Safa launched an online store, making it easier for leisure-loving Norwegians to buy first-class clothing

Problem: Needed a modern online store with a user-friendly payment solution that supported the company's growth

For almost 100 years, Safa has sold woolen clothing of the highest quality to leisure-loving Norwegians who place high demands on their hiking clothing. The well-run family business has a history that spans several generations and is conveniently located in a magnificent natural landscape surrounded by forest and mountains in beautiful Samnanger – 45 minutes’ drive from Bergen.

Safa is known for its good quality and has a long and proud history that most other clothing manufacturers can only dream of. Among other things, they were a stocking supplier for the Lillehammer Olympics in 1994, and they have also supplied socks to the Norwegian Armed Forces for several decades.

Increased product offerings and growth

Socks and stockings have been the main focus since the company’s early beginnings in 1931, and in the early 90s they entered into a partnership with— and bought into, a textile factory in Lithuania.

“Among other things, this collaboration means that we can draw on each other’s experiences to ensure that the products maintain the highest possible quality – and find the best solutions for customers to get quality goods at a competitive price,” says Odd Aksel Bruvik, Board Member at Safa.

With the growth that followed, Safa wanted to expand its product range in the early 2000s. In addition to socks and tights, they therefore began to offer everything from bodysuits for babies and woolen underwear and sweaters— to hats and mittens for the whole family. To ensure that as many customers as possible enjoy their products, the family business depends on having modern and flexible solutions that keep pace with growth.

Solution: A modern online store with the Nets Easy payment solution to make it easier for customers to shop

“In order to further develop the company, strengthen the brand, and maintain the growth we have experienced over the years, we wanted to set up an online store that was aimed at both the private market and the business market,” explains Aksel.

The online store went live in autumn 2019, just a few months before the corona pandemic hit the country. Aksel continues: “We hit the timing very well for the launch. The demand for our products increased sharply during the pandemic, as more and more Norwegians found their way out into nature as a result of the strict restrictions.”

With the online store, it will also be easier for Safa to sell off goods that are left over in the warehouse. Aksel elaborates that “It can be challenging to make purchases in this industry. Sales can be very weather dependent. The online store has given us a good channel that we can use to sell surplus goods to customers, without completely slashing prices and experiencing a loss.”

Get clicks with Nets Easy

Safa’s online store is built in a way that makes it as easy as possible for the customer to click in, add products to the shopping basket, and check out. It is then important that the payment solution is also just as user-friendly. They are assured of this with Nets Easy.

“Nets Easy offers all the most important payment methods that our customers want. Vipps in particular is popular and is preferred by between 70 – 80 % of customers. It is the alpha and omega that our customers get a buying journey that is as easy as possible – with as few clicks as possible,” says Aksel.

Result: Increased sales and an easier buying journey for customers

“In the first year of the online store, sales increased by 400 % and it has increased every year since. The enormous growth in the first few years has slowed somewhat after the pandemic, but we still see that growth is maintained,” explains Aksel.

Help— and recommendations for the Nets Easy solution— from a local web agency

The company that has developed the online store for Safa, the Bergen-based web agency Digitroll, has over 20 years of experience in developing user-friendly online stores that increase conversion and sales for customers all over the country.

“We have helped Safa to set up an online store that reflects their business idea and long history in a good way,” says Arnstein Raunehaug, customer advisor at Digitroll.

The flexible online store provider helps customers in all industries and sizes, and it has extensive experience with various integrations and payment solutions— including Nets Easy.

“One of the biggest advantages of Nets Easy is that it offers card payment, partial payment, invoice and Vipps. In addition, Nets Easy remembers the payment information of customers if they have used the solution elsewhere, making shopping even easier. For these reasons, we recommended Nets Easy to Safa,” Arnstein states. He adds that: “When we develop online stores, we make sure that it is as convenient as possible to ‘check out’ after you have selected the products you want to buy.”

Odd Aksel at Safa is very pleased with the work Digitroll has carried out: “The collaboration with Digitroll has been very good. They are incredibly skilled at what they do, and we are very satisfied with the online store. In addition, they have ensured that it is integrated with our ERP system, which is very nice. Whatever changes we want to make, they help us get this in place,” he concludes.