The Problem: A Site Divided
The Ace & Jig website was split in two. Shop pages were hosted on Shopify, and non-shop pages – About, Textile Archive, Stockists, etc. – were hosted on SquareSpace. As a result, the mobile nav UI/UX changed when a user toggled between the Shopify and SquareSpace pages. It was important to migrate everything into the Shopify platform for a smoother user experience, and to eliminate an extra, unnecessary cost on the business end.
The Solution
It was important to find a design solution that maintained the brand's minimalist aesthetic, while also addressing their shop experience issues. With custom design and development solutions, the new site made it easy to migrate all SquareSpace landing pages to Shopify, while maintaining their minimal aesthetic and providing new opportunities for design and SEO. It also made the mobile navigation consistent across the site.
The Problem: A Forgotten Mission
The original homepage had minimal context behind the brand's unique philosophy. The previous site had several large images with small text overlaid and hidden among a busy picture. The shop components that highlighted "New Arrivals" and "Sale" products were easily missed, and sections that spoke to the brand's philosophy were hidden towards the bottom of the page. It was not uncommon for the Ace & Jig team to receive inquiries through email and social, asking if they sold their products online.
The Solution
I felt it was important to maintain a balance between showcasing products and the brand's philosophy in the re-design. The new homepage expands on the Ace & Jig values, process and campaigns, while featuring "New Arrivals" as a product carousel below the main hero image. Having the carousel made it clear that the site functioned as a shot, and allowed the team to feature multiple products in a small area.
The Problem: A Cluttered Shop
Shopping by textile is a critical to the Ace & Jig customer. Previously, a product was created for every style and textile variant, instead of having a romper as one product available in multiple textiles, two products were created: Romper in the Pinwheel fabric, Romper in the Celadon fabric, etc. Creating a separate product for every style and textile created a very cluttered storefront, but the team wanted users to know that each style was available in multiple colors.
The Solution
To fix this problem, I first needed to do some serious CMS cleanup and organization. Each style was consolidated into one product, and textiles were added as color variants. Since the design of each textile is unique and plays a major part of the brand's identity, it was crucial to show that each style was available in multiple textiles. I collaborated with the talented web developer, Dinah Bakeer. Together, we modified the design to show the available textile swatches below each product in the SLP and PDP pages.
The Problem: Hidden Products
Users could only use one filter at a time. It was not possible for a user to filter products down to their favorite dress, in their favorite textile, in their preferred size. This is because each "filter" was actually a manually created collection that directed the user to a separate product page. This limited a users ability to narrow down products, and find exactly what they were looking for. This also created more work for the team since they had to create, curate and maintain separate collections for every style, textile, and size.
The Solution
The consolidation of products was a major first step towards modifying the filters. Once that was done, the filter options were laid out in a manner which allowed them to contract/expand without hiding product on the PLP. An additional "Sort By" drop down was also added, which allows the user to sort products by price, newest and best selling. The separate collections for each style were removed since the new filters now sort through the product. It is now possible to select your size, favorite textile, and see all of the tops available in that textile/size while staying on the PLP.
The Ace & Jig community is extremely committed, active, and genuinely passionate about the brand and their mission. It was important to create a sense of inclusivity and transparency into the creative decisions behind the new site.
The (good) Problem: Selling Out Fast...and What to Do
Loyal Ace & Jig fans quickly jump on the chance to get their favorite piece because each textile is unique. Items quickly sell out, and it was common for the team to receive several email inquiries about specific styles, and when they would become available again. The team wanted to respond to users about their inquiries in an automated way. I proposed a different solution.
The Solution
Adding a "back in stock" option allowed customers to be notified when their dream item was available again. Users who signed up for "back in stock" email notifications were able to select their preferred style, size and textile. This feature also gave the Ace & Jig team visibility into the most wanted products. The data gathered from the "back in stock" feature now allows the team to make strategic decisions about SKU production quantities, sizes and textiles.
Extra Features
Introducing customer reviews was a great addition that allows users to see what verified purchasers think about the quality and fit of each product. Their reviews show actual customer photos wearing Ace & Jig products out in the wild, allowing potential customers to make an informed decision when it comes to finding the right size and style. Adding a shop-able Instagram feed bridged the site with social, and highlights the incredible diversity within the Ace & Jig community.
The Results
Adding reviews expanded on the user's brand loyalty and trust. Once the feature was implemented, an avalanche of positive reviews and constructive feedback regarding sizing followed. Having photos from the Ace & Jig community increased transparency and resulted in a rise in revenue as shoppers felt more confident in selecting the right size and how it would look on someone with similar features.
The "back in stock" component gave users the opportunity to voice their opinion on their favorite styles and fabrics, while simultaneously providing the Ace & Jig team data that now drives their SKU production decisions.
Consolidating all of the textiles into a single product with variants made for an easier user experience and drastically reduced the lead time on the launch of new products. Previously, a new collection launch required two people a week to execute With the newly restructured CMS, it now takes one person between one and two days to launch a new collection, depending on the size. This freed up their team to work on larger projects and community events.
