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Verified Profile
Since 2005, we've helped top brands in China to develop and grow. Our work often involves working with international clients in China, and helping Chinese clients expand internationally. Experienced and reliable, we currently maintain over 50 websites in Asia, Europe, and the U.S.
Locations
China
Unit 301, Building 3, 718 Liyuan Road near Mengzi Road ,
Shanghai,
Shanghai
200023
+862153521288
Focus Areas
Service Focus
- Web Development
- Web Designing (UI/UX)
Client Focus
- Large Business
- Medium Business
- Small Business
Industry Focus
- Financial & Payments
- Designing
- Travel & Lifestyle
Lantern Executive Interview
Andrew Kruse
Founder & Director
Please introduce your company and give a brief about your role within the organization.
Lantern is a web agency in Shanghai, China. We provide mostly websites and web apps, and all related services including design, development, and support.
As Lantern’s Director, I lead the creative and technical parts of our projects and present them to clients at key delivery points.
What is the story behind starting this company?
In 2005, I moved from the U.S. to China, and – with a partner – we worked as a studio out of a residential apartment. During that time, there were few Western agencies of any type, and we had an opportunity to work with some major brands such as McKinsey, Porsche, and L.E.K.
In 2008, I officially registered Lantern in Hong Kong and Shanghai. Sometime around 2012, we shifted our business focus to mostly web and digital.
What are your company’s business model–in house team or third party vendors/ outsourcing?
All of our design and coding is done in-house. We work with third-party vendors for some content (photos, videos, translation) and hosting services.
How does your company differentiate itself from the competition?
We’re one of only a few Western web agencies in China that can reliably and consistently deliver work at a certain standard. As such, our work usually involves working with international companies doing business in China, or with Chinese companies who want to market themselves internationally.
What industries do you generally cater to? Are your customers repetitive? If yes, what ratio of clients has been repetitive to you?
We don’t target a specific industry – though, over time, our portfolio has developed most in corporate, high-tech, healthcare, fashion, and other design industries such as furniture and architecture.
As for repeat business, our standard service agreement includes ongoing support and maintenance for at least three years – so in that sense, all of our clients are ongoing clients. We do sometimes have clients return for another project for themselves or some other department or affiliate in their group.
Please share some of the services that you offer for which clients approach you the most for?
Websites, web apps, platforms, minisites, campaigns. China website localization for Western companies. Sometimes branding and graphic design if it’s part of a larger web project.
What is your customer satisfaction rate according to you? What steps do you take to cater to your customer’s needs and requirements?
Upon receiving initial inquiries, our first question is to ask whether the client’s needs are truly a good fit for what we can offer. From there, we provide a clear working process, scope, design expectations, and technical specifications. Once work begins, we make sure to deliver on or exceed those expectations at every delivery. As for satisfaction, most of our clients stay with us for at least three years, and some have been with us for more than ten years.
What kind of support system do you offer to your clients for catering to their queries and issues?
We’re available Monday to Friday, 10 AM – 6 PM China time, for instant feedback and support on most issues. Our clients can reach us outside those hours for emergencies, but this is rare, as we have multiple backup systems in place.
What kind of payment structure do you follow to bill your clients? Is it Pay per Feature, Fixed Cost, Pay per Milestone (could be in phases, months, versions etc.)
For the initial scope of work, we provide an itemized proposal with a fixed cost, based on the estimated work days required. For work that goes beyond this scope, or is requested after launch, we quote at a daily rate. We also provide a yearly hosting + support service.
Do you take in projects which meet your basic budget requirement? If yes, what is the minimum requirement? If no, on what minimum budget you have worked for?
Starting at $10,000 USD for new projects.
What is the price range (min and max) of the projects that you catered to in 2022?
From $10,000 to $50,000 USD for the initial scope of work.
Where do you see your company in the next 10 years?
At some point I’ll be returning to the U.S., so I’ll be looking at how our agency will transition through that – or I may end up traveling back and forth.
