Launching an e-commerce site in the luxury retail market

I initially developed the website using HTML, CSS, with foundational Javascript and PHP, integrating Ecwid for e-commerce capabilities. However, as Arrow Innovation expanded, the limitations of this setup became apparent, underscoring the need for a more scalable solution to support our growing range of products, collections, and dynamic content.

Taking charge of the project, I was solely responsible for reimagining the website. This involved not just redesigning and developing the site but also strategically planning its launch to ensure it met our evolving business needs and maintained the brand's futuristic and high-end positioning.

At the outset, my journey into web design and UX research was just beginning. To bridge this gap in experience, I turned to Instagram, a platform where many of my customers were engaged followers, to gain insights into their preferences.

By inquiring about their favorite shopping brands, I aimed to not only pinpoint my primary competitors but also to dissect and learn from the structure of their professionally crafted websites. This approach provided a foundation for understanding effective design and sales strategies, setting a new benchmark for Arrow Innovation's online presence.

Leveraging insights from my survey, I delved into competitive audits to gain invaluable perspectives, noting that brands with similar positioning prioritized rich content to create impactful designs. Opting for Webflow, I embraced its comprehensive CSS control to craft a fully custom design from scratch, bypassing templates for a unique web experience.

To validate my design direction, I sought feedback from a colleague who manages a portfolio of websites valued between 30M-40M, aligning with Arrow's market segment. During a digital call, we meticulously reviewed the website together, although I admittedly felt nervous, having never conducted such a review before.

The design insights, particularly concerning sales pathway optimization, were enlightening, emphasized by my colleague during our review. Despite my novice status, I prioritized the brand narrative, although we ultimately scaled back branding efforts to prioritize enhancing the product exploration grid.

The culmination of the project yielded a fully functional e-commerce site, primed for relaunch within the premium luxury market segment. Success metrics were gauged through feedback surveys integrated into the site, revealing crucial insights. A key takeaway was the symbiotic relationship between primary and secondary research in crafting a product destined for success.