Shopify website design: Lara’s soap business gets a fresh facelift

Shopify website design — Lara, a soap maker from Airdrie, Alberta, was having a tough time keeping her business relevant in the super competitive market of handmade soaps. (Seriously, especially since the pandemic, there’s been a massive surge in the handmade product market. Lara though? She’s an OG and has been doing this for YEARS.)

She had a loyal following, but her website was so outdated, it was actually driving people away. It was hard for them to make purchases directly from her site. Plus, the site was holding her back from reaching new customers and growing her business. It was hard to navigate, and finding the information you needed was even harder.

Lara knew that it was time to refresh her online presence. Together, we made the decision to switch her over from WordPress / Woocommerce to Shopify. We’re not exaggerating when we say it changed her life!

Before the redesign

• Outdated design: Her website was hard to navigate and looked like it was from the 90s.

• Low traffic: Few people were finding her online store, despite our efforts on Pinterest. (Lesson learned: don’t even bother if you’re leading people somewhere they’re not going to be thrilled to find!)

• Difficulty selling to wholesalers: It was a hassle for wholesalers to place large orders. This limited Lara’s ability to expand her business to larger retailers and increase her revenue.

• Glitchy Pinterest: To make things even worse, Lara’s Pinterest account was constantly experiencing technical difficulties, which was hurting her ability to reach potential new customers.

I mean tell me… where would YOU rather shop? 👇 (The version on the right links to the live site and her soaps are UTTERLY DELICIOUS, so click through!)

The redesign

The redesigned Shopify website was a breath of fresh air compared to Lara’s outdated online store. Her soaps are luxurious AND practical — and her website was designed to be modern and user-friendly, too.

Our favourite parts:

INTUITIVE NAVIGATION

Customers can easily find what they were looking for with clear menus and calls to action.

MOBILE OPTIMIZATION, OF COURSE

We’re in the 2020’s. Websites NEED to look and function beautifully on smartphones and tablets, making it easy for customers to shop on the go. (ESPECIALLY if you’re working any kind of social media strategy!)

ENHANCED PRODUCT PAGES

The beauty of working with Shopify for a product based business is that this is EXACTLY what the platform is made for. That means it’s easy to make sure that each product has space for detailed descriptions, high-quality images, and customer reviews to help customers make informed decisions.

Plus, it’s super easy for Lara to keep track of her inventory and update on the fly!

SECURE CHECKOUT

A safe and secure payment process gave customers — and shop owners — peace of mind when making purchases.

WHOLESALE SECTION

The website features a dedicated wholesale section — hidden behind a login! so fancy! 🎉🎉 This makes it easy for businesses to bulk order Lara’s soaps. It’s taken a bit of doing, but this section is completely separate from the retail section. She can create coupons & promo codes that apply only to retail (or wholesale) customers.

REWARDS PROGRAM

Referrals and repeat business are THE best way to maintain your bottom line! Lara implemented a rewards program to incentivize repeat customers and encourage them to make additional purchases — and it works like a dream.

COUPON CODES

Updating promo codes is super quick & painless for Lara, and it encourages her customers to save (and, ahem, spend) a few extra bucks on their orders too!

The power of Shopify

Shopify is AMAZIINNNNNG, 10/10 recommended for product-based businesses.

It’s packed with features that make running an online store a breeze. Unlike other platforms, Shopify is super user-friendly, so you don’t need to be a tech wizard to use it!

Here are some of the reasons why Shopify is a game-changer:

• Shipping made easy: Shopify handles shipping like a pro. You can calculate rates, print labels, and track orders all in one place.

• Track your orders: Customers can see where their orders are at any time, which keeps them happy.

• Manage your stock: Shopify helps you keep track of your inventory so you never run out of your best-selling products.

• Accept payments: Customers can pay with their favorite method, thanks to Shopify’s wide range of payment options.

• Market your business: Shopify has built-in tools to help you reach more customers and boost sales.

By switching to Shopify, Lara was able to streamline her operations, improve the customer experience, and grow her business!

Results

The Shopify website redesign yielded significant results:

• Increased sales: Lara has seen a steady increase in sales since launching the new site.

• Improved customer satisfaction: She’s received soooo many positive comments from customers about the new website. (We’ll take ’em all!) Plus, more repeat orders!

• Successful wholesale partnerships: Lara has been able to secure several new wholesale accounts.

• Boosted Pinterest engagement: Since the redesign, Lara’s Pinterest following has grown by 38 percent and her engagement rates have increased by over a hundred percent! Her posts are now receiving more likes, comments, and saves on average — and she’s seeing orders come in from all over the globe, which is SO fun and exciting!

Pssst… Interested in Pinterest marketing? Right this way!

Lara’s Shopify website redesign was a huge success!

By investing in a modern, user-friendly online store, she was able to improve her business’s visibility, attract new customers, and increase sales.

If you’re struggling with an outdated website, a Shopify redesign could be the boost your business needs! You can hire us, of course (and we hope you do) — but if you’re still not sure, here’s a rundown of some questions you can ask to make sure that you choose the perfect-fit website designer. Otherwise, click below to get started!