The client required the design and build of a new e-commerce platform using the Shopify CMS. The primary goals were to showcase a product catalog of approximately 20 items (including variants) and to provide the client with the necessary assets to maintain design consistency across their marketing channels.

Core Requirements:

• E-commerce web design and build on Shopify.
• Showcase a focused product catalog (approx. 20 products).
• Creation of a formal brand guidelines toolkit for client self-management of design assets.

Key Stakeholders/Audiences:

• Online consumers/shoppers.
• The internal client team responsible for marketing and social media.

As the sole designer and developer (Folkspoke), my role encompassed e-commerce strategy, website design, front-end development, and the creation of supporting brand assets.

E-commerce Design and Build:

• Executed a custom e-commerce solution on the Shopify CMS, focusing on balancing user-friendly functionality with strong aesthetic appeal.
• Implemented key features for an enhanced shopping experience, including custom postage calculations, integrated social media feeds, and a visually driven ‘Shop Style’ look book.
• Integrated essential marketing tools, specifically e-newsletter sign-up and blog functionality.

Brand Empowerment and Consistency:

• Developed a formal brand guidelines toolkit to empower the client to create on-brand assets for social media and email marketing independently.
• Provided ongoing design support, creating reusable assets such as:
• • Email Marketing Templates for lead nurture campaigns.
  • Social Media Artwork Templates.
  • Packaging Design.

The project successfully launched a robust, visually appealing e-commerce platform and provided the client with the essential tools for brand maintenance and marketing.

• Robust E-commerce Foundation: Delivered a fully functional Shopify site with essential features like custom shipping and integrated social proof (social feeds).
• Enhanced Shopping Experience: The inclusion of a ‘Shop Style’ look book provided an engaging, non-transactional way for users to discover products, boosting aesthetic appeal and potentially increasing product visibility.
• Operational Independence: The creation of the formal brand guidelines toolkit and reusable marketing templates (email, social media) gave the client the ability to manage their design collateral efficiently and consistently post-launch.

Complete Brand Execution: Successful execution of the brand across all consumer touch points, including the crucial element of Packaging Design.

Delivery of a fully operational, aesthetically compelling Shopify e-commerce platform, combined with the successful creation of a formal brand guidelines toolkit and reusable marketing templates, resulting in measurable design consistency and operational independence for the client’s internal marketing team.

Given the client’s reliance on the website for sales and their commitment to ongoing design tasks (social media, email), I would have integrated an in-depth training session on the Shopify CMS and the use of the brand templates immediately post-launch. This structured knowledge transfer would ensure the client could maximise the benefits of the custom postage calculations, manage product variants effectively, and confidently deploy the email/social templates, accelerating their ability to execute lead nurture campaigns and achieve marketing consistency.