About the Client
Western Container Sales is one of the largest buyers and resellers of used shipping containers in North America. Based out of Minneapolis, Western Container sells and rents shipping containers to businesses, construction sites and more. Their easy-to-use online ordering process helps them stand out from competitors, but that process needed an upgrade and a fresh new look. This was by far one of our biggest projects, and one of the most rewarding.
Project Deliverables
- Design a fresh new look for the website that aligns more with the company’s vibe
- Re-imagine the buyer process and user experience from a multiple device perspective
- Develop an interactive “buy or rent wizard” process to help users easily place orders
Starting Point
Old Website
We started with Western Container’s existing site, which provides lots of valuable information. However, we realized the need to simplify the user interface. Design trends change rapidly and we wanted to future-proof the theme, so we amplified the brand utilizing a rich blue color palette, bold typefaces, whitespace and a more interactive experience. The buying wizard process was also upgraded to be user friendly and more reminiscent of an app.
New Website
Focal Points & Features
Video & Animation
We wanted to create something fun that felt tough and durable, like a shipping container. On load, a shipping container drops into view and simulates a screen shake. We also introduced animations tied to scroll, such as a shipping container delivery truck driving onto the screen as you scroll down. Additionally, we incorporated video backgrounds that demonstrate trucks delivering shipping containers.
Carousel Tech
In order to help users compare shipping container options, we created visual carousels. The carousels enable the user to compare size options, pricing and other specs at a glance.
Button Styling
Keeping the product in mind, our designer got creative with the buttons for this site. They’re styled to look like shipping containers! On hover, they fill in from the left, almost like filling a container. The secondary buttons are simple text with a line, and the line expands when hovered.
Buy/Rent Wizard
By far the biggest and most important component of this site was the buy and rental wizard. Our UX/UI designers worked closely with our developers to build a fully-engineered, guided shopping experience that’s easy to use on the front end. The wizard delivers best shipping container pricing based on zip codes, product availability, filters and pricing modals. The 6 step interface and breadcrumb slider navigation helps facilitate the interaction between buyer and seller. Once the order is completed on the website, all the important information gets sent to the e-commerce checkout and payment process.
Western Container has been one of our biggest projects to date, and presented us with the opportunity to grow our skillsets. Our team thrives on challenges and the learning experiences that come with every project. Most importantly, our client got the website they were looking for.
We love working with great clients.
If you’re looking for a shipping container, the team at Western Container Sales is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and wonderful to work with. Check them out at WesternContainerSales.com.
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