Magento Development: eCommerce Solutions for the DIY & Hardware Industry

The Building Materials and DIY industry is rapidly growing and evolving, driven by the surge in consumer interest in home improvement projects and the growing demand for online shopping options. This shift has presented unique challenges, such as integrating complex product information and providing a seamless customer journey from online browsing to purchase.

We’ve rounded up our projects to showcase how we successfully navigate these complexities. We want to demonstrate scandiweb’s tailored eCommerce solutions through case studies that illustrate our strategic approaches and the impactful results achieved for each client.

Challenges

The Building Materials and DIY industry faces a set of unique eCommerce challenges that can hinder growth and operational efficiency if not properly managed. Drawing insights from our projects, here are some common issues:

• Handling extensive product details and specifications can be challenging, particularly when ensuring accuracy across multiple channels.
• Platforms often struggle to maintain performance during peak traffic periods, which are common due to seasonal demands and promotional events.
• Many businesses in this industry operate with older systems that must be integrated with new eCommerce solutions without disrupting existing operations.
• Clients often require customized solutions or products, necessitating advanced configurators and interactive design tools on eCommerce platforms.
• Managing a robust supply chain with real-time inventory updates is crucial but challenging due to the variety of products and materials involved.
• Ensuring a seamless shopping experience on mobile devices is often problematic, yet essential, as more consumers shift to mobile-first browsing and purchasing.
• Providing a consistent and seamless experience across various digital touchpoints can be difficult, especially with the detailed and varied product ranges typical in this industry.

Our approach

Strategic planning and consultation

Understanding the unique needs and challenges of each client is the first step in scandiweb’s process. By working closely with companies in the Building Materials and DIY sector, we identify key digital goals and craft strategic plans that align with business objectives.

Custom eCommerce development

We excel in creating custom eCommerce platforms that cater specifically to the needs of the Building Materials and DIY market. This includes developing features that accommodate a wide range of products and complex catalog requirements, ensuring that businesses can efficiently manage and expand their online offerings.

Integration capabilities

scandiweb integrates eCommerce sites with essential business tools such as ERP systems, inventory management software, and CRM platforms. This seamless integration ensures that businesses can operate more efficiently and provide a better service to their customers.

Support and optimization

Ongoing support and continuous optimization of eCommerce platforms are key components of scandiweb’s service offerings. We ensure that the digital stores we build remain at the cutting edge of technology and continue to deliver outstanding performance and user experiences.

Case Study 1: Advanced eCommerce solutions and PWA migration for Rockler

Rockler Companies, Inc. is an established woodworking brand in Minnesota being in the industry for almost 70 years. Advancing their eCommerce infrastructure was crucial to accommodate the increasing demands of their diverse customer base and to enhance the overall shopping experience.

The main goal was to improve site performance and user engagement, especially on mobile devices, to drive higher conversions and customer satisfaction.

Project highlights

• Migration to a Progressive Web Application (PWA) to ensure faster load times and a smoother, app-like experience on mobile devices
• Comprehensive integration of essential extensions and customizations, including advanced product configurations and a refined checkout process
• SearchSpring extension for enhancing product data display on Product Listing and Search Results pages, which included implementing essential navigation filters for an improved customer discovery process
• Effective management of an unexpected ERP system upgrade to MS Dynamics 365, involving detailed backend integration and custom adjustments to ensure seamless operation with the new eCommerce infrastructure

The PWA migration transformed Rockler’s platform, significantly enhancing mobile user experience and site performance. These improvements made browsing and shopping quicker and more responsive, which was crucial for meeting the expectations of today’s tech-savvy consumers.

This transformation led to a robust, scalable eCommerce solution that supported Rockler’s growth while significantly improving customer engagement and boosting sales.

Case Study 2: Enhancing JYSK’s online store performance with Hyvä

JYSK, a global retailer of furniture and home decor, saw dramatic improvements in site performance and user experience after scandiweb implemented the Hyvä theme on their Magento platform. This enhancement boosted the speed and improved the overall look and feel of the retailer’s online store.

Project highlights

• Implementation of the Hyvä theme to drastically improve site speed and responsiveness
• Outstanding Google CWV performance
• Simplification of the site’s architecture to streamline user interactions and facilitate easier navigation
• Optimization of image loading and other media to reduce page load times, significantly enhancing the browsing experience
• Custom development to ensure that JYSK’s unique features and functionalities were retained and enhanced in the new environment

The use of Hyvä theme on Magento 2 provided JYSK with a lightweight, faster-loading site that enhanced customer interactions and led to a noticeable improvement in performance metrics. This change improved the user experience and ensured that JYSK’s online store could handle increased traffic without compromising on speed or functionality.

