About
An e-commerce store that allows buyers to experience the process of buying fine art online.
Challenge
The concept behind the store is to be the sole destination for purchasing artwork by the most desirable young artists online, free from the elitist barriers often associated with the art world. The site was meticulously designed to showcase artwork in its finest form, employing tools, images, and information to make it accessible and exciting for anyone – from seasoned collectors to first-time art buyers – to explore and purchase the high-quality art available on Platform.
This is why the client specifically requested a website that could replicate the white cube experience online. Achieving this required impeccable image resolution and an exceptionally high loading speed, challenges that are typically difficult to address simultaneously. Furthermore, numerous desired features deviated from the norm for a standard eCommerce platform, necessitating a multitude of connections between various tools.
The client aimed to create and launch a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) within a tight 6-month timeframe and under a strict budget.
Beyond the intricacies of the MVP concept, the rigid and inflexible deadline, and the constrained budget, PLATFORM also sought assurance that the development team could work with technologies consistent with other projects within their organization.
In the end, with proper planning and role assignment, we managed to bypass the restrictions and achieve meaningful results in 4 months.
Process
For the PLATFORM project, we provided a team consisting of:
- 1 Team Leader,
- 5 Frontend Developers,
- 3 Backend Developers,
- 2 QA Specialists,
- 1 Project Manager.
To ensure continuity and logical progress, we adopted the following steps:
- Market & stack research – This stage involved understanding user needs, analyzing competitors' offerings, exploring tools and technologies, and focusing on UX & UI. It allowed us to choose the most suitable technology for developing the expected functionality.
- Product discovery – Next, we shaped our MVP, aiming to deliver it within a maximum of 6 months. Minor parts of the discovery phase occurred during the subsequent stages of the process.
- Backlog creation – We identified key deliverables, broke them down into smaller parts, and organized them into several 2-week plans with set priorities. Regular reviews were scheduled for future stages of the project.
- Backend + Frontend development – We chose NextJS, NodeJS, and ReduxJS for the frontend application, and Django and Python + Wagtail CMS for the backend. Notable features included server-side rendering with NextJS, React for page transitions and monogram animations, and a combination of pagination and infinite scroll, keeping search-friendliness in mind at the same time.
- Integrations – The development team integrated Klarna for payments, Art Shipper for shipping, Omnisend for marketing campaigns, and BigQuery for SQL inquiries. BigCommerce was selected as the main e-commerce platform, synchronized with Wagtail CMS to meet non-standard client requirements. This integration allowed seamless data flow between both platforms through webhooks. Finally, Django facilitated merging data from both platforms for display on the front end.
- Product maintenance – After launching the MVP, our focus shifted to maintenance mode as PLATFORM planned regular launches of new artworks. Developers ensured scalability, considering that old art pieces were retained on the website without the option for purchase.
Solution
The client’s request could have come to life only after extensive research, backend and frontend collaboration, and integrations with external systems. This e-commerce solution, specifically designed for the art market and powered by BigCommerce, delivers a high-performance, visually stunning online experience. With extremely high image resolution paired with rapid page loading, art pieces are showcased in breathtaking detail while ensuring a smooth browsing experience, crucial for customer engagement.
Access control ensures a convenient experience for VIPs and partners, providing them with a unique and exclusive experience that fosters loyalty. Simultaneously, early access links for 'early birds' can drive pre-launch interest and sales.
The gem of the site is a ‘Preview in your space’ feature, allowing customers to upload a picture of their space and see how art pieces would look in their own environment before making a purchase. This significantly enhances buyer confidence.
Additionally, there’s a custom checkout process, consistent with the site's artistic theme, ensuring a seamless and visually cohesive journey from browsing to purchase, ultimately improving conversion rates.
Separate Admin and Supplier interfaces prove to be highly beneficial when managing their daily tasks. The intuitive admin interface simplifies product and content management while also providing easy access to customer data – a key for tailored marketing and sales strategies. This is where integrations with email marketing and Google Analytics come into play. These technologies provide powerful tools for customer engagement and behavior insights, essential for targeted marketing campaigns and understanding customer preferences.
In turn, the supplier interface offers a streamlined process for artists and vendors to manage their profiles and artworks, enhancing the efficiency of inventory management.
As a result, the solution we developed for PLATFORM is perfectly tailored to the art world, enhancing the presentation, management, and sale of artwork in a digital space.
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