FOX RIVER PAPER LEAPS INTO
E-COMMERCE MARKETPLACE
By David Frej, Otherwise Inc. Impressive new Flash 6 technology has made Fox River
Paper’s first e-commerce venture a success.
You can’t teach an old dog new tricks-but it seems that
an old fox is another story. Fox River Paper Co. may be 110 years old,
but its highly interactive new website uses the most advanced design technology
available today. It’s a trick that is not only new to Fox River, but new
for the paper industry.
Otherwise Incorporated, a Chicago-based strategic design firm specializing
in online and offline visual communications, helped launch Fox River Paper
into the e-commerce marketplace by designing the paper manufacturer’s
site using Macromedia’s new Flash 6 technology. This makes Appleton, Wisconsin-based
Fox River one of the first companies to use the streaming media application
in an e-commerce environment.
Otherwise blended its strategic design expertise with comprehensive Flash
6 programming capabilities to create an elegant and efficient interface
that speaks directly to Fox River’s design-oriented clientele. We developed the site in only three weeks, using Flash 6’s visual design
capabilities and its ability to process dynamic web and advanced Flash
data, resulting in a rich and interactive online experience. Additionally,
the Otherwise design team used Flash 6 to transform a traditional e-commerce transaction process into an unexpected and inventive, user-centered ordering process.
Founded in 1981, Otherwise has been a pioneer in design-intensive marketing consulting for over 20 years.
Flash 6 technology combines with creative design to make Fox River Paper’s e-commerce web site easy to use and highly effective.
"Fox River Paper wanted to jump into e-commerce with both feet,"
said Mark Rattin, creative director for Otherwise. "Their aggressive
approach to the Internet, in an industry that has traditionally conducted
its business and marketing offline, allowed us to push the limits of the
Flash 6 capabilities while embracing our passion for creative and intuitive
design. The technology that we used in creating the site was not available
six months ago, and the fact that it is so new enabled us to deliver Fox
River Paper a product that is unique not only to the paper industry, but
to e-commerce in general."
Fox River Paper’s entry into the online marketplace fills a void in the
paper industry, enabling small design firms, printers, and other businesses
to quickly and easily order smaller quantities of the company’s premium
products. Previously, premium paper products were only available in large
quantities, making it difficult for small businesses to compete with larger
companies on paper and printing costs.
Upon entering the site, users are prompted to select the paper grade,
color, weight, finish, size and quantity in any order they choose. The
site then automatically calculates the cost and offers an option to revise
the order to better meet the customer’s needs.
"Otherwise Inc. was able to provide us with a product that was both
creative and technologically advanced," said Brad McCarville, director
of e-commerce strategy for Fox River Paper Co. "Their knowledge of
our business, project goals and needs was tremendously helpful in getting
our site up and running in less than 30 days, while allowing us to concentrate
on our core businesses rather than on the progress of the site."
The new site was launched on September 27 with little fanfare. Only eight
hours later, a customer completed the site’s first client transaction.
Since then, Fox River Paper has experienced a dramatic increase in traffic
to the site. Fox River Paper Co.’s new e-commerce web site can be accessed
at www.foxriverdirect.com
Fox River Paper manufactures uncoated premium communication and specialty
papers for printing, writing and art applications. The company operates
four U.S. mills, located in Appleton, Wisconsin; Housatonic, Massachusetts;
Ripon, California; and Urbana, Ohio. Fox River Paper Company is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Fox Valley Corp., a privately-held company headquartered
in Appleton.
For more information, visit Otherwise on the Internet at www.otherwiseinc.com
or check out Fox River Paper Company’s home page at www.foxriverpaper.com
David Frej is vice president and chief creative director at Otherwise Incorporated, Chicago, Illinois, USA. Reach him by email at dfrej@otherwiseinc.com
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