Here are the numbers:

• 275% improvements in speed index 
• 20.1% improvement in checkout conversion rate
• 43.8% increase in transactions
• 58.0% surge in unique purchases

Case Study 3: Byggmax’s digital transformation for enhanced customer experience

scandiweb developed several custom features for Byggmax to improve the online shopping experience, accommodating the unique needs of DIY enthusiasts and professional builders alike with an enhanced product search and customization tools.

Byggmax is a prominent retailer in the building materials sector, operating across three Nordic countries with over 160 physical stores. scandiweb supported Byggmax by managing and integrating four Magento stores with six store views, efficiently handling a catalog of more than 55,000 SKUs under one unified digital platform.

Project highlights

• Methodical migration to the Hyvä theme, starting with global elements and progressing through Product Listing Pages (PLPs) and Product Detail Pages (PDPs), ensuring pixel-perfect styling and alignment with Core Magento features
• Introduction of the Byggmax Buildplanner, an interactive tool that allows customers to plan construction projects visually and directly add required materials to their shopping cart
• Integration of detailed DIY project guides with step-by-step instructions, complete with lists of necessary products, tools, and accessories that can be added to the cart with a single click
• Implementation of Inriver Product Information Management (PIM) to maintain accurate and up-to-date stock and price information, facilitating better inventory management and pricing accuracy

The redevelopment of Byggmax’s eCommerce site involved integrating innovative features that cater to the specific requirements of the building materials industry, such as detailed product descriptions, customer project lists, and a more efficient checkout process. 

Case Study 4: Enhancing Norwood’s eCommerce platform for superior customer engagement

This project was designed to revitalize Norwood’s online presence with a focus on usability, security, and advanced product access features.

Norwood Sawmills is a manufacturer of high-quality portable sawmills and forestry equipment.

Project highlights

• The default ScandiPWA theme was redesigned and extended, focusing on high search engine results page (SERP) visibility and a superior customer experience.
• Introduction of multiple content styling options, two sets of Product Listing Page (PLP) & Product Detail Page (PDP) templates to showcase top-priority products, and several CMS-block templates, enabling easy content page introductions by the client
• Implementation of ZoHo CRM for enhanced customer relationship management and Components Engine integration to restrict browsing of replacement parts to verified Norwood product owners only
• Development of a robust AWS infrastructure designed to support high-load demands and enhance intrusion resistance, ensuring reliable and secure platform operations

The rebranded ScandiPWA website was successfully launched in just 2.5 months from project inception. The integration of product logic on the frontend ensures that replacement parts and accessories are accessible exclusively to verified customers. The transformation led to significant performance improvements, with a 55.8% increase in total clicks and an 8.5% rise in average click-through rate (CTR).

Case Study 5: QuestMark’s strategic move online with Adobe Commerce

QuestMark, a half-century-old expert in the flooring industry, made a strategic shift to expand its market reach by launching a feature-rich B2B website built on Adobe Commerce. This transition represents a significant enhancement of their digital presence, aiming to cater to both B2C and B2B sectors in North America.

Project highlights

• Leveraging its longstanding expertise in the flooring industry, QuestMark offers its comprehensive range of products and services online for B2B clients
• A B2B website incorporating native Adobe modules, third-party modules, and custom coding to ensure a robust feature set tailored for business clients
• Seamless integration with major systems like SAP ERP, Salesforce, Punchout, FedEx, and CH Robinson to streamline operations and enhance user experiences
• B2B clients can book a demo, schedule an inspection, or buy products directly

The project was swiftly executed, with the site going live within three months. QuestMark’s new online platform simplified interactions for commercial clients, enabling them to easily book demos, schedule inspections, or purchase products directly. Key integrations like Elasticsearch enhanced search functionality, while the high-performance architecture not only supported current operations but also laid the groundwork for future growth. 

The integration with SAP ERP simplified site maintenance and improved data transparency, ensuring that QuestMark remains a leader in the flooring industry’s digital domain.

Conclusion

scandiweb’s dedication to advancing eCommerce in the Building Materials and DIY industry through innovative solutions has proven effective in helping businesses meet the evolving demands of their customers. Their strategic approach to custom development, integration, and user experience design has enabled companies to thrive in a competitive market.

If your business is looking to enhance its eCommerce presence or tackle specific digital challenges in the Building Materials and DIY industry, reach out to scandiweb using the form below and get a free consultation.

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