The Challenge: Previous Managed Services Provider Issues
Previous Provider Issues & Unresolved Bugs
When LA Police Gear approached our team, they were struggling with a series of challenges, many of which stemmed from their previous agency's shortcomings. The relationship with their prior service provider, initially a Yahoo agency that transitioned to working on BigCommerce, had become a source of frustration rather than support. The agency's approach, particularly its decision to hard-code elements that should have been dynamic, severely restricted LA Police Gear's ability to update and manage their site independently.
It was a partnership marked by slow and ineffective communication, creating a delta between what LA Police Gear needed and what was delivered. We understood that effective communication is the cornerstone of any successful agency-client relationship. The lack of effective communication left LA Police Gear feeling unheard and unsupported.
Site Speed Slowdown
Before the launch of the new LA Police Gear store, less-than-stellar performance emerged as a critical concern, particularly on mobile devices. Users on mobile devices have been measured to have higher speed and efficiency expectations compared to those using a traditional desktop.
A core underlying issue was traced back to an over-reliance on heavy JavaScript libraries for carousel features, which significantly bogged down page loading times. Issues like this impaired the user experience and impacted the site's search engine rankings, as page speed is a key factor in Google's algorithms.
Lack of Internal Development Expertise
A gap in BigCommerce technical expertise left LA Police Gear vulnerable and overly dependent on their previous agency. LA Police Gear’s (lack of) ability to make timely updates and leverage the platform's full potential contributed to a cycle of inefficiency and frustration.
The need for a dedicated & knowledgeable partner to bridge this gap became obvious.
Accessibility Responsibility & Liability
The previous site’s accessibility compliance, or the lack thereof, posed a risk to user inclusivity and exposed LA Police Gear to potential legal complications.
A comprehensive review and overhaul to ensure that all users, regardless of their abilities, could navigate and interact with the site was required. Luckily, our team’s Velocity framework was created with accessibility compliance built-in.
Providing A Poor User Experience
Before our intervention, LA Police Gear's website felt "stuck," to use the client’s own words.
Recognizing this, we undertook a comprehensive Velocity redesign on BigCommerce, which fundamentally transformed the brand's digital interface. This redesign wasn't just cosmetic; it aimed at maximizing site speed and efficiency, key factors in enhancing user engagement and satisfaction.
However, our work didn't stop there. We've continued to build upon this foundation, introducing further optimizations and features designed to meet evolving user needs and expectations. With an extensive pipeline of enhancements planned for the months ahead, the Groove Commerce team is committed to forward-thinking and user-centric design and development practices.
