Woodsterdam is one of the finest stores you'll see out there. Based on Shopify after an unsuccessful journey on Webflow, the merchant wanted an online store able to 1. express the same quality of his unique, extraordinarily beautiful products and 2. register sales. With a very low amount of traffic on the website, the business was not confident that the conversions can be increased that much, but the right strategies and placement in the niche sky rocketed Woodsterdam and increased their sales 600% in 6 months, which might be a new record here at our agency.
Woodsterdam was founded in Amsterdam, Netherlands by an artisan with a passion for creating unique pieces using resin and olive wood. They started small, just like all businesses, and had a hard time selling products using their Shopify store. Despite the unique approach and extraordinarily beautiful, special products, the website expressed friction and a lack of clarity, which made a lot of customers vanish away. They had initially built their front end on Webflow, which served them well in creating a unique and appealing design that perfectly showcased their brand's essence.
Not happy at all with the maintenance needed for a Shopify-Webflow business, and with a lack of sales, they sought help. Our job was to migrate back to Shopify completely and boost their sales. This required a creative yet methodical approach, focusing on blending aesthetics with e-commerce efficiency seamlessly.
Before any lines were drawn or pixels placed, a deep understanding of Woodsterdam's essence was essential. This wasn’t just about understanding the product — handcrafted wooden furniture rooted in sustainability — but also about understanding the values, the niche and Volkan's ideas (the store owner).
The charm of Woodsterdam wasn't merely the physical products; it was in the narrative of ethically sourced materials, every piece narrating a unique story and the craftsmen’s passion that infused each item.
Understanding your business niche, especially when traffic is low and you cannot rely on user surveys for feedback, is pivotal. In these early stages, your foundational understanding of your target audience's preferences, needs, and challenges acts as your guiding light. It involves meticulous market research, competitor analysis, and leveraging any available consumer data to build a picture of your ideal customer. This in-depth knowledge allows you to tailor your marketing strategies, product development, and overall brand messaging to resonate deeply with your niche. And since Woodsterdam was looking for a complete revamp, this is what we started to do.
As we delved deeper into the niche of sustainable and ethically sourced wooden furniture, we discovered that there was a growing demand for these products from environmentally conscious consumers.
The new Shopify website must live up to expectations. The products are extraordinarily high quality and they had to be sold on a platform that describes their essence. Website visitors were greeted with a harmonious blend of the client’s vision and the target audience’s expectations. Every interaction — be it a click, hover, or scroll —mirrored a dedication to delivering an authentic and unified experience across all devices on this brand-new Shopify website.
Ensuring mobile compatibility and swift page loading times were imperative criteria that the final design adeptly incorporated. The strategic placement of social proof elements served as powerful endorsements, instilling confidence in prospective customers.
The online store received a significant traffic increase of 75%. And that helped a lot. However, the store still had a very low amount of traffic - around 3000 to 4000/month, totalling 17K sessions across five months. We maximized the results as much as we could considering this traffic. We are used to 50k+/month, but it was not the case here. We were able to increase the sales with more than 600% using this traffic, and that's why we take a lot of pride. It was surprising at some point for us too.
The spotlight on quality through high-resolution images and transparent communications on all processes — from product creation to delivery — helped a lot. More in the next paragraph.
Let's be more specific. I used this case study to tell a beautiful story, so let's get into something you are all interested in: what exactly were the pain points and how did we solve them?
Visuals: One of the key strategies was using high-quality images. There's no revolution here at all. We all love beautiful pictures and we made sure the client has all kinds of images added: from artistic ones to presentation pictures.
Social proof: We used a set of social proof elements that were integrated strategically into the design. This includes customer reviews, ratings, customer base and more.
Usability: The store was designed with usability in mind to ensure a smooth and easy shopping experience for customers. This included clear navigation and optimized product pages.
Transparency: To address the lack of clarity mentioned earlier, we made sure to provide transparent communication with customers. This included detailed product descriptions, accurate pricing information and clear terms and conditions. We offered a behind-the-scenes look at how products are made, the materials used, and the people behind the craftsmanship. For the ordering process, we streamlined steps to ensure ease and provided clear instructions at each stage, accompanied by FAQs to address common concerns. Shipping and returns policies were made more transparent, with detailed explanations of timelines, costs, and procedures for returning products, aiming to build trust and reassure customers. This comprehensive approach to clarity significantly reduced customer friction and enhanced the overall shopping experience.
USPs: Elements like a Benefits Bar at the top of the Home Page constantly reminded visitors of the core advantages of choosing this brand, such as "Sustainably Sourced Materials," "Handcrafted Quality," and "Express Shipping." This visual reminder serves as a powerful tool in maintaining brand value propositions at the forefront of the customer's mind.
On Product Pages, comparison pop-ups were introduced, offering a direct comparison between our brand's offerings and those of competitors, focusing on areas like material quality, product longevity, and the ethical aspect of production. This not only educates customers on the value proposition but also transparently showcases why our brand stands out.
Additionally, promotions on free shipping were strategically placed across the site, including as a highlight within the Benefits Bar, at checkout, and within product descriptions. This tactic not only serves as an added incentive for purchase but also aligns with the brand's commitment to providing exceptional value and customer service.
We're talking percentage. The following results were made within 6 months from the launch of the design:
We are now working with Woodsterdam based on a Maintenance contract and we help the store owner increase the sales every month, provide useful advice and insights and - at the end of the day - discuss about life, because we are more than just clients and experts, we are friends.
If that's possible in a store with a very limited amount of traffic, think about the big ones, where we can perform ongoing CRO, A/B Testing and more. No matter if you're big or small, let us know if you want an audit and we'll help.
