eCommerce Website Revamp for Growing Retail Business
In this project, I redesigned an eCommerce website, taking a UX approach. I also implemented the redesign using the client’s existing platform.
Contributions: UX Design, Website Design, Content Strategy, Photography Editing
Dates: 2024 - 2025
Problem
The shop had quickly grown a loyal customer base in the town where its brick-and-mortar shop had recently opened.
However, they still struggled to grow their online store despite a growing social media following.
Below are some screenshots of the original website, including the homepage, product pages, and service booking page.
The original Services booking page did not offer a great user experience, as it lacked photos and descriptions.
The original homepage lacked a clear CTA and functioned more as an About page.
Many products did not have the best quality photos and lacked descriptions.
On mobile, the homepage did not have any clear information "above the fold".
Many products lacked photos.
The original store lacked clear categories, with many products lacking photos and descriptions.
UX Research
Market Analysis
I started by conducting a market analysis or indirect and direct competitors to see what other similar businesses are doing on their websites. I found that many online stores had email newsletters and regular sales.
User Research
Next, I conducted user research to better understand the needs, goals, and pain points of the business's target customers.
I conducted four interviews and collected 18 survey responses from both current customers and other individuals aligning with the target audience.
Using the data that was collected, I created a user persona to inform the design process.
Iterative Design Process: Wireframes
As we progressed in the project, we naturally began to shift the brand design, opting to use a white background to highlight the "Dark to Light" brand theme and create a clean background for product photos.
Below are some of the iterations created in Figma. As we progressed, I worked within Square to ensure the design aligned with Square’s technical limitations.
Solution
In the end, we developed the website using the client's Square website since that is what they already use for their POS. We worked within the technical limitations of the site builder.
I developed the site, implementing a custom code solutions as needed to work around platform limitations while still keeping the site as easy to update as possible for the business owners.
The homepage has a clear CTA above the fold. For now, no sales are promoted till the business creates a marketing plan.
Email newsletter signup encourages email collection.
Featured products & services with high-quality photos. We opted for a white site background for a cleaner look that also coincides with the "Dark II Light" brand theme.
Custom testimonials section with stars and a link to Google establishes trust with site visitors.
The Services page includes photos of the practitioners along with descriptions.
The site store has clear categories that are easy to navigate. All products have photos and descriptions, and many of the product photos have been improved.
The About page includes information about the business along with the business mission, vision, and values.
I helped the clients to release their first email newsletter by helping with copyediting and strategy. The newsletter resulted in increased sales for the two-year anniversary event.
Impact
Increased site and in-person sales (due to the email newsletter).
Improved user experience reported by customers.
Increased confidence in the business owners for promoting their site.
Recommended Next Steps
Consider switching to Shopify or another platform with more customization.
Improve the checkout flow.
Continue to improve product photos and descriptions.
Consider creating a Shipping/Returns policy page & removing those details from the product descriptions.
Client Testimonial
"When I first started working with Victoria, our e-commerce website had no real structure and wasn’t easy to navigate. It didn’t reflect the quality of what we do, and I knew we needed help getting it right. What I didn’t expect was how much of an impact she’d have, not just on the website design but on my own motivation too.
Since working with her, I actually feel proud to share our site with our followers. It finally feels like us and I’ve already noticed an increase in online sales. What really stood out to me was how invested she was in our growth and how much ownership she took in making sure everything turned out right.
She helped us get started with a clear marketing and content strategy and kept us on track even when I tended to procrastinate. She somehow made the whole process feel easy and exciting. Victoria was exactly the push we needed and I can’t thank her enough for everything she did to bring our vision to life."
-Juli G., Business Owner