20 years of the Italian Garden
1996-2016: Giardino Italiano blows out 20 candles on its cake and, in its twentieth anniversary year, wants to celebrate together with its customers.
Discover all the surprises Giardino Italiano has in store for you this special year!
The first Italian company on the web
The story of Giardino Italiano begins way back in 1996 , when the internet was still a novelty in Italy, viewed with suspicion by the corporate world. But it's not just the story of a small, cutting-edge company, but rather the story of two forward-thinking people who courageously believed in and stubbornly pursued the idea of doing business online. They are Susanna, the founder of Giardino Italiano, and Dario, her husband and business partner since the beginning.
"Thirty years ago, I was doing graphics with pencils and markers ," Susanna recalls. "One day, Dario brought me a Macintosh, and I started experimenting with computer graphics. About ten years later, using HTML code, I started creating something for the web. I was skeptical, but Dario insisted. It was 1995. "
Her dream was to try and create a business entirely online, a simple yet innovative idea for our country: " I wanted to try and offer typical Italian artisan products abroad, " Susanna continues.
It didn't go very well. The Italian market and manufacturing companies weren't ready to hear about the internet.
They were not commercially prepared for a global intervention logic: the policy of those years, in fact, differentiated customers according to geographical origin, applying different price ranges at a regional level.
After numerous attempts to contact Italian craft producers, the only ones who couldn't say no to Susanna's idea came from personal business contacts or their respective families, and so the business was able to get started.
Giardino Italiano first appeared online in March 1996 .
And finally, the first order from the site arrived, from the United States, by regular mail, paid for by credit card transmitted over the phone to CartaSi for authorization.
The first product purchased was a Visconti Pontevecchio fountain pen: it was the beginning of a twenty-year story that is still continuing successfully.
Giardino Italiano: First in Quality Processes for Online Businesses
Fifteen years ago, Giardino Italiano SaS became Giardino.it Srl. Since then, and still today, Giardino Italiano has been a woman-run company, with Susanna as the founder and driving force behind the company, Shara in charge of the shipping department in San Giuliano, and Simona in charge of content and press relations.
In keeping with its original philosophy, Giardino Italiano continues to look ahead. Over the years, the company has distinguished itself on numerous occasions for its innovations in quality processes, ensuring customers who purchase online are protected:
- The Fidelity logo : Since October 1996, Giardino Italiano has introduced the Fidelity logo and has been applying customer loyalty systems;
- Quality for online shopping : While in the collective imagination online commerce is synonymous with affordability, Giardino Italiano has always offered quality products, even in the high and medium-high price ranges;
- Personalized service : Despite being an exclusively online business, Giardino Italiano customers can contact Susanna at any time and speak directly with her. This gives them confidence.
- Giardino Italiano is certified by the AICEL SonoSicuro mark : Giardino Italiano is a member of AICEL – the Italian Association of Electronic Commerce – and has earned the SonoSicuro mark, which certifies e-commerce sites through a consumer protection protocol.
Finally, how can we not mention Susanna's passion for her work? Not only does Susanna frequent forums and online pages dedicated to the products she sells—including social media—but she has also been developing ways to offer benefits to her most loyal customers and newsletter subscribers.
And the results seem to reward these quality policies: in addition to maintaining professional and stable relationships with suppliers, Giardino Italiano manages to attract between 700 and 1000 new customers a year, approximately a third of whom return to buy from them.
The trust of customers and suppliers is also due to the additional services that Giardino Italiano offers its readers, such as the app , the website (created and maintained directly by Susanna) and the blog, which together provide detailed information on the product that is often not found elsewhere.
Giardino's aesthetic, both comforting and seductive, is another key factor in the company's success.
If you haven't signed up yet, do it now... it's a unique opportunity to not miss out on Giardino Italiano's best deals.
20 Years of Giardino: Surprises and Offers You Can't Miss
Giardino Italiano has always had a wealth of new things to offer: in 2011, Giardino Italiano created an exclusive pen to celebrate its 15th anniversary, while in 2013, to celebrate its 18th anniversary, Giardino Italiano revamped its logo. Now, to celebrate its first twenty years of online activity, Giardino Italiano has a series of surprises and extraordinary offers in store:
- The Twentieth Anniversary Pen : Giardino Italiano is developing an exclusive pen to celebrate its twentieth anniversary. A must-have for all collectors and enthusiasts. If you don't want to miss it, follow the blog!
- Stay in Milan at Giardino Blu : Throughout 2016, Giardino Italiano Gold members can stay at Giardino Blu for one night for just €1 during their stay in Milan. The Italian business capital has never been so accessible!
Giardino.it goes 2.0 : The Giardino Italiano website is embracing 2.0 and in 2016 will become even more open to exchanging information with its users. The site will be open to reader and customer feedback with new features for commenting on products and shopping experiences.- Surprise discounts for newsletter readers : Staying informed about Giardino Italiano's latest news is even more convenient this year. For this special twentieth anniversary year, Susanna has special surprise discounts in store for newsletter subscribers. How could you not take advantage of them? Signing up costs less than a minute of your time.
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" At Giardino Italiano, we want to be competitive while maintaining a high standard of service quality. Plus, we offer all the warmth and friendliness of Italian hospitality, " Susanna concludes.
In short... In 2016, keep an eye on Giardino Italiano's website, blog, and newsletter. You won't regret it!
