Montana Decoy
Montana Decoy
April 2026
Overview
Full website design and development, including UX/UI strategy, product page design, performance improvements, product image optimization, and full inventory setup.
This project marked a major expansion into ecommerce design and development, requiring a deep focus on product structure, inventory systems, and conversion strategy.
Platform
WordPress + Elementor + WooCommerce + ShipStation
Services
Ecommerce Website Design
WooCommerce Development
UX/UI Design
Mobile Optimization
Performance Optimization
Role
Lead Web