Holiday Trains: A Shopify Use Case for Metra
Project Background
“This is our way to bring the spirit of the holidays and the spirit of My Metra to our riders,” said Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “Our trains are already safe, reliable, and comfortable, but they can be fun, too. We encourage everyone to climb on board and make Metra part of their holiday tradition.” And with that announcement in the autumn edition of My Metra magazine, the stage was set. The 2023 holiday train schedule would be expanded to accommodate all of those families interested in participating.
Rewind to May 2023, when Metra was planning for this expanded holiday event. They came to Clarity needing a small ecommerce pilot that was cost-effective to build and could man the process for ticket sales.
Utilizing Shopify, Clarity successfully executed the ecommerce site on time and within budget.
Why Shopify?
The ecommerce site was designed to offer a seamless and festive experience for customers, providing a convenient platform to purchase tickets for Metra’s holiday train rides. With Shopify, Clarity could guarantee efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and additional features to help Metra exceed customer expectations.
User-Friendly Interface & Seamless Transaction Process
The site’s user-friendly interface made it easy to navigate, select preferred seats, and complete transactions, ensuring a hassle-free experience for users. The site’s secure payment gateway facilitated a safe, smooth, and swift sellout.
Scalability
The site’s infrastructure demonstrated scalability, handling a surge in traffic and transactions without any technical glitches. This adaptability was crucial in accommodating the high demand during the ticket release.
Data-Driven Insights
Utilizing data analytics, the ecommerce platform provided valuable insights into customer behavior, preferences, and trends. This data can be instrumental for future event planning, marketing strategies, and optimizing the overall customer experience.
Success and Impact
As expected, demand was high. Tickets sold out within hours of being released. The ecommerce site proved to be a lucrative venture, generating an impressive amount of revenue for Metra. It also highlighted the efficiency and effectiveness of an online ticketing system built with Shopify.
The overwhelming success of the holiday train ticket sales positions the Shopify platform as a promising option for Metra’s future events. The positive reception sets the stage for Metra to explore and expand its online ticketing services for future seasonal and special programs.