How I Increased Conversions by 64% in Just 3 Weeks
A full Shopify redesign that turned an old 2011 website into a chocolate store that sells more
The Problem
Kakawa Chocolates had a website from 2011 that was hurting their business. Sales were low, the site was very slow, and it didn't work on phones at all.
They had a small budget and only 3 weeks. They needed a full makeover that would update their brand and get more sales while making the site easier to use.
The challenge:
- Old 2011 website that looked unprofessional
- No mobile support—losing customers on phones
- Pages took 5 seconds to load, which hurt sales
- 1.1% sales rate with $60 average per order
What I Changed
1. Simplify everything
- Redesigned the whole site for phones first
- Simplified navigation so customers could get to any page in 3 clicks
- Clean, pro layout that showed off the premium chocolates
Why this worked: The old site was cluttered and confusing. Fewer choices and a clearer path to buy made it easy to purchase.
2. Custom Build-a-Box
- 100% custom "Build Your Own Box" built into the theme
- Saved the client from costly monthly app fees
- A unique, fun way to shop that raised average order size
Why this worked: Build-a-Box became their most popular option. Building it into the theme instead of an app saved money and gave a smooth experience.
3. Speed and clarity
- Load times cut from 5 seconds to 1.5 seconds
- Clear "buy" and "add to cart" buttons across the site
- Full mobile support so the store worked on every device
Why this worked: Every second of wait was losing sales. Faster loads and clearer buttons gave customers fewer reasons to leave.
The Results
64% increase in sales rate
From 1.1% to 4% in 90 days.
60% growth in average order value
From $60 to $96 per order. Build-a-Box and clearer product pages encouraged customers to buy more.
70% faster page load times
From 5 seconds to 1.5 seconds.
Key takeaway
"Simplicity sells. It doesn't matter how many awards a site wins for looks if it's not making money for the client." This project shows that focusing on ease of use, speed, and sales delivers real results—even on a small budget.
"Justin from Studio Elephant did a great job building our Shopify store for our chocolate business. He got our brand right away and made a store that looks premium, is easy to move around, and makes buying smooth for customers. He kept us in the loop, hit every deadline, and the result was better than we hoped."
— Jinsun Kim, Owner, Kakawa Chocolates
What I Learned
1. Simplicity sells
Focusing on ease of use, speed, and sales—instead of flashy design—delivered real results even on a small budget.
2. Custom features beat app fees
Building Build-a-Box into the theme saved money over time and gave a better experience than a third-party app.
3. Mobile and speed are must-haves
The old site had no mobile support and 5-second loads. Fixing both had to come first before anything else could work.
Want to see what I'd change on your store? Book an audit or see more examples.
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