Pizza chain Papa Murphy’s is angling to drive more mobile sales by introducing a new ecommerce platform built into its revamped Web site, suggesting that food and beverage marketers who do not continuously update their ordering tools are behind the times.

The take-and-bake pizza marketer’s new Web site, which is mobile-optimized, better mimics the in-store experience by giving visitors access to a slew of useful tools, including the ability to create their own pizza with the help of appetizing imagery. Customers will also be able to pick up their customized meals in-store at their convenience, an option that will be available at all Papa Murphy’s restaurants nationwide this year.

“We felt it was important to provide a new digital ordering system to make ordering our fresh pizza even more convenient for busy moms and dads who want to feel good about what they’re serving their families,” said Brandon Solano, chief marketing officer at Papa Murphy’s. “We have made a significant investment in technology because we know how important the ordering experience is and we wanted to make the experience simple, enjoyable and mobile.

“Our customers are ordering via smartphones daily and we’ve seen that mobile ordering increases in the evening, around dinnertime.”

Simplifying the ordering process
Papa Murphy’s claims the launch of this new platform highlights the brand’s commitment to adopting the latest technologies that will support growth and increase sales.

Individuals wanting to take advantage of the ecommerce platform can select items from current menu offerings, or opt to create their own customized pizzas. The new solution, which is powered by Deloitte Digital, will also gift consumers with exclusive offers.

When customers visit the redesigned mobile site, they may click on the pizza icon on the bottom left corner to begin the ordering process. The site will prompt them to enable their smartphone’s location settings, or input their zip code to find the nearest Papa Murphy’s location.

Customers can then build their own pizza with whichever ingredients they prefer, or purchase one of the chain’s classic pies.

The streamlined feel of the experience will likely resonate well with on-the-go consumers who may not want to place quick orders over the phone.

“We believe that the new digital ordering platform will create new sales opportunities for the brand and most importantly, we feel this new system will fulfill the needs of our loyal customers,” Mr. Solano said. “Our guests will also have the opportunity to take advantage of special deals available exclusively through the platform for a great value on their fresh pizza.”

Cleaner site design
In addition to the new ordering capabilities, the food marketer has also revamped its existing site to enhance customers’ experiences across mobile, tablet and desktop devices.

The redesigned PapaMurphys.com includes vibrant imagery meant to entice consumers’ taste buds. The appetizing photos bring each ingredient, from freshly sliced toppings to scratch-made dough, to life.

Visitors will be able to more easily peruse all of the menu options, which could help drive additional sales for the pizza chain.

Papa Murphy’s has been engaging in a strong push toward mobile tactics recently, proving its dedication to keeping up with competition in the food and beverage sector.

Last fall, Papa Murphy’s hoped to boost sales among busy customers with a new mobile ordering app that reimagined phone-in orders for a new era (see story).

It also stepped up efforts to integrate mobile with in-store promotions via more personalized text alerts and incentivized calls to action at more than 1,400 locations (see story).

“We believe that technology is a gateway to growth for Papa Murphy’s,” Mr. Solano said. “The new ecommerce platform, along with our system-wide rollout of the point-of-sale system, provides a foundation for precision marketing and we feel the advancements in our technology will help us attract new customers and offer a more convenient experience for current customers.”