Goldsmiths of Shrewsbury

Goldsmiths needed a website that reflected their high-end offerings. Due to their expansion into a premier location at the heart of Shrewsbury, we needed to create a website site that encapsulated that level of luxury, digitally.

A huge amount of research and thought went into the initial design of the website. Not only does Goldsmiths of Shrewsbury have its own branding, personality and customer experience to represent but we also need to allow the not inconsiderable marketing might of each brand to be able to express themselves without conflict or stifling each other. It’s like designing a house for a group of people with giant personalities to come and live in and still get along with each other.

Spaciousness, elegance, refinement and simplicity were all ingredients that became essential to carefully orchestrating the correct look and feel of the website.

The website launched in 2019, which was just in time for its greatest test, COVID-19. As both stores were forced to close, the website became the only point of contact. To help supercharge the new site even further, we levelled up our ongoing SEO work. This resulted in a steady rise of organic traffic to the site, which was then backed up with Google, Microsoft, and Facebook Ads to draw an even wider audience.

After the website had been up and running, we performed a full UX review, analysing user behaviour and engagement throughout their visit, and quickly determined the main challenge was getting users to convert, especially for the "high-ticket" luxury items that Goldsmiths sells.

We analysed and refined the checkout process, making it easier and faster to use, removing unnecessary steps and improving user confidence wherever possible. High-end products deserve high-end payment methods, so to help build trust and reassurance, we also added the option to checkout with PayPal.

After analysing the data, we introduced an "always on" search into the header to increase access and movement, we improved the feel of touch elements on mobile, and we added additional CTAs on the product page for size and fit.

We also introduced a wide range of accessibility improvements throughout the entire user journey, to aid the general flow around the site. Adjusting the carrousel speeds, improving text contrast, and button design, and improved product filtering and sorting options all helped to simplify the site and make it more enjoyable to use.

Only after a certain amount of user data has been collected does it make it possible to be able to conduct a meaningful, data-driven UX review that can further fineness and push a website's potential. With that data, unique to a website’s particular users, we can make real observations and move with those observations, in the right direction.

Upon launch, the new website worked admirably, holding up the fort while the brick-and-mortar stores were closed due to COVID-19.

Following the launch period, the UX review provided us with a fantastic opportunity to analyse how users are engaging with the site and to streamline the whole process to make it simpler and more enjoyable throughout.

Goldsmiths of Shrewsbury have already seen an uplift in online sales. The following six months saw sales in their higher-value products increase dramatically with the average order value increasing by 193%. Sessions also went up by a massive 31% and the bounce rate fell by 15%.