Langford residents may not even realize a thriving e-commerce company lives on Leigh Road.
Robert McDonald moved the company there in spring 2020, packing a truck in Sidney and traversing quiet early-pandemic roads to Skookum Tools Inc.B次元官网网址檚 new home on the West Shore.
Three years later, Skookum has grown an offshoot business and is up for a provincial award for work in e-commerce.
They started dabbling and investing in online about eight years ago and it was slowly becoming apparent that was the future, McDonald said.
B次元官网网址淲e were in the process of slowly transitioning B次元官网网址� when COVID landed. We hit the ground running and went all in,B次元官网网址� he said.
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The overwhelming positive in the companyB次元官网网址檚 more than 300 unique Google reviews suggests itB次元官网网址檚 going well.
Part of the reason is the attention to detail when crafting the website.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e really studied our user interface,B次元官网网址� McDonald said.
He went so far as to enlist his 82-year-old dad to walk through every transaction on the website B次元官网网址� noting details that needed clarity for the first-time user.
While every demographic needs for tools at some point B次元官网网址� and their clientele runs the gamut B次元官网网址� their peak is men aged 55 to 60. Skookum seems to serve a lot of people embarking in online shopping for the first time.
ThatB次元官网网址檚 why the website offers a lot of outs, McDonald said, such as at the end when some who become hesitant about sharing credit card or banking information online can pick up the phone to pay.
ItB次元官网网址檚 all about looking at the website from a fresh perspective, likely a reason Skookum Tools is a finalist in the annual Small Business BC Awards for the E-commerce Experience Award honouring their exemplary customer service.
Winning the top prize comes with $10,000, but just making the short list is affirming, McDonald said.
B次元官网网址淚t just adds credibility to what weB次元官网网址檙e doing, some of the choices weB次元官网网址檝e made.B次元官网网址�
Skookum is now an international online supplier of band saw blades, abrasives, end mills and other shop consumables.
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B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e three people in Langford who sell $1 million in product across Canada,B次元官网网址� McDonald said.
In 2020, the company launched another online store selling board games and trading cards at Elite 4 Games. Created and run by staffer Ryan OB次元官网网址橩eefe, the business targets yet another demographic
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 his passion project and itB次元官网网址檚 growing,B次元官网网址� McDonald said.
Now the first Saturday of each month Elite 4 Games hosts trade day with primarily a Pokemon focus. Find the online game store at .
Other nominees in the e-commerce category include Copper Pony Poles + Equestrian Sporting Equipment in Courtenay; Mint Cleaning in Ucluelet; Timber + Gray in Nanaimo; and Two Brothers Toffee in Vancouver.
Winners will be announced at an awards gala June 2 and winners of each category receive a $10,000 prize.
