The challenge
The company’s previous website, built on Adobe Commerce, had features and complexity that the company no longer needed. Their goal was to transition to a simpler SaaS platform that would better support their business growth and adaptability.
Operating within the highly regulated firearms industry, the new website needed to address a range of industry-specific requirements. These included managing shipping restrictions, as well as implementing FFL checks when purchasing a firearm.
Not all of the Adobe Commerce native and custom features on the previous website had analogous native features in BigCommerce. BigCommerce extensions had to be researched and implemented to provide the necessary functionality on the new platform.
- Full-scale evaluation on re-platforming pros and cons
- Tight timeline that left little time for customizations
- Retaining features with little to minimal customizations
- Implementing the storefront styling and not delaying the timeline
- Finding and assessing apps to replace crucial features
- FFL restrictions for firearm products
- Platform set-up that is easily manageable by the client’s team
Approach
The client sought to migrate their existing website to SaaS platform so they would have the functionality they need to grow, but with a simpler platform that they can maintain with their internal team more easily.
01
To decrease the time to launch, the client chose an existing theme from the BigCommerce marketplace. This theme offered Weapon Outfitters a solid set of features, and by applying their existing colors and fonts from their Adobe Commerce website, they were able to retain their identity.
02
We conducted a feature comparison between the existing Adobe Commerce website and the native capabilities of BigCommerce to establish a realistic development and launch timeline. Features that did not function the same way in BigCommerce were carefully re-evaluated to find suitable workarounds that would not significantly impact Weapon Outfitters’ business needs.
03
Evaluated available apps in BigCommerce Marketplace that can be used to supplement some of the missing features that BigCommerce cannot fulfill out-of-the-box. This approach was key to avoiding unnecessary customizations that could have risked delays in the development timeline.
04
Assessed the key integrations that Weapon Outfitters have been using on the Adobe Commerce website and made sure they are available on BigCommerce as well. This ensures that there is no significant change or disruption to their existing business workflows even if they are moving to a much simpler platform.
What we did
01 MIGRATE TO BIGCOMMERCE
The website was originally built on Adobe Commerce. For their new build, we successfully migrated to BigCommerce to meet a very tight timeline. We carefully assessed their business requirements to ensure BigCommerce would still fully support their needs.
02 EXTENDED A CUSTOM THEME
Utilized an existing theme from the BigCommerce marketplace as the foundation and customized it to match Weapon Outfitters’ style and brand identity. We applied their colors, fonts, and visual elements to ensure a cohesive and consistent look that aligns with their established branding, without compromising the development timeline.
03 DATA MIGRATION
As part of the migration from Adobe Commerce to BigCommerce, we also implemented a full-scale data migration, including the complete product catalog, customer information, and sales order data. This ensured a smooth transition and preserved their critical data before decommissioning the previous platform.
04 MULTIPLE THIRD-PARTY INTEGRATIONS
We installed multiple apps from the BigCommerce Marketplace, including those previously used by Weapon Outfitters and new ones to address existing business needs. Each integration was installed, configured, and thoroughly evaluated to ensure compatibility with the client’s current operations. Any issues encountered were properly reported and resolved through the appropriate channels to ensure expectations were met.
Integrations / Technological partners
BigCommerce is a cloud-based eCommerce platform that enables businesses to build, run, and scale online stores with built-in tools for SEO, product management, and multi-channel selling.
Searchanise is a search and product discovery app designed for BigCommerce stores. It enhances the shopping experience by providing fast, relevant search results, smart filters, and personalized product recommendations.
ShipStation is a shipping software that streamlines order fulfillment by integrating with multiple carriers and sales channels, allowing businesses to manage and ship orders efficiently.
ShipperHQ is a shipping rate management platform that lets eCommerce businesses customize shipping options, rates, and rules to improve checkout accuracy and flexibility.
Elfsight FAQ Widget is a customizable tool that lets websites display frequently asked questions in an organized, user-friendly format, improving customer support and user experience.
Elfsight Age Verification Widget is a customizable tool that helps websites restrict access to age-sensitive content by prompting users to confirm their age before entering.
AvaTax, by Avalara, is a cloud-based tax compliance tool that automates sales tax calculations, filing, and reporting for businesses, ensuring accuracy across jurisdictions.
Klaviyo is a marketing automation platform that helps eCommerce businesses send personalized email and SMS campaigns, using customer data to drive engagement and sales.
QuickBooks Online is a cloud-based accounting software by Intuit that helps small businesses manage invoicing, expenses, and financial reporting from anywhere. It’s user-friendly, accessible online, and integrates with banks and popular apps.
Automatic FFL is a tool that automates the selection and management of Federal Firearms License (FFL) dealers during online firearm purchases, ensuring compliance with legal transfer requirements.
Sezzle is a buy now, pay later service that lets customers split purchases into four interest-free payments over six weeks, helping make shopping more flexible and affordable.
Signifyd is an eCommerce fraud protection platform that uses AI to provide real-time order analysis, helping businesses prevent fraud, reduce chargebacks, and approve more legitimate orders.
SheerID is a digital verification platform that helps businesses instantly verify the eligibility of customers for exclusive offers, discounts, or benefits. It can securely confirm statuses such as student, military, teacher, or first responder in real-time.