in one portal. The JSG website includes all books in print, creating a huge library which could be cumbersome to browse or search.  The platform handles this by restricting searches and browsing to a limited number of titles – with more detailed or specific searches pulling through less popular or niche books when they are needed.  This complex search integration plays a crucial role in making the website as simple as possible for end users and is a really good demonstration of how Redwing Interactive can take an intricate process and provide a simple but effective front end for customers.

The platform also features an extensive selection of materials from third-party suppliers. The platform integrates with trusted suppliers like Exertis, Jacksons Art Supplies, Office Depot, and Getech, allowing students to access a wide range of resources beyond textbooks. Whether a medical student requires a stethoscope or an art student needs specialist materials, the site provides seamless access to relevant products. Third-party suppliers provide art materials, bikes, computer equipment, sports kits, kitchen equipment and a lot more.  The strategic integration of these suppliers has ensured that the platform meets the diverse needs of students, offering more than just a typical bookstore experience.

03

Data Synchronisation and Supplier Communication

To easily manage such a vast library of resources, the JSG website integrates with Nielsen Bookdata, ensuring that the vast product catalogue remains current with daily updates on new titles, price changes, and availability. Additionally, stock-level updates from Gardners Books and other third-party suppliers occur hourly, streamlining the process so it remains current and accurate without creating a huge demand on resources.  This provides peace of mind for clients offering their own site, as universities can’t afford huge eCommerce teams or administration costs. Redwing Interactive were able to effectively create a series of crucial integrations that underpin the website, pulling and pushing data between key backend systems without impinging on the user experience both for end-users and the university clients.

04

Streamlined eBook Integration with Kortext

Recognising the growing demand for digital resources, JSG integrated with Kortext to offer eBooks alongside physical products.  This is an end-to-end integration, as students can sign up, purchase, and access their eBooks in a single process. The website also allows students to pay for e-books via a range of different payment methods, including the Aspire platform through their bursary funds making learning more accessible and convenient.

05

Aspire Integration: Simplifying Bursary and Scholarship Management

A standout feature of the platform is its integration with JSG's Aspire system. This bursary and scholarship management tool allows universities to allocate funds to students, who can then use them to purchase books and equipment from the website.

The integration has a wide scope and again shows Redwing Interactive’s ability to complete a complex management process, with a simple front end for JSG, University clients and end-user students.  The Aspire integration manages:

• A feed of new students receiving scholarships or bursaries.  An account is automatically created for the student which means it's ready to use as soon as the student starts their studies.
• Student data on faculty and course
• A data interchange of payments received and sent to the Aspire office team
• Account balance management, students can receive top-ups on their accounts
• An integration with NatWest bank that allows students to withdraw eligible funds as cash at an ATM
• Stock level updates for each institution

The system even accommodates "ringfencing," restricting bursary funds to specific product categories — a valuable feature for universities that need to control how funds are used.

06

Integration with Kitlocker

For students purchasing items through Kitlocker, Redwing developed a payment gateway that allows Aspire funds to be used. Students are redirected to a secure payment gateway where they can authorise the use of their bursary funds before completing their purchase on Kitlocker's site. The site offers a myriad of different payment options, ensuring that students receive the best customer experience without creating resource or administration issues for universities.

07

Building An Intelligent Order Management System

The platform's order management system is another complex build with a simple outcome. Given the multiple suppliers and stock sources, Redwing Interactive developed an "order cascade" system that automatically routes orders based on availability and distribution rules. This approach minimises delays, optimises stock allocation, and reduces the potential for errors.  It also vastly reduces the administration time required by teams at JSG, a crucial factor when managing huge product ranges. The system can generate order files in multiple formats, ensuring compatibility with suppliers’ software extracts. This flexibility is crucial for managing a multi-supplier ecosystem efficiently, keeping students satisfied with timely deliveries.

Where most large-scale eCommerce platforms will have multiple incoming integrations from supplier PIM systems or order systems, JSG is more unusual in that it also requires multiple outgoing integrations to their clients for each microsite.  Keeping the goal of “simple to manage” all the way down the chain has been crucial in ensuring the site continually provides a high level experience.

08

Personalisation and Enhanced Student Engagement

Personalisation is an important facet of effective search, especially when providing a vast product range that could become overwhelming to browse through. When a student logs in, they are met with a curated selection of materials relevant to their studies. This targeted approach not only improves the user experience but also increases conversion rates by showing students products they genuinely need. Enhanced content, including student-focused articles, further supports learners throughout their academic journey, while providing institutions with a valuable communication channel.

09

Simplifying Access with SSO Integration

To streamline secure access, Redwing Interactive implemented Single Sign-On (SSO) for universities that support it, enabling students to log in using their existing university credentials. This simplified process reduces barriers to entry, increases user engagement, and enhances the overall user experience, without compromising website or student security. Not all institutions are currently integrated, but those that are benefit from a seamless connection between university systems and the JSG platform.

10

Delivering Tangible Results

The Aspire platform has become a vital tool for universities seeking to provide comprehensive, accessible resources to their students. Redwing Interactive’s ability to develop a multi-layered, integrated system that accommodates the needs of institutions, suppliers, and students demonstrates the team’s technical and strategic expertise. The platform's combination of personalisation, comprehensive product offerings, and seamless integration with third-party suppliers and bursary management systems has redefined how universities can support their students’ learning experiences.