The Hard Truth About Mobile Ecommerce
Let’s be honest – most WooCommerce stores are leaving money on the table with subpar mobile experiences. When 70% of your traffic comes from smartphones (as it did for Byron Bay Candles), you simply can’t afford navigation that frustrates, search that fails, or checkout flows that leak conversions.
About Byron Bay Candles
Byron Bay Candles is an Australian brand specializing in eco-friendly, hand-poured candles made with natural waxes and essential oils. Their audience includes environmentally conscious shoppers, home decor enthusiasts, and gift buyers seeking premium, sustainable products.
Like many WooCommerce merchants, they had a functional site, but user experience metrics told a different story.
The Problem: When “Functional” Isn’t Enough
When Byron Bay Candles approached us, they were facing challenges that might sound painfully familiar to you:
- Dismal Usability Scores: Their homepage and navigation scored an alarming -10.4/100 on desktop and just 2.3/100 on mobile in our initial UX review.
- Search Failures: On-site search performed even worse at -10.4/100 on desktop and -8.5/100 on mobile, frustrating users trying to find products.
- Navigation Nightmares: Users struggled to browse categories effectively, leading to significant drop-offs.
- Mobile Disconnect: With 70% of their traffic coming from mobile devices, these issues were dramatically impacting their bottom line.
Sound Familiar?
If you’re running a WooCommerce store, you’ve likely experienced at least some of these pain points yourself. The frustration of knowing visitors are arriving at your site but leaving before conversion is universal. But here’s what’s different about our approach…
Our Research-Backed Methodology
At Blaze Commerce, we don’t guess what makes for good ecommerce UX. Unlike most agencies who make design decisions based on what “looks good,” our approach is underpinned by Baymard Institute’s comprehensive ecommerce research – representing hundreds of thousands of hours of specialized study into what actually works in online retail.
Very few agencies specialize in ecommerce UX, and even fewer are aware this research exists. This gives our clients a significant competitive advantage.
The Transformation: Research-Guided Solutions
We redesigned Byron Bay Candles’ site with a mobile-first mindset, addressing the most critical usability barriers:
1. Reimagining Product Navigation & Filtering
The Problem: Users had to navigate through overly specific categories, making it harder to see a complete range of products – a common issue that causes steep drop-offs between product listings and product pages.
Our Solution: We implemented a hybrid approach:
- Streamlined Categories: Grouped candles into high-level, intuitive categories for easier browsing
- Smart Filtering: Added robust filters for scent families, sizes, and attributes that worked instantly on mobile
- Touch-Optimized Interactions: Designed larger tap targets and swipe-friendly interfaces specifically for thumbs
The Difference: Mobile users could now find products with 60% fewer taps, dramatically reducing the friction between browsing and buying.
2. Revolutionizing Search Experience
The Problem: Limited search functionality meant users couldn’t find products efficiently, leading to frustration and abandonment.
Our Solution: We built an intelligent search system with:
- Instant Autocomplete: Displaying relevant product suggestions as users typed
- Error Tolerance: Including misspelling corrections and alternative suggestions
- Visual Search Results: Prominently displaying the number of results with enhanced visibility
- Lightning-Fast Performance: Ensuring results appeared instantaneously, even on slower mobile connections
The Difference: Shoppers could now find exactly what they wanted within seconds, even with partial or misspelled queries.
3. Separating Navigation Types for Clarity
The Problem: Courtesy navigation (account, contact, help) was mixed with product navigation, creating cognitive overload – especially problematic on mobile screens.
Our Solution: We created clear visual and functional separation:
- Desktop: Grouped courtesy links into distinct sections with visual separators
- Mobile: Implemented an intuitive hamburger menu with logical groupings and clear visual hierarchy
- Touch-Friendly Design: Ensured all interactive elements were easily tappable on smaller screens
The Difference: Users could focus on what mattered – finding products – without distractions.
4. Mobile Checkout Optimization
The Problem: High abandonment during checkout, particularly on mobile devices.
Our Solution: We completely rebuilt the checkout experience:
- Simplified Forms: Reduced fields to the absolute minimum required
- Single-Page Design: Eliminated unnecessary steps and page loads
- Thumb-Zone Optimization: Placed critical buttons within easy reach of thumbs
- Progress Indicators: Added clear visual cues showing checkout progress
- Express Payment Options: Implemented one-tap payment solutions
The Difference: Checkout completion rates improved dramatically as friction points were eliminated.
5. Enhanced Product Presentation
The Problem: Product pages lacked accessible images and concise information on mobile, leading to high bounce rates.
Our Solution: We redesigned product pages to:
- Prioritize Key Information: Put critical details above the fold on mobile
- Optimize Image Galleries: Created swipe-friendly, fast-loading product galleries
- Streamline Content: Made descriptions scannable with bullet points and clear headings
- Mobile-First Product Recommendations: Redesigned cross-sells and upsells to be prominently visible on mobile screens
The Difference: Users could now easily understand products and discover related items, increasing both conversion and average order value.
The Results: From Red to Green
After implementing our research-backed UX improvements, Byron Bay Candles’ site metrics transformed completely:
- All UX scores shifted from severely negative to “good” or “perfect” ratings
- Mobile experience became intuitive and frictionless for the 70% of visitors using smartphones
- Page loads became virtually instant thanks to optimized code and assets
- Search and filtering now delivered immediate, relevant results
The most important result? A significantly improved customer journey that makes finding and purchasing the perfect candle effortless – whether shoppers are looking for a specific scent or exploring something new.
Our Approach in a Nutshell
At Blaze Commerce, we specialize in creating seamless digital experiences for ecommerce brands. Our process isn’t about making websites “pretty” – it’s about making them perform:
- Deep Research: We analyze user behavior and pain points specific to your store
- Evidence-Based Design: We apply proven ecommerce UX patterns backed by extensive research
- Mobile-First Development: We build for thumbs first, ensuring your mobile experience is flawless
- Performance Optimization: We ensure lightning-fast page loads and interactions
- Continuous Improvement: We test, measure, and refine based on real user data
Is Your WooCommerce Store Missing Out on Mobile Sales?
If your store suffers from any of the issues we solved for Byron Bay Candles, you’re likely leaving significant revenue on the table – especially if most of your traffic comes from mobile devices.
The good news? These problems are solvable with the right expertise and approach.
Ready to Transform Your Store’s UX?
Let’s talk about how we can apply our research-backed methodology to your WooCommerce store. Our team specializes exclusively in ecommerce UX, with particular expertise in solving the unique challenges of mobile shopping experiences.
Book a Call to discuss your store’s specific challenges, or Contact Us to learn more about our approach.
Blaze Commerce specializes in creating seamless digital experiences for ecommerce brands. From user research and intuitive design to robust development and testing, we ensure every project delivers measurable results.