Lantern Clients & Portfolios
Key Clients
- Lagardere
- Tenneco
- JLL
- Stellar Works
- Des Voeux Chambers
Lantern Reviews
7 Reviews
- All Services
- Web Development
- Web Designing (UI/UX)
- Relevance
- Most Recent
- Rating: high to low
- Rating: low to high
Jonathan Wolfberg, China Specialist at Zhuoyu
Posted 1 month ago
Zhuoyu website creation
Review Summary
Working with Lantern, we created a new Chinese + English product website for our Zhuoyu brand, using our brand identity and product photography. Since launch, they have also provided us ongoing support.
What was the project name that you have worked with Lantern?
Zhuoyu website
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Development, Web Designing (UI/UX)
Describe your project in brief
Zhuoyu website creation
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
They were professional and delivered all the services we needed, on schedule and according to budget.
What was it about the company that you didn't like which they should do better?
No complaints, we were satisfied with the work.
mal p
Posted on Jun 09, 2021
LANTERN DIGITAL - VISIONARY, ARTISTIC AND PRACTICAL
Review Summary
They listen and then vision it what you are seeking, these guys translate your marketing waffle to something real in terms of what you actually need as a business. Their ability to take you outside of the box or if you need stay inside it is market driven. They really get it...and they grasp and then improve your concept at speed!
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Development
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
This company is not just about results, it is about the the capability to understand your business, work with you, reimagine what your basic business process thoughts are into a web design that you look at and go...yeah...that was my.....Lantern's idea....
What was it about the company that you didn't like which they should do better?
Not much really...
Carolina Kollmann
Posted on Mar 15, 2021
Highly recommend Lantern Digital
Review Summary
Super professional and quick turnaround designers. They were my providers for a few years now and no issues on my website at all. Excellent company, very helpful would definitely recommend, very quick to solve changes as well as managing the service.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Development, Business Services, Digital Marketing
Morgan O'Hara
Posted on Mar 04, 2021
Lantern Digital is top-notch
Review Summary
We shopped around for a number of web design agencies, eventually settling on Lantern. We were not disappointed. In our previous experience, web developers always had issues bringing our design vision to life. Lantern was incredible in communicating what was and wasn't possible, in proposing solutions, and in bringing to life a flawless responsive website which met all of our requirements and specs, and which is now easy for us to manage and update.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Designing (UI/UX), Web Development
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
Their professionalism and competency.
What was it about the company that you didn't like which they should do better?
N/A
Yiyang Zhou
Posted on Jan 21, 2021
Website
Review Summary
This team is amazing, reasonable price and professional working. My studio's website was made by Lantern, they precisely expressed what I need. Also, they manage it for over 4 years, always keep a quick response. Highly recommended.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Development
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
This team is amazing, reasonable price and professional working. My studio's website was made by Lantern, they precisely expressed what I need. Also, they manage it for over 4 years, always keep a quick response. Highly recommended.
alve LAGERCRANTZ
Posted on Jan 22, 2021
website
Review Summary
Lantern made a beautiful website and online shop for our fashion brand a couple of years back, through the process they have been very helpful and clear to explain the full process, costs, pros and cons etc.
Since then they have been maintaining the website and helped us with various updates etc. they have through the years been a very reliable partner for our brand thank you.
Since then they have been maintaining the website and helped us with various updates etc. they have through the years been a very reliable partner for our brand thank you.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Designing (UI/UX), Web Development
Koofeel Wang
Posted on Dec 29, 2020
The best website design company in Shanghai
Review Summary
Lantern made an outstanding custom website for me, and my inquiries went crazy. ;) I think they are very professional, good taste, quick response, reasonable price, and good service.
What service was provided as part of the project?
Web Designing (UI/UX), Web Development
What is it about the company that you appreciate the most?
Professional, good taste, quick response, reasonable price, and good service.
What was it about the company that you didn't like which they should do better?
No complaints