Building an End-to-End Merchandise & E-commerce Solution
Client: Lodge of Honour No. 379, Bath
Project: E-commerce, Merchandise & Fulfilment
Services: Website Design, WordPress Development, WooCommerce, E-commerce Integration, Online Payments, Product Management and Fulfilment
Websites: lodgeofhonour.com | store.colourmydays.com/product-category/masonic/
The Brief
Lodge of Honour No. 379, one of Bath’s established Masonic Lodges, wanted to introduce an exclusive range of lifestyle apparel and merchandise for Freemasons. The objective was to create a collection that reflected the traditions and symbolism of Freemasonry while appealing to members who appreciate contemporary styling, quality and understated design.
The merchandise needed to be accessible through the Lodge’s existing website, with a straightforward way for visitors to browse products, select their preferred designs and complete purchases online. There was also a charitable objective. A portion of the proceeds from merchandise sales would be donated towards Masonic charitable causes, initially supporting the Somerset 2031 Festival.
Xelium was commissioned to design and develop a complete solution, covering the customer-facing promotional experience through to online ordering, payment processing, product production and delivery.
The Solution
Xelium designed and developed an integrated two-website solution, bringing together the Lodge’s existing online presence with a dedicated e-commerce operation. The solution separates product promotion and storytelling from the commercial ordering and fulfilment process, giving each website a clear purpose while providing visitors with a seamless purchasing journey.
1. A Dedicated Collections Experience on Lodge of Honour
The first part of the project involved designing and building a dedicated Collections landing page on the existing Lodge of Honour website.
Rather than presenting a conventional online shop, the page was designed as a long-form promotional and sales experience, introducing the collection, communicating its values and encouraging visitors to explore the available products.
The page combines:
- Lifestyle-led product presentation: Large product images and carefully arranged sections showcase the apparel in a contemporary setting.
- Distinctive product designs: Dedicated sections introduce the different embroidered Masonic symbols and designs.
- Product information: Visitors can explore available styles, colours, sizes and product characteristics.
- Customer testimonials: Feedback helps communicate product quality, comfort and satisfaction.
- Promotional offers: Discount codes encourage visitors to make their first purchase.
- Charitable messaging: The page explains how purchases contribute towards Masonic charitable causes.
The visual design uses a restrained combination of navy, blue, gold and neutral tones, reflecting the heritage of the Lodge while giving the merchandise a contemporary retail identity.
2. Subtle Designs with a Contemporary Appeal
The initial collection focuses on embroidered polo shirts featuring traditional Masonic symbolism. Designs include:
- Square and Compass
- Three Pillars – Doric, Ionic and Corinthian
- Individual Doric, Ionic and Corinthian columns
The distinctive feature of the collection is its understated approach. Each garment carries a small embroidered emblem, with no accompanying text or oversized graphics. The intention is to create clothing that can be worn comfortably in everyday settings, with symbolism that remains discreet and meaningful.
The collection is designed for those who appreciate the symbolism without feeling the need to make an overt statement. The range has since been extended to include classic pullover hoodies and crewneck sweatshirts, with further merchandise categories planned.
3. Integrated E-commerce on Colour My Days
The second part of the project involved developing the commercial ordering infrastructure on Colour My Days. Rather than attempting to turn the Lodge’s main website into a full e-commerce platform, Xelium connected the promotional experience to a dedicated WooCommerce store. Visitors browsing the Collections page can select a product and proceed directly to its corresponding product page on the Colour My Days store.
The e-commerce platform provides:
- Individual product pages with descriptions and photography.
- Product variations, including garment sizes and colour choices.
- Shopping basket and checkout facilities.
- Secure online payment processing.
- Shipping and delivery calculations.
- Order management and fulfilment arrangements.
This creates a complete purchasing journey, from initial product discovery on the Lodge website through to payment, production and delivery. The arrangement also allows the merchandise operation to grow independently of the Lodge’s main website.
4. From Online Order to Delivery
A key objective was to provide an end-to-end merchandise operation without requiring the Lodge to manage a conventional retail business. The integrated arrangement brings together the different stages of the purchasing process:
Discover → Browse → Select → Order → Pay → Produce → Deliver
Visitors discover the collection through Lodge of Honour, browse the merchandise and are directed to Colour My Days to complete their purchase. Once an order is placed and payment is processed, the merchandise enters the production and fulfilment process, with the finished products dispatched to customers. This approach provides a practical way to offer made-to-order merchandise while avoiding the need for the Lodge to maintain its own stockholding operation.
5. Supporting Masonic Charitable Causes
An important element of the project is its charitable purpose. A portion of the proceeds from merchandise sales is donated by Lodge of Honour No. 379 towards Masonic charitable causes, initially supporting the Somerset 2031 Festival in aid of the Masonic Charitable Foundation.
The Collections page makes this commitment visible throughout the customer journey, helping visitors understand the wider purpose behind their purchase. The arrangement brings together merchandise, online retail and charitable fundraising in a single initiative.
The Results
Xelium delivered an integrated merchandise and e-commerce solution that gives Lodge of Honour a dedicated platform to promote and sell its own branded collection.
The project provides:
- A dedicated promotional platform: A visually engaging Collections page integrated into the Lodge’s established website.
- A complete online purchasing journey: Visitors can progress from product discovery to ordering and payment.
- Integrated e-commerce: WooCommerce provides the product catalogue, shopping basket, checkout and order management.
- Production and fulfilment: An established online retail operation supports product production and delivery.
- Charitable fundraising: A portion of merchandise proceeds supports Masonic charitable initiatives.
- Room to grow: The platform can accommodate additional apparel, drinkware, stationery, pins, gifts and Lodge memorabilia.
Most importantly, Lodge of Honour now has a practical way to promote merchandise and generate charitable contributions without having to operate its own physical shop or manage conventional retail stock.
Looking Ahead
The Collections page is designed to grow beyond its initial range of embroidered polo shirts. Future additions include T-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs, cups, pens, notebooks, pins, napkins, coasters and other Masonic memorabilia. A separate Custom Lodge Apparel section has also been developed to support Lodges looking for personalised clothing for anniversaries, special occasions, charity events and bulk orders. Together, these developments provide a flexible merchandise platform serving both individual purchasers and Lodges looking for customised apparel.
From the first product presentation to the final delivery, Xelium has brought the entire digital merchandise experience together.
Project websites:
- Lodge of Honour Collections: https://www.lodgeofhonour.com/collections/
- Colour My Days Store: https://store.colourmydays.com/product-category/masonic/
