Page 1 - CerTek - Blue Dolphin House Case Study - 4-19-16 (1)

Blue Dolphin House

A “Door County jewel,” Blue Dolphin House was named by Niche Magazine as a Top 100 Retailer of American
Craft in the USA in 2003, and in 2005 was declared one of the 25 Top Retailers in the United States by Niche.
The very definition of a contemporary “artisan” business, Blue Dolphin House had sold original artwork and
consignment pieces since 1968, with steady growth and acclaim. Its inventory has since expanded to over
17,000 unique pieces. And before you ask: No, they do not have a real dolphin.

Fed Up With High Costs and Marginal Support

Having been in operation for almost 50 years, John in with specific technical questions – not to mention
and Peg were no strangers to the world of technology: having to often wait weeks to get any adequate
Early adopters of computer technology in the mid-70s, answer. So when CounterPoint announced they
they had first gone with a small, independently- would be discontinuing the product they had been
written POS system before settling on CounterPoint using for years, the pair decided it was time to find
in 1998. They described CounterPoint as a significant a new solution. John Lowry and Peg Nissen had been
investment and “considerable” upgrade from their in the business of making fine arts and crafts a part
previous system. of a living environment for nearly half a decade.
As Blue Dolphin House – their combination gift
John and Peg both had struggled with aspects shop and art gallery in Door County, Wisconsin –
of CounterPoint POS, namely the high expense of approached its 49th season, they were looking to
upgrades and the “marginal,” impersonal support transition from their existing POS solution to
offered. Peg in particular didn’t care for the something they felt would better suit their needs.
occasionally dismissive IT support when she called