Tonewood Switzerland

Tonewood Switzerland produces the finest tonewood, which goes to instrument makers all over the world. The clientele is scattered, specialized, and knows what they are looking for. The reputation is established; in the industry, Tonewood is considered a recognized entity.

Sales were traditionally conducted in a classic manner. The website served as a business card with PDF catalogs and general category descriptions. Anyone wishing to order would send an email, call, or travel to Latsch. Factory visits worked, but almost exclusively for B2B customers from the region and overseas. The globally dispersed B2C clientele realistically couldn't take this route.

The ordering process itself was manual. Offers were written per inquiry, pictures were sent upon request, and availabilities were clarified by phone. This worked for the existing B2B trade. For end customers, hobby instrument makers, and interested parties worldwide, the hurdle was too high. Those who didn't know how to contact Tonewood didn't buy.

Their own perception was: We are well-known in the industry. What was missing was the insight into how many potential buyers heard the name but never found their way to placing an order.

The first few weeks after launch were quiet. This is normal; a new shop needs signals, content, and a few initial orders before the system starts to gain traction.

Then came the first buyers who had never been in contact with Tonewood before: hobby instrument makers, smaller workshops, musicians with a specific project. In total, we have welcomed over 350 new B2C customers to date who simply didn't exist as customers before the shop.

On average, about 1.5 orders per day are now received, solely through the B2C channel. That might sound small, but it isn't. It's a reliable, predictable stream of orders that comes in without a factory visit, a phone call, or a manual quote. And it continues to run while other things are happening at the factory.

This has changed the internal view of the market. What was previously considered fully tapped was not. The new channel is no longer up for discussion; it is now part of operations.

What Became of It

Today, the shop is an integral part of sales. Not as a replacement for B2B trade and factory visits, but as an independent channel that serves a market that practically did not exist before.

The presentation of unique pieces, in particular, has proven to be of inherent value. A unique item, which previously could only be displayed at the factory, now finds its buyer online, often in a country where Tonewood had never before received an order.

From our perspective, the interesting part of the case is not the number of orders. It is the realization that a good reputation in the industry is not the same as an accessible purchasing channel. One builds trust, the other generates revenue.