Highlights Client Zen Habitats Available on Official Website / eStore Category eCommerce Website Performance Metrics: Average Session Duration: 2 mins 16 seconds Bounce Rate: 32.12% Conversion Rate: 1.44% Platform Shopify Development Engagement Platform Migration, Theme & Plugin Customization, Maintenance, New Feature Development Technologies Brief Zen Habitats is a leading manufacturer and seller of affordable reptile enclosures. In addition to creating healthy indoor habitats for reptiles, they also provide expert information and resources for reptile owners and enthusiasts. With 1000+ products spread across multiple SKUs, the client had initially set up an online store using Shopify but had to find a way to overcome issues with the online store. The Challenge Despite running an online store on the Shopify platform, the client was unable to get the expected results with the key issues being overall website performance and user experience. Limitations of the existing Shopify Store High average page loading time of 30 seconds Due to page performance issues, the conversion rate across the store had reduced to 0.51% With multiple online stores (Canada, USA, and the UK), the cost of maintenance and operation was relatively high due to separate backend dashboard. Most plugins of the custom theme were not able to deliver expected results The platform version did not deliver the required stability and security in keeping with the inventory. Proposed Solution After the initial exploration of the client’s issues and key objectives, our team conducted an in-depth audit of the online store which included a UI/UX audit followed by a performance audit. While working on revamping the UX issues, our team recommended upgrading the website to Shopify Plus for addressing all technical and performance issues. This was also a strategic direction in keeping with possible future feature updates that the client could plan for providing value addition to the services. We shared a platform migration plan along with theme and plugin customization details. The initial proposed engagement of 5-6 months has turned out to be a strategic partnership of 4+ years where we are working closely with the Zen Habitats team to innovate, create, and enhance features. Key Deliverable UI/UX Audit Theme Customization Configuring the Single Backend Dashboard for Multiple Stores Website Performance Audit Plugin Customization Maintenance & Updates Platform Migration to Shopify Plus New Plugin Development Development Stages 1 Research & Exploration 2 Website Audit 3 UI/UX Design 4 Platform Migration to Shopify Plus 5 QA and Bug Fixing 6 Final Review with Stakeholders 7 Publishing the stores for respective locations 8 Maintenance and Upgrades Key Feature Enhancements Environment Setup on Shopify Plus Before commencing migration, the new environment for the business was created and set up on the Shopify Plus platform. This included configuring multiple dashboards and inventory management panels for multiple stores. Migrating product information With the environment ready for configuration, the team migrated the entire database of all online stores and verified accuracy of the imported product information. Existing Plugin Customization One of the key challenges faced by the client was the output of various plugins required for the functioning of the online store. After evaluating all the installed and required plugins, our team worked on customizing them for ensuring the expected output. For example, the plugin used for product search did not display the items in the preferred format and the existing plugin had limitations for the format. Our team was able to resolve this by customizing the plugin and ensuring that the products were displayed in the correct format and with the preferred options. New Feature Development New Plugin Development (DYDS – Design Your Dream Setup) This was a new feature requirement shared by the client after seeing the capabilities of the new platform. This plugin allows users to create their own setup using different components (enclosures and cabinets) and see a visual representation against a background of home interiors. As more components are selected, the actual setup is reflected visually in the image section so that users may visualize the setup. This feature is currently made available only for the US store, with other stores awaiting the update soon. While the plugin uses image layering in real time based on the selected product, it gives the experience of an augmented reality driven visualization. This not only allows the client to test the preference of users for this feature on the website, but also gives an opportunity to identify scope of integration of advanced technologies like AR, AI, etc. Delivery & Deployment The app was successfully launched after ensuring optimal performance metrics and configuration of global stores. The client now has plans of creating additional features, and also upgrading the custom DYDS plugin which will now showcase the option of selecting its Meridian line of enclosures. Value Creation & Impact of the Solution Commercial Impact With the enhanced UI/UX, along with the required performance optimization, the website was able to increase their conversions by 100%. The launch of the DYDS feature also improved the average time spent on the website. Additionally, the consolidation of multiple store backend dashboards into a single account with multiple access has been instrumental in decreasing overheads due to reduced maintenance and operations requirement. Impact on Brand Equity With improved website performance and the introduction of the new DYDS feature, the users now have a better experience while shopping for healthy reptile habitats. In terms of brand equity, the digital user experience contributes in building confidence in the customers with respect to product and service quality.This also helps to gain a competitive advantage in a micro-niche like indoor reptile enclosures. Platform for Future Innovation The development of the DYDS plugin itself proves the capabilities and potential provided by Shopify Plus, especially for global eCommerce websites. With the success of the plugin for cabinets and enclosures, the client is now working on introducing the Meridian product line in this feature. We are also in discussion for several innovative features that have been included in the product roadmap.