The 13th Store: Taking a Proven Retail Model Online

Challenge

A CBD liquor group with 12 stores and around $30 million in annual revenue had a strong in-store operation built on convenience and premium locations, but no way to extend that model online.

Their website was outdated, had no e-commerce capability, and the brand lacked a clear digital presence.

While the business was performing well locally, it couldn’t serve customers beyond its physical stores or translate its convenience promise into the digital space.

The business owners knew the market was shifting. Customers expected delivery choice, and competitors were starting to move online. The company needed to modernise without losing the operational efficiency and margin control that made it successful.

Approach

RTHK was engaged to design and deliver a fully integrated e-commerce platform that reflected how the business actually worked - fast, local, and reliable.

  • We began by defining the company’s brand DNA through workshops that clarified its story: a convenience-driven retailer with unique products and higher-margin locations. This shaped the digital experience and guided every technical decision that followed.

  • Implemented BigCommerce, integrated directly with the existing POS for real-time sales and inventory data.

  • Built out more than 2,000 product records with images, descriptions, and compliance details (ABV, volume, packaging).

  • Developed complex delivery logic mirroring the in-store convenience model (Now, Scheduled, Next-Day, and Standard options.)

  • Integrated DRIP marketing automation for segmentation and retention.

  • Established governed social channels and customer communication flows.

The most challenging aspect was the POS integration — synchronising data between store and site so that online transactions instantly updated in-store inventory, eliminating double handling and operational lag. 

Outcome

The result was a seamless, multi-channel retail environment that extended the brand’s local dominance into national reach.

Customers could now buy online with flexible delivery options — from 30-minute local drop-offs to Australia-wide shipping.

Sales moved north and stayed there, creating a thirteenth store — a digital one — that carried the same personality, range, and service as the physical network. 

Suppliers took notice, customers stayed longer, and the industry recognised a small family-run business that had managed to live its worth. Combining brand, operations, and convenience into one coherent, modern system.