Howarth Timber
Client
Services
UX/UI designLaravel DevelopmentPHP DevelopmentAWS ManagementConversion Rate Optimisation
Discipline
Builders Merchant
Location
UK
Howarth Timber approached us for help, to take over the management of their struggling e-commerce site. The site was littered with performance issues, suffering from a poor user experience, and loading speeds which rendered it almost unusable.
Howarth Timber approached us for help, to take over the management of their struggling e-commerce site. The site was littered with performance issues, suffering from a poor user experience, and loading speeds which rendered it almost unusable.
Project Overview
Having outgrown their previous agency, Howarth Timber approached us to support and maintain their existing Laravel-based eCommerce site. The site was struggling and littered with performance issues. The site suffered from a poor user experience, inaccurate stock levels, and the speed made browsing the website barely possible.
We had some fundamental challenges to resolve. High on the priority list were addressing:
- Site Speed - The speed of the site was a real issue, with page loading times exceeding 30 seconds
- Stock Levels - Showing inaccurate stock levels to users. All products were showing as in stock, which wasn’t the case for many users who would be collecting from their local branch.
- Browsing & Searching Products - The complex navigation and category structure were a real challenge, along with a search that wasn’t functional; users really struggled to find what they were looking for.
This case study details our approach to understanding the issues Howarth Timber were facing and the steps taken to address these and to create a more efficient, user-friendly, and revenue-generating online store.
Our Approach
Project Discovery
Our approach was centred around having a thorough understanding of all the issues, and uncovering the real problems Howarth Timber were facing. By continually asking questions and digging into the details, this allowed us to address the underlying issues rather than just ‘what appears to be the issue’.
Research and information gathering are essential parts of our process. We use various data sources to understand the opportunities available, including:
- Technical Audit: We completed a technical audit of the existing platform, which revealed several alarming issues.
- User Testing: Observing real users interacting with the current website and those of competitors to identify behaviours, barriers, and issues.
- Analytics: Analysing website performance data to understand user behaviour helped us identify areas for improvement.
- Screen Recordings: Reviewing recordings of user sessions to gain insights into user interactions and pain points.
- Competitor Analysis: Studying competitor websites to benchmark performance and identify best practices.
This research phase provides valuable insights that inform our design solution and technical recommendations.
What we identified
| The Problem | The Solution |
|---|---|
| The speed of the website was alarmingly slow, with load times of up to 30 seconds per page the site was unusable. After conducting a technical audit, we identified the primary cause: the website was making real-time requests to the ERP system (K8) to fetch stock availability data every time a product page was loaded. | We identified the root cause of the speed issues was that the stock levels were being loaded in real-time from the ERP system (K8). We implemented a caching strategy that decoupled stock-level checks from real-time page loads. Instead, we queried the ERP system on a timed schedule (e.g., hourly or every few minutes), pulling the latest stock data and storing it in a local cache. We also modernised the backend architecture, upgrading outdated PHP and Laravel versions and refactoring slow database queries, which further enhanced performance. |
| Inaccurate stock levels were being shown. This was due to stock being held across 30+ branches, and not all branches stocking the same products. As a result all products were showing as ‘in stock’ - however it was only at the point of adding a product to their basket, and the users being asked for there postcode could we accurately determine if a product was ‘available’ at their local branch. This resulted in a lot of customers selecting products only to be told they couldn’t proceed with the order as their chosen products were not available at their local branch. A user experience nightmare! | To ensure accurate stock visibility, we introduced a postcode prompt early in the user journey. This allowed us to determine the customer's location and nearest branch, enabling us to display real-time, branch-specific stock availability. To help engagement, we provided clear, user-friendly messaging explaining the purpose of the postcode request. |
| Users faced huge problems when browsing and searching the site. Even searching for a known product was a huge challenge. During our user testing sessions, we asked users to add a hammer to their basket and proceed to check out. We observed users taking in excess of 7 minutes to find and add a product to their basket and check out on the Howarth Timber site. The same instruction was given to the same users on competitor sites, where we observed the same action taking less than 90 seconds. | We addressed several key issues that collectively provided a poor users experience. First, we simplified the overly complex product category structure, making it easier to scan and navigate. We then redesigned the main navigation to reduce clutter and focused on the most-visited categories, streamlining the navigation to products. To improve the search functionality, we expanded results to include relevant category suggestions alongside individual products, helping users find what they needed more quickly. Lastly, we ensured search results only displayed products available at the user’s local branch, improving both relevance and conversion rates by aligning product visibility with actual stock availability. |
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The Project Goals
Establishing clear goals is essential in any project, as it guides decision-making and keeps the team focused on desired outcomes.
The primary goals we established were:
| Increase Online Revenue | Enhance the user experience and streamline the purchasing process, ultimately leading to higher conversion rates and increased sales. |
| Show accurate stock availability | Ensure accurate stock levels are shown for each users based on their location. |
| Improve site Speed | Ensure the speed of the website meets the standards required for Core Web Vitals. |
User Test –> Prototype –> Design
When approaching the redesign of any part of the website, we used a proven method of user testing to explore ideas, rule out ideas and find the best solutions to our challenges. This process provides us with valuable insights that inform our design solutions, and through a continuous cycle of testing, designing, and retesting, we optimise our designs to ensure the user experience is seamless and as efficient as possible.
This systematic approach removes the guesswork and allows us to deliver changes that have been tested with real users, proven to perform, and expected to outperform alternative solutions.
A/B testing
To ensure our new designs delivered the expected results and outperformed the original, we implemented A/B testing as part of our process. This allowed us to compare the performance of each version in a real-world, like-for-like environment, providing direct insights into user engagement and effectiveness.
Once we gathered sufficient data demonstrating a clear improvement, we confidently transitioned to the new solution, fully committing to the update based on tangible evidence of its success.
The Challenges
The project was littered with technical challenges. Following the technical audit of the website and systems used by Howarth Timber, it was clear that there were several underlying issues that would need to be addressed.
We identified that both the version of PHP and Laravel the site was running were out of date and needed updating. This was a large task, resulting in most of the logic in Laravel needing to be rebuilt.
The ERP system (K8) stored product data in different measurements from what was used on the site, which resulted in us needing to recalculate quantities in order to show these in a user-friendly way. For example, different types of wood were saved in K8 in cubic metres; however, the user needed to see them in inches, feet, lengths and sheets.
Stock levels were being checked in real-time, resulting in catastrophic speed issues. We decoupled stock-level checks from real-time page loads. Instead, we queried the ERP system on a timed schedule (e.g., hourly or every few minutes), pulling the latest stock data and storing it in a local cache.
In order to help streamline back-end processes, we needed to understand Howarth Timber's business logic and their systems in detail. By taking the time necessary to do this, we were able to address the core issues and help rebuild the foundations of their tech stack to ensure a robust and stable solution.
The Results
Following the implementation of a number of updates, we were really pleased with the impact they had.
62%
Increase in online revenue within the first 9 month period
57%
Increase in conversion rate within the first 9 month period
Removed
Blockers for conversion - a HUGE uplift in sales post-covid
3.4x
Revenue & orders in the post-covid period
Project Summary
Our initial scope of work was deemed a great success. By identifying and addressing the fundamental issues, we were able to stabilise the website, creating a solid foundation for future growth. At the same time, we tackled key user experience challenges, and overcoming these has resulted in a platform that can support the business’s growth plans.
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