SFCC optimization for a multinational fashion holding

The legendary Italian fashion brand we had the privilege to collaborate with operates over 1500 boutiques worldwide. Since every physical store nowadays may have an online storefront, digital scaling at such a pace is a lot of hustle and bustle. The choice of Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC), which is known for and capable of such scalability and volume, was obvious, yet we had to optimize the platform greatly so that our client could not only retain their reputation and huge fanbase but also unleash their full online potential.

From a technical perspective, our challenge was ensuring seamless integration with the latest SFCC version while maintaining a consistent and pixel perfect front-end. Particularly, aligning with the brand's top-notch aesthetic standards required meticulous attention to detail from us.

On top of this, while integrating with the latest SFCC version and meeting the brand's high-end design standards - as a side but important challenge - we had at the back of our minds providing a seamless omnichannel experience to the end users. Since "offline" stores were actively digitizing, while "online" stores were fed data from "offline" stores via omni-channel service, strengthening the bonds between the offline and online markets was somewhat critical to keep in mind.

First off, we began by researching and auditing the legacy (existing code and infrastructure), analyzing the frontend code extensively, and pinpointing any performance bottlenecks for further fine-tuning and optimization.

Designing SFRA site 

By employing Storefront Reference Architecture (SFRA), we upgraded the front-end to the newest version of Salesforce Commerce Cloud (SFCC). SFRA is very similar to the headless approach in that it divides the back-end, which contains the business logic, from the front-end, which contains the user interface. It's basically a collection of "cartridges" that let our client add new features and functionality to their online storefront with ease.

• leveraging B2C Commerce Storefront Reference Architecture capabilities that combine best practices in site design, merchandising, and technical architecture.

• customizing SFRA out-of-the-box features, such as cart, checkout, homepage, product detail pages to create unique online shopping experience.

• fine-tuning JavaScript controllers via Webpack to implement unique functionality.

Optimization

We paid close attention to every detail as we carried out the optimization process and ensured that it was in line with the high aesthetic standards set by the brand.

• carefully testing the frontend for compatibility with the new SFCC version and making coding changes.

• applying improvements including code minification, picture compression, and asynchronous asset loading.

• addressing website problems such as broken links, incorrect product descriptions, malfunctioning shopping carts or forms, improper pricing or discounts, and other technical issues that affect performance and usability.

• fixing customer-facing website layout and design problems such as improper fonts or colors, inconsistent style, and other front-end difficulties.

• fixing server or database failures, third-party integration difficulties, and website compatibility with multiple devices and browsers.

Mobile-responsiveness

We used responsive design strategies to fine-tune the user interface for optimal performance on mobile devices.

• improving the website's responsiveness and mobile friendliness, fixing any problems with the user interface (UI) or user experience (UX).

• avoiding downtime that might cause clients to lose interest or money. 

• adding in any customer-requested features upgrades to the online store's mobile functionality.

The boosted front-end performance and user experience were a great fit for the client's objectives, reinforcing their brand's image as a luxury fashion leader.

Customers of our client's were able to enjoy a consistent, high-quality omnichannel shopping experience across all channels thanks to the modernized storefront SFCC design.

The project resulted in a 25% improvement in front-end performance and a 20% increase in mobile conversion rates. These results directly contributed to increased sales and customer satisfaction.