The Arbortec Forestwear website was operating on an ageing and outdated web theme/template that had accumulated significant technical issues over the years. The website had layout inconsistencies, legacy code from previously removed applications, and several unused integrations. These issues resulted in slow page loading speeds and poor technical performance.
In addition, the existing website theme lacked several key features required for a modern e-commerce experience. Customers often struggled to find important product information, and the navigation structure made the browsing journey more complicated than necessary.
As a result, relaunching the Arbortec website became one of the major objectives for the marketing team in Q2 2025. I was responsible for leading and executing the entire project, from planning and development to deployment and performance optimisation. While several platform options were evaluated, the team decided to continue using Shopify because it aligned well with the company’s operational requirements, scalability needs, and integration ecosystem.
The project was structured across three defined stages, each containing a set of focused tasks to ensure a methodical, well-governed delivery.
Defined clear project objectives and success criteria. The primary goal was to enhance the customer experience and drive measurable growth in online sales.
Conducted a thorough website audit identifying what was working, what was broken, and what was missing. Internal feedback was gathered from the CX and Sales teams to incorporate real customer insights into the planning process.
Reviewed competitor websites within our brand space to identify industry-standard features, UX patterns, and design approaches. This informed decisions around design direction, navigation structure, and key functionality.
Developed a structured development roadmap covering new features, solutions to identified issues, a phased timeline, budget estimates, and required resource allocation.
Tested multiple Shopify themes against the defined feature and capability requirements, ultimately selecting the most suitable theme as the foundation for the new website.
Designed the visual interface in line with Arbortec's brand identity and page layouts were structured adopting a marketing and UX funnel framework, guiding visitors intentionally through each stage of the buyer journey to improve the user experience. The design was simulated and validated in a staging environment before progressing to development.
Collaborated closely with theme developers and the Shopify technical team to resolve issues and implement custom development. Removed redundant code, deactivated unused apps, resolved layout inconsistencies, and strengthened user data security. Continuous cross-environment testing ensured technical performance met targets.
As part of the primary SEO Project, existing website content was reviewed and optimised. Content migration was planned and coordinated, ensuring all optimised content was correctly transferred and rendered as expected on the new theme while maintaining search visibility and data integrity.
Secured full backups of all previous website assets, including media, content, and customer data, ahead of the live deployment to ensure recovery was possible if any unexpected issues occurred.
Following successful completion of all stages and testing, the new website was launched live. Website performance and customer interaction were monitored in real time throughout the launch period.
The Marketing and Sales teams executed a coordinated launch promotion across social media and email channels to maximise awareness and drive traffic to the new website.
Working alongside the CX team, customer feedback, reported issues, and usage patterns were closely monitored post-launch, with iterative improvements applied as required.
The results below reflect year-on-year growth comparing 2024 to 2025, following the full implementation of the above strategy.
Mobile speed score improved by +90% and desktop speed by +30%, significantly enhancing Core Web Vitals and overall site performance.
Total website visits doubled year-on-year, with mobile visits up +75% and desktop visits up +200%.
Return customer visits increased by +100%, demonstrating that improved UX and content are converting first-time visitors into loyal customers.
Total website conversion rate increased by +30%, measured across the full session-to-checkout journey.
The number of new customers increased by +130%, with return customers also growing by +100%.
Total website revenue grew by +110% year-on-year, with the strongest growth period recorded following the new website launch.
Total positive product reviews increased by +55%, reflecting a meaningfully improved buyer journey and customer experience.
Google organic clicks grew by +150%, and the site earned the "Exceptional - Top Quality Store" badge, recognising outstanding performance standards.
The Arbortec Forestwear website relaunch significantly improved the platform’s performance, usability, and overall e-commerce experience. By redesigning the user journey, optimising technical performance, and modernising the website’s structure, the project created a faster, more intuitive platform that directly contributed to increased traffic, engagement, and online sales.
There is no universal process or fixed framework that guarantees success for web development. Every website project is different, and the strategies, execution methods, and development processes must always adapt to the specific business goals and project objectives. It is also far more than a purely technical undertaking. Successful delivery depends on collaboration, open communication, brainstorming, and close coordination between multiple internal and external parties.
This project demonstrates how a well-planned, collaborative website development process can become a key driver of digital growth for an e-commerce brand.