Based in the North of England, House of Malt is an independent, family-run business that has grown to become the leading online retailer of speciality whiskey and spirits in the UK. Founded in 2015 as an independent, family-run business, they have been using WooCommerce to run their online operations since 2017.
House of Malt has retail shops and warehouses in the North of England, but the majority of sales are made online through their WooCommerce store, currently shipping within the UK and with plans to expand internationally.
Woo spoke with Jethro Hazelhurst, e-commerce director at House of Malt.
WooCommerce for Whiskey
House of Malt chose WooCommerce as their e-commerce platform because they wanted to avoid other highly regulated platforms, they liked the customizability of the Woo platform, and they wanted to maintain as much control as possible over their online business and operations.
Since then, House of Malt has partnered with Woo through their Enterprise Ecommerce program to improve their cash flow. Woo has benefited their business in many other ways too, increasing average order values, improving conversion rates and reducing payment times from seven days to one day, freeing up working capital to support their growth.
A big win
- After implementing Apple Pay through WooPayments, they saw an increase in conversion rates and a 22% increase in average order value.
- With help from the Woo Customer Success team, we reduced our cash deposit time from 7 days to 1 day.
- Founded in 2015, House of Malt has grown to become one of the top three online alcohol retailers in the UK.
Key expansion feature
- WooPayments and Apple Pay
- PayPal and PayPal Afterpay
- search for
- Storefront Themes
- Google Listings and Advertising
- Klaviyo Email Marketing
Brexit and COVID-19 success
Like many UK businesses, House of Malt was affected by the export tax levies that came with Brexit legislation. Due to the complications that arose, the company decided to shift its focus to domestic UK customers and has since grown to become one of the top three online whisky specialists in the UK.
During the COVID-19 shutdown, House of Malt was able to maintain business despite the closure solely through their WooCommerce website.
Today, physical stores remain an important part of the brand, providing customers with a unique experience that competitors can’t match.
Malt Matching: Using data to meet customer needs
House of Malt has a very good understanding of the customers who use their site, which helps shape their e-commerce strategy.
Generally speaking, House of Malt caters to four different customer interests:
- Customers who want to try new products offered on the website.
- Repeat customers return to houseofmalt.co.uk for their favourite products and buy the same items every time.
- Collectors who want to stay on top of the latest releases and collections.
- Wholesalers with products that can’t be found anywhere else frequently use House of Malt to restock their bars and small shops.
This data is especially useful due to advertising restrictions imposed on alcohol sellers, which House of Malt combats with a robust email marketing program.
22% increase in average order value with Apple Pay and WooPayments
House of Malt offers a variety of payment options including PayPal, PayPal credit card processing, Apple Pay and Google Pay via WooPayments.
They decided to implement WooPayments on Apple Pay specifically because of their site traffic. Jethro said, “The majority of our users are mobile, Apple users using Safari. It’s easy to see why implementing Apple Pay would increase conversion rates. I can’t see why it wouldn’t. It’s just less friction. It was a big change for us.”
Since implementing Apple Pay, House of Malt has seen a 22% increase in average order size and an increase in conversion rates due to the additional payment options.
“The more payment methods you offer, the better, 100%. Since we started offering more payment methods, our conversion rates have increased. Using all the payment methods and WooPayments has allowed us to grow nicely over the years. It’s all looking good as we continue to grow with WooCommerce.”
— Jethro Hazelhurst, E-Commerce Director, House of Malt
Transporting whiskey across the ocean
House of Malt plans to expand internationally, first to Europe and then to the U.S. They are working on putting together delivery partners and their customs logistics to provide the best possible customer experience for international orders.
With the new warehouse, House of Malt expects to thrive during periods of high order volume, such as the holiday season and future international expansion.
Incorporate more products and payment options
House of Malt is also working to expand its product catalogue, improve the site experience and develop subscription services and loyalty programs for repeat customers.
The company continues to explore additional payment options to further meet customer payment preferences, including expanding buy now, pay later (BNPL) options with additional providers.
Hazelhurst is convinced of the benefits of BNPL: “The fact that you can buy now and pay later also leads to an increase in the average order value. Any buy now, pay later option is always useful.”
Overall, House of Malt has had a great experience with WooCommerce and is excited for the future.
“Your work at WooCommerce and WooPayments is making a small but incredible impact,” says Hazelhurst. “Somewhere in the North West of England, in a tiny corner of an ancient town, we’re putting great whiskey in people’s hands through Woo.”
