Ease of use online catalog at RAFI

Initial situation

RAFI needed a modern solution for presenting its product portfolio that is user-friendly on various end devices and can be made available internationally. The aim was to provide comprehensive product information and enable efficient product selection.

Procedure

The online catalog was created using the crossbase.net CMS, which is fully integrated into the crossbase PIM system. This ensured data consistency throughout. The completely newly developed online catalog offers a responsive layouter that is optimized for desktop PCs, tablets and smartphones. Various tools are available for product searches. Users can find suitable items either via an established product structure with visual support or using intelligent feature filters. The feature filters are dynamically adjusted based on the existing result set to make the search more precise. Alternatively, item number searches with auto-completion or a full-text search can be used.

An extended filter logic makes it possible to transfer item characteristics from linked items to main items. For example, users can filter illuminated pushbuttons using features that are only available on linked switching elements. After selecting a push-button, the corresponding switching elements are displayed on the item page. This means that both prefabricated combinations and freely combinable individual parts can be taken into account.

Extensive information has also been added to the article page. This includes tabular technical data, a 3D viewer integrated into the browser, CAD/STEP files, videos and brochures. Users can generate PDF data sheets with clickable links and save them locally. A collection allows products to be saved for inquiries and forwarded directly to distributors.

Result

The new online catalog offers a modern, responsive design and is initially available in German and English. Users can intuitively find products, view comprehensive information and generate PDF data sheets. The dynamic filter functions enable targeted product selection and inquiries are forwarded directly to distributors. Further language versions will follow in the future.