VeloquioMX

Project Overview

VeloquioMX is a clothing brand offering affordable high-end fashion, with its main location in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. In response to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on in-store sales, the brand decided to launch an online store. This Shopify-based website was aimed at increasing sales and reaching a broader audience while keeping the development process as streamlined as possible due to time and budget constraints.

Project Scope

The primary objective of this project was to quickly develop and launch an e-commerce platform for VeloquioMX using Shopify. The goal was to provide a user-friendly shopping experience while adhering to a tight timeline, and the absence of a formal design process.

In addition to the time constraints, the client was not very tech-savvy, which meant I needed to balance creating a functional and attractive online store with offering clear, simple documentation for the client to manage the site post-launch.

My Role

I worked as a full-stack developer for this project, handling both the front-end and back-end development. The project started from a base template in Shopify, which I customized to fit the client’s brand. My tasks included:

• Setting up the Shopify backend to manage products, inventory, and orders.
• Integrating payment systems such as MercadoPago and PayPal.
• Creating a system that initially pulled product information from a Google Sheets file (this was later removed by the client).
• Setting up Mailchimp for email marketing campaigns.
• Configuring Google Workspace for internal management and email setup.
• Integrating Google Analytics to track site performance and sales metrics.

Despite the simplicity of the project, the solution provided everything the client needed to get their store online and operational in a short amount of time.

Unique Features

Given the tight scope and quick turnaround, the site’s features were kept simple, focusing on Shopify’s default functionalities. However, I did integrate a few third-party tools, such as:

• Mailchimp for automated email marketing.
• Google Analytics to help track user behavior and improve sales performance.
• A streamlined product management system (initially integrated via Google Sheets).

The website itself was a minimalistic Shopify store, emphasizing ease of use for both customers and the client.

Technology Stack

The project was built using:

• Shopify: The primary platform for the e-commerce site.
• Liquid: Shopify’s templating language for customization.
• JavaScript, HTML, CSS: For front-end customizations.
• Mailchimp: For email marketing.
• Google Analytics: For performance tracking.
• MercadoPago and PayPal: For payment processing.

This straightforward stack allowed for rapid development while ensuring the client could manage the store easily post-launch.

Challenges

One of the key challenges was the client’s limited technical knowledge. This meant I needed to provide extensive documentation and training to ensure they could manage the site independently after delivery.

Additionally, the tight deadline and budget limitations required careful prioritization of essential features over more advanced customizations. Despite this, the project was delivered on time with all the core functionality needed for a successful online store.

To overcome the client’s tech-agnosticism, I created thorough, easy-to-follow documentation and offered training sessions on how to manage products, process orders, and run marketing campaigns using Mailchimp and Google Workspace.

Client Collaboration

The collaboration with the client involved regular feedback meetings to ensure that the project stayed on track. After the site was built, I provided one month of support, followed by a detailed handover with documentation and training sessions to help the client manage the platform on their own.

Results & Impact

After the launch, the VeloquioMX site provided the brand with an online presence during a critical time, helping to maintain sales during the COVID-19 pandemic. By transitioning to e-commerce, VeloquioMX was able to reach a wider audience and improve customer engagement without needing extensive technical management.

The simplified e-commerce setup allowed the client to continue managing the platform independently, with no need for ongoing post-launch support.

Timeline & Delivery

The project took approximately 1.5 months to complete, given the tight deadline and the quick turnaround needed for development. After the initial launch, I spent 2 weeks providing documentation and conducting training sessions to ensure the client could fully manage the website moving forward.

Post-launch Support

There was no ongoing support required after the project’s completion, as the client was able to independently manage the site thanks to the training and documentation provided. Though there has been communication for updates at some point as well as some extra integrations.

Final Thoughts

The VeloquioMX project was a fast-paced initiative that successfully brought an offline brand into the e-commerce world during a time of need. Despite the limitations and speed of the project, it was delivered on time with all the essential features. The client has since been able to manage their Shopify store independently, ensuring their business can continue to grow online.

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