OKdo is a global technology company and one of six brands owned by  Electrocomponents Group (FTSE 250). Launched in 2019, they are laser-focused on single board computing (think Raspberry Pi) and the internet of things (IoT), two of the fastest-growing markets in the technology space. Today, OKdo brings the latest innovations to customers all over the world, from hobbyists and entrepreneurs to industrial designers and resellers.

Launching a new business line—fast

Looking to reach new customers in such a fast-paced industry, OKdo needed to get their proposition in front of customers as quickly as possible.

To go to market, OKdo required a technology platform that could power enterprise ecommerce sites in seven markets across three continents and six languages, supporting multiple currencies and complying with global trade and tax regulations. Their core aim was to deliver an outstanding, engaging, and seamless customer experience.

After a three-month bid process, OKdo selected WordPress VIP agency partner Box UK to build the technology ecosystem that would underpin its new business offering.

A bespoke ecommerce system

With its proven enterprise use cases, unparalleled flexibility, and noted ease-of-use, WordPress VIP was the perfect fit to power OKdo’s underlying development platform.

OKdo also needed an ecommerce service with the ability to serve various markets, languages, and currencies. Enter WooCommerce, which currently powers 20% of the world’s top 1 million online stores—and integrates beautifully with WordPress VIP to deliver a seamless shopping experience.

Finally, Box UK identified and integrated additional third party applications (like payment mechanisms, tax and compliance solutions, and ERP system NetSuite) into the platform to provide everything OKdo needed to manage the end-to-end ecommerce lifecycle.

This modular approach not only facilitated rapid development and delivery, but it also helped future-proof the solution, as individual elements of the ecosystem can be scaled, swapped, or added as needed.

“Certainly from my perspective, WordPress has been a great success—with WordPress VIP giving us that enterprise-level of assured quality on top.”

Adrian Goodman, Global Digital Product Owner, OKdo.com

Rapid revenue generation

Now, OKdo has a powerful, flexible, and cohesive system that integrates content, projects, products, and accessories. Launched just eight months after kickoff, this new business unit has been able to start generating revenue without delay.

And OKdo is able to run its different regional variations from one multisite installation, which makes it easy for administrators to effectively manage their international presence. Notably, OKdo’s launch represents a milestone for the open source WordPress and WooCommerce software, as they power a rich ecosystem of advanced scale, sophistication, and complexity.

Learn more

To learn more about OKdo leverages WordPress and WooCommerce to fuel their growth, watch our webinar with Adrian Goodman and Allie Brock, Product Manager at Box UK.

For a PDF version of this case study, please fill out the form below.

Launching a New Business with RS Components and Box UK

At BigWP London, WordPress VIP customer RS Components shared a compelling story about creating an impactful tech business from scratch, using WordPress and WooCommerce to build a robust, scalable platform. 

Unleashing the power of WordPress and WooCommerce

RS Components knew they needed a strong digital platform to launch and support their new OKdo maker community, a place where people who love building and tinkering with tech could connect and share ideas. 

Traditional tech solutions weren’t going to cut it—they needed something powerful, flexible, and adaptable.

Enter WordPress and WooCommerce, a dynamic content management and ecommerce duo that would allow them to move swiftly, and accommodate rapid growth and change.

Creating a foundation for success

After selecting WordPress and WooCommerce, RS Components, partnered with Box UK to implement their vision, and also leveraged the vast WordPress ecosystem of plugins and expertise to create a truly custom solution for their business.

The OKdo platform was not just about front end beautification. The integration with NetSuite, an enterprise resource planning (ERP) provider, would help manage their complex supply chain and distribution across Europe and beyond.

Moving swiftly

In just eight months, RS Components launched a fully-responsive, multi-region, multi-currency platform featuring a full range of products, showcasing the power of WordPress and WooCommerce to start and grow a business. And it doesn’t end there.

From launching their single board computer Rock in 2022, to introducing customized hardware services in 2023, RS Components continues to evolve their business.

In 2023, they even used their platform to inspire the engineers of the future by giving away micro:bits for free to schools in the UK and US.

Built for the future

RS Components’ journey is testament to the transformative power and flexibility of WordPress and WooCommerce, a combination that helped launch a successful business in less than a year, and one that continues to adapt and evolve to meet the changing needs of their industry.

WordPress VIP is proud to be a part of that journey, offering guidance, code reviews, and other support.

Inspired to create your own venture using WordPress and WooCommerce? We can help, just reach out.