Client case
Inspiring brand website and e-commerce platform
Limetta, as the digital partner to REF Stockholm, was commissioned to develop inspiring design and new functionality for their website and e-commerce platform.
Assignment
It was important to create an attractive and easy-to-use site that employees could feel proud of while also being used to promote the business. It also needed to be adaptable to different target groups - consumers and professionals. The goal was to create a basic site that clearly represents REF's brand and can generate leads.
The existing site was built in WordPress with WooCommerce for product and e-commerce management. REF felt the site was difficult for editors to work with and did not reflect the brand correctly. The new site would also need to include a working e-commerce solution, something that had been missing previously.
REF wanted to more clearly convey a sense of premium and luxury. It was important to emphasize that the products are Swedish, vegan, and of high quality. The site should be inspiring, preferably with large images, and include smart features and a well-thought-out structure that is easy to use.
The assignment in brief:
- New structure and functionality for the website
- New design for the website
- A website developed in WordPress
- Integration with HubSpot
- E-commerce with WooCommerce
Target audiences
- Professionals: hairdressers, stylists, colour technicians, distributors, retailers
- End consumers
How we went about it
We began our collaboration with a kick-off workshop where we clarified the scope and scale. With the help of the client's thorough preparatory work in the form of a descriptive brief and moodboards with inspirational material, the project got underway.
The project's tight deadline made the work intensive with rapid iterations. To visualize our ideas and set a shared direction, a concept was developed. We quickly decided to let the content speak by using large images and videos while also embracing spacious areas. We needed to balance design with intuitive, clickable areas where editors could create inspiring and attractive pages using a variety of blocks and components.
The concept evolved into wireframes that illustrated the different views and their functions. Once the foundation was set, we produced visual and responsive design. In a close-knit working group together with the client, we developed the result.
UX and design
A new easy-to-navigate structure and layout creates an intuitive and user-friendly website. Since the users who visit the site come from different directions and with different entry points - some want inspiration, others want to shop, some want to collaborate - we needed to ensure the content could be tailored to different target groups. In the top navigation, users can see and easily navigate between the two parallel sites. At the client's initiative, a landing page was also developed where the user selects which target group they belong to the first time they visit the site. Based on the client's proposal for the top navigation, a few UX adjustments were made to further showcase their wide range of products.
Product page with clear calls to action
The existing site lacked e-commerce. The product page and product cards were therefore given a newly updated design. The new typeface combined with warmer colours creates a more luxurious feel. Clear calls to action encourage purchases, and the structured content—where everything has its place—makes it easy to find the right information.
The design
The color palette was kept warm and welcoming with various beiges and tones of gold so it doesn't feel so "harsh" with sharp contrasts between white and black. To group the content we have used background panels in a soft and friendly color palette with shades of pink, mint, turquoise and gold.
Conversely, we've aimed to keep product listings very clean and minimal and are therefore on a white background, but they change color when the user interacts with them.
Images uploaded by an editor automatically receive a reflection or shadow to add extra depth.
An inspiring homepage
Even if the homepage isn't always the first page users land on, it is the brand's public face. The homepage therefore received a substantial refresh with a more lookbook-like feel than before. Large images and collages inspire users. The product cards were updated with a background panel in a warm hue that showcases each product more clearly.
The result
The website needed to address many of the wishes and requirements that both REF and their various target groups had. The result was a sleek, inspiring and user-friendly website that clearly communicates who REF Stockholm are.
About REF Stockholm
REF is a globally recognized Swedish haircare brand that creates hair products for professionals – by professionals. REF themselves describe their mission as "At the heart of REF is a genuine passion for creativity, innovation and high-quality products that truly make a difference."
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