How we Helped Gorringe’s Auctioneers Take Online Bidding Global

A Drupal-Backed Design for Gorringe’s: the Ideal Match for Dynamic New Auction House Features

Gorringe’s is an English auction house specialising in fine art and antiques, as well as the sale of valued collectibles including books & manuscripts, ceramics & glass, and musical instruments. The firm, based in Lewes, East Sussex, began trading in 1929. Today it holds regular auctions in addition to offering expert-led valuations services.

An Elevated Offering

At Gorringe’s, the latest auction house technology has opened bidding up to a global market of antiques and art bidders. And on the website itself, UX-enhancing features like a catalogue search and Lot Alerts have elevated the business’ offering. At a time of pandemic, these specialist e-commerce features have also ensured auctions can continue safely.

Here’s how Hookson know-how seamlessly integrated the tools, software and features that found new markets and kept browsing and bidding front and centre.

Unleashing the Flexible Power of Drupal

When Hookson was approached by Gorringe’s, we began by looking at how best to add the required functionality to the auction house’s existing website design. The answer was to rebuild the site on Drupal, the flexible framework Hookson has great experience in.

Why Drupal?

Drupal was a terrific choice for the new Gorringe’s website. Above all, its flexibility allowed Hookson’s designers to work alongside the existing site. In practical terms, this meant we could add significant functionality whilst retaining the site’s structure, look and feel, as requested.

Understanding and Experience

Hookson’s work with fellow auction businesses Freeman’s and Lyon & Turnbull, Tajan and Toomey meant we approached this job with an understanding of the sector and, of course, the exciting advances shaking it up. That said, we treat every job individually at Hookson. So, after consulting with Gorringe’s, we were primed to give UX a serious boost via the genuinely game-changing features the auction house required.

Taking Gorringe’s Global with Powerful Online Bidding Software

The most important asset our Drupal build brought was the introduction of online bidding. This transformed Gorringe’s potential customer base. Now, the company began receiving bids from across the world; indeed since the innovation’s introduction, online bidding accounts for a rising 60% of all sales at Gorringe’s.

Providing flexibility, we ensured the website could function with a range of leading live-bidding platforms. These included The Saleroom, EasyLive and the world’s leading collectibles marketplace Invaluable, a platform we’re familiar with here at Hookson.

A True Bid-From-Anywhere Solution

With sales unshackled from the auction room, our mobile-responsive website returned the favour. We ensured our Drupal build for Gorringe’s worked beautifully across every device, culminating in a true bid-from-anywhere auction house solution.

Boosting UX Further with Gorringe’s Catalogue Search and Lot Alerts

Catalogue Searching Made Simple

A crucial feature of the website was the retention of a powerful catalogue search function. As well as instigating bids at forthcoming auctions, viewing of past lots was also possible. This showcased Gorringe’s range and expertise and provided reassurance to new overseas visitors potentially unfamiliar with the firm.

Both searches were significantly enhanced by a filter function, saving users time as they explored the vast quantity of lots.

Keeping Interested Bidders Informed

A novel visitor benefit, the website’s Lot Alert tool matched potential bidders with items of interest. With keywords and terms provided by visitors, alerts provided instant notice of matching items or lots.

Ensuring Easy In-House Updates

Gorringe’s website is a busy location. With the firm’s inventory regularly changing, and with information like auction dates moving quickly, fast and fuss-free content management was a must. To this end, we ensured images and related content were a snap to manage in-house. Added to this, the Hookson team was, of course, available to assist with any post-build queries.

Visit Gorringe’s Auctioneers