Who do we work with?

Alaska Wild Berry Products operates three separate but connected retail websites selling souvenirs and Alaska-themed gifts.

Running two separate websites with separate identities, templates, and product lists could come with a significant cost but through Mercantool's customization we merged both sites into a single installation. This reduces the technological and operations complexity and also direct costs.

At the end of 2007 we completely redesigned their primary website with fresh, compelling copywriting, a greater use of their bear mascot, and mountains of background storytelling to excite their visitors.

Initial discussions involved building this entire site in Flash, but after addressing the drawbacks inherent in that method, the client decided to build traditionally while aiming for the visual appeal of Flash sites. This compromise allowed us to achieve the important technical advantages of HTML/CSS.

On this job we worked closely with the client's marketing manager who coordinated all copy, photography, and graphics assets as well as organized the client reviews. The job went smoothly and quickly and the results are excellent.

WillaKenzie is one of the premier wineries in Oregon. They first approached us in 2001 when their web designers needed a wine-specific e-commerce package to integrate into their new website.

We worked alongside the designers to integrate Mercantool into their templates and went on to provide full website management after they completed the launch. We have since built an extensive Content Management toolset and the WKE staff does an excellent job keeping their content fresh and updated.

In 2007 we worked with WillaKenzie's new graphic designer to jointly create this completely new website which assures cross-platform compatibility with valid HTML/CSS design.

This installation demonstrates some of the flexibility we built into Mercantool including a highly accurate shipping price module and content management.

The Salt Spring Island Monetary Foundation runs a community-based currency for a close-knit community of 10,000 that we call home here in British Columbia, Canada. Salt Spring Dollars are a wildly successful alternative to the national currencies we're all used to.

The SS IMF issues gold and silver backed dollars for local transactions between islanders, tourists, businesses, and all the bank branches on the island. Investment returns on the trust fund help local community organizations and projects. The new website we designed will help improve awareness of the project and the extensive copywriting updates will help educate the public about this admittedly unusual service.

Sokol Blosser was one of the first wineries in Oregon and an early adopter of the internet as a marketing tool but their initial website was threatened with an outage in late 1999. With only a month of warning, we were assigned to re-invigorate their entire site and prevent the interruption.

Over the years, we've updated their site design, integrated Mercantool e-commerce, and added feature after feature.

Sokol Blosser maintains the freshness of their website with monthly offers and they notify their opt-in mailing list of new releases, events, and fun information regularly.

We're sure this contributes to the incredible success they've seen from their e-commerce website.

A delightful and lightweight design created for a freelance technical writer specializing in the healthcare industry.

Art Fair SourceBook is a subscription service for professional artists who sell at the thousands of US art and craft fairs. They rely on AFSB to guide them through choosing and applying. AFSB compiles dozens of facts on each of the top fairs then publishes over a dozen annual guides — all duplicated and expanded on the web.

We are wholly responsible for the development and maintenance of AFSB's Online Format which includes 300,000 facts compiled in a powerful searchable database. Interactive calendar and mapping displays and automated reminder emails assist artists in planning their exhibitions. Finally, an online forum brings hundreds of artists together to discuss professional interests which promotes site loyalty.

“Since 1997 you have been critical to our success. The ground-breaking website you built and continue to expand for us makes us the focus of our industry.”

— Greg Lawler, Art Fair SourceBook

Five years after creating their first website, LRS Architects returned for a full redevelopment based on their updated branding.

“Thank you for the wonderful new website you designed... We are very proud.”

— Jill Welsch, LRS Architects

Dobbes Family Estate, owned by Joe Dobbes of Wine By Joe came to us for Mercantool Integration into their two paired websites.

By leveraging the highly customizable nature of Mercantool, we engineered two sets of templates for a single installation. This reduces costs dramatically for the client and also provides an integrated backend for lower effort in management of their sites.

This fun-loving retail wine website works in parallel with Joe Dobbes' first domain, dobbesfamilyestates.com. Working in concert with a third-party designer, we integrated both systems to be managed with a single backend control panel.

Starting with a do-it-yourself website, VIP PDX hired us to build a website more in keeping with their growing professionalism.

The Flash slideshows incorporated throughout the site give VIP PDX a chance to showcase their large collection of photography and entice new customers.

Chocolatt... from Belgium imports the most delicious Belgian chocolates and needed a website that reflected that.

When you walk into Tarcis' shop in West Los Angeles, you immediately smell his product. We decided to simulate that as much as possible with deep chocolate browns and cool magenta tones. Maybe you can't exactly smell the chocolate but we bet you can imagine smelling it.

“Working with LJ is a real pleasure... I had been looking for a while to find the right person to entrust the re-creation of my new website. What I appreciate the most is that he is capable of taking in my thoughts and works from there. His experience enabled me to trust his input and let the creation happen right there in his hands. Along the way, we were openly bouncing off ideas which LJ guided in the right direction.... Thank you LJ. If I need another website, I would ask for your services again.”

— Tarcis Verfaillie

After spending a monthly fortune on a small corner of a community website, this lovely retired couple in Nova Scotia decided they needed their own website to properly market their Bed & Breakfast.

Starting with little more than the photographs you see here, we captured the feel of their first-class lodging and the warmth of the hosts.

NW Core Collection serves wineries with complex distribution and research services. Our job was to develop sophisticated Content Management services through which NWCC could manage a vast store of marketing information for each of their clients.

“Thanks for the great work. We look forward to moving on with the next phase soon!”

— Sheryl Alstrin, COO

The author of this groundbreaking cookbook was inspired by her own challenging experience teaching her low-functioning autistic daughter to prepare her own food. Finding there were no developed resources to assist her, she created her own.

This cookbook series' recipes are entirely explained in pictures, not words, to help people with cognitive challenges, non-readers or who otherwise will benefit by a visual presentation.

We were asked to develop a low-cost website to promote pre-publication interest in the series and support future growth of the project.

Possibly our oldest client! We've been working with Darko Spoljaric and his family business Val Med, later purchased by ConMed, for over a decade. Darko is now starting a new consulting business and came to us for a brand new website to match his printed marketing materials.