Black Poppy Design

What Black Poppy Design does

Black Poppy Design is a solo UK-based web development agency founded in 2001 by Dean Wood and operated as a home-based business from Burgess Hill, West Sussex. The company builds brochure websites, eCommerce sites, and custom database-driven websites for small UK businesses, offering project-based design, development, hosting, and domain registration services under a custom quote-based pricing model.

Its core technology stack spans HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and MySQL on the back end, with the Bootstrap and jQuery frameworks, and platform expertise across WordPress, Shopify, and WooCommerce for CMS and eCommerce builds. The firm integrates multiple payment processors including PayPal, Stripe, WorldPay, and cryptocurrency gateways into client sites, and builds custom database-driven applications using MySQL and phpMyAdmin. Responsive/mobile-friendly design, SEO basics, and limited website troubleshooting services round out the technical offering.

Commercially, Black Poppy Design generates revenue from one-time website build fees, recurring annual hosting contracts, multi-year domain registrations, and on-demand website repair services (with a no-fix-no-fee guarantee). Customers are acquired via direct contact through the company's website, email, or telephone; quotes are no-obligation and the firm does not advertise fixed pricing tiers. The customer base is exclusively small UK businesses across varied verticals including events, eCommerce, cleaning, luxury retail, automotive accessories, and trade services. The firm is not VAT-registered, does not accept credit cards, and operates at a lifestyle-business scale with no external funding.

Name

Black Poppy Design

Legal name

Black Poppy Design

Website

https://blackpoppy.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Black Poppy Design is a home-based UK web development agency founded in 2001 by Dean Wood, building brochure websites, eCommerce sites, and custom database-driven sites for small UK businesses using WordPress, Shopify, and MySQL.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Croydon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Website Development Services: One-time fees for building new websites or redeveloping existing websites. Costs vary based on specific requirements, platform (WordPress, Shopify, or custom), and project complexity.
2. Website Hosting: Annual recurring revenue from hosting accounts. Space on servers permanently connected to the internet, paid year on year in advance.
3. Domain Registration: Domain registration services with domains registered for 1-10 years. Domains registered in customer's name with company listed as billing and administrative contact.
4. Website Fixes and Updates: Fees for reviewing and fixing website problems. Guarantee that if they cannot fix the problem, customer does not pay.
5. SEO Services: Limited SEO services offered, primarily on-page SEO basics. More advanced SEO referred to specialist firms.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Black Poppy Design is a UK-based web design and development agency that builds new websites, redevelops existing ones, and sets up eCommerce sites for small businesses. It also provides website fixes and updates, database-driven (MySQL) custom websites, WordPress and Shopify configuration, basic on-page SEO, annual website hosting, and domain registration for 1-10 years. Services are delivered directly by the founder on a quote-based engagement with payment processor integrations including PayPal, Stripe, WorldPay, and cryptocurrency.

Product overview

Black Poppy Design is a website development agency offering a comprehensive suite of web services. The core offering centers on website design and development (new and redeveloped websites), with complementary services including website troubleshooting and fixes, eCommerce solutions (built on Shopify or WooCommerce/WordPress), and database-driven websites using MySQL. Additional services include WordPress and Shopify CMS setup, limited SEO services, website hosting, and domain registration. The company integrates payment processors (PayPal, Stripe, WorldPay, cryptocurrency) into client websites for eCommerce functionality.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New/Redeveloped Websites Website design and development service creating new websites from scratch or redeveloping existing websites, including responsive/mobile-friendly design, tailored layouts, and a cohesive visual identity for UK small business clients.
• Update/Fix Websites Website troubleshooting and maintenance service that reviews and fixes problems on existing client websites, including updates and repairs, with a no-fix-no-fee guarantee (no charge if the problem cannot be fixed).
• eCommerce Websites eCommerce website development service including setup from scratch or using platforms like Shopify or WordPress/WooCommerce, with payment processor integration to enable online selling for small businesses.
• Database Driven Websites Database-driven website development using MySQL for back-end support, enabling dynamic content management for eCommerce, directory, and listing sites for small businesses.
• WordPress Websites WordPress CMS setup and configuration service including hosting account setup, template selection, plugin installation, and backend administration area setup for small business clients.
• Shopify Websites Shopify CMS and eCommerce setup service including account creation, template configuration, initial product range setup, email configuration, and payment provider integration for small business clients.
• Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) Limited SEO service including on-page SEO optimisation, page submission to Google and Bing, and basic search engine optimisation for client websites (advanced SEO referred to specialist firms).
• Website Hosting Website hosting service providing server space permanently connected to the internet for storing website files, including email accounts; paid annually in advance with year-on-year renewals.
• Domain Registration Domain name registration service checking availability, handling registration for terms of 1-10 years, and managing renewals; the domain is registered in the client's name with Black Poppy Design listed as billing and administrative contact.

Quantifiable outcome

• No-fix-no-fee guarantee: if problems cannot be fixed, customer does not pay

Named customers8 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Wix: Global DIY website builder targeting SMBs, directly addressing the brochure-website segment Black Poppy Design serves. Competes as a low-cost self-service alternative to the firm's bespoke build offering.
• Shopify: Global eCommerce platform on which Black Poppy Design builds client stores. Overlaps with the firm's eCommerce build services and competes indirectly by enabling merchants to self-serve without an agency.
• Squarespace: Global DIY website builder known for design-led templates, addressing the same brochure-site SMB segment as Black Poppy Design. Indirect competitor with strong brand among creative and lifestyle SMBs.
• Automattic (WordPress.com): Company behind WordPress.com and WooCommerce, both of which Black Poppy Design uses as platforms for client builds. Competes indirectly through hosted WordPress and managed WooCommerce that reduce the need for an agency.
• GoDaddy: Global provider of domain registration, hosting, and website builder services that overlap with Black Poppy Design's hosting and domain-registration add-on services. Competes as a low-cost self-service alternative in the same SMB segments.

Direct peers

• Evoluted: Sheffield-based digital agency offering web design, development, and hosting to UK businesses. Closely comparable in the combination of build, hosting, and ongoing maintenance services for SMB clients.
• Studio Graphene: London-based web and app development agency serving UK and international clients. Direct peer in web design and development services, with overlapping capabilities in custom builds and CMS-based sites.
• Clearleft: Brighton-based UX, design, and web development agency serving UK and international clients. Comparable as a UK design-and-build agency with a portfolio-driven marketing approach similar to Black Poppy Design's portfolio page.
• Cyber-Duck: UK-based digital agency offering web design, development, and digital strategy to SMB and enterprise clients. Comparable to Black Poppy Design as a UK web services firm with a similar end-to-end build/maintain offering, though at a larger scale.
• Hallam Internet: Nottingham-based digital agency offering web design, development, and digital marketing services to UK SMBs. Comparable service mix and SMB target market, though operating at materially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/black-poppy-design

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Black Poppy Design