Dapper Dog and Classy Cat

Dapper Dog and Classy was a start-up launched by Dolores and Josie – two friends and co-workers who weren't satisfied with the typical nine-to-five grind. Since both Dolores and Josie are pet owners and neither had previously launched her own business, the two decided to build on what they knew and launch a website to sell unique, eco-friendly canine and feline products. The two chose the name “Dapper Dog and Classy Cat” to convey the higher quality of the products they would offer. With basic goals of the company clearly laid out, the website was the next integral component to address.

Initially, the two entrepreneurs spoke with a firm that offered to sell them a “turn-key web business” including “40 hours of business consulting” for $4,800. As individuals who had never worked with a web firm before, they were unsure whether the firm was offering a product that justified the price, but they liked the idea of being able to buy a complete website package. Fortunately, the two began looking for a second opinion and RedBottle was there to provide it.

RedBottle began the process by researching sites the firm had previously built for other clients and highlighting three major flaws. First, many of the sites the firm had launched utilized uninspired, sloppy, cut-and-paste graphic designs, which can often turn away potential buyers. Second, all of the sites were built using only static HTML pages, which meant that adding, editing, or removing products from the catalog required extensive knowledge of HTML, with which Dolores and Josie didn't have prior experience. Third, the firm had a strict “no refunds” policy and did not make any promises about their clients' success. The hefty price tag along with those major issues could have spelled disaster for the new business.

Instead, RedBottle suggested a database-driven approach based on a Content Management System (CMS), such as Drupal. This would enable the two to be much more self-sufficient by not having to contact their software provider to edit content and add, edit, and remove products. In addition, RedBottle emphasized the importance of clean, elegant graphic design to maximize customer trust and satisfaction, and consequently maximize the conversion of site visitors into buyers. With all of the information in hand, the choice was clear – Dapper Dog and Classy Cat selected RedBottle Design to create the online storefront for their new company.

Over the course of only a few months, RedBottle’s graphic designers worked with the two founders to create a new company with a new brand. Dapper Dog and Classy Cat was born with a consistent color scheme, logo, and web presence. Meanwhile, RedBottle’s software engineers worked with the two to identify and develop the features that the new site should have. After some discussion, Dolores, Josie, and RedBottle all agreed that the original July 1st deadline should be pushed back in favor of a more streamlined and impactful website release.

The new site had its grand opening on August 1st, 2010, and the two entrepreneurs – now business owners – were excited. Both Dolores and Josie praised the logo, the color scheme, and the way it all worked with the content to make a beautiful site. Perhaps most importantly, after some minor launch day jitters and necessary training, the owners received and processed their first order on August 1st at 10 AM – only nine hours after the site had officially opened its doors.

Unfortunately, since that time, Dolores and Josie have announced that the Dapper Dog and Classy Cat website will need to close its doors on June 1st, 2011 because they were unable to find a buyer for the site. The owners have explained that they are now much more involved in fighting for animal rights and spending time with family than they were when they originally started the business, and as a result they no longer have the time to run it. RedBottle is dearly sorry to see them go and wishes them the best of luck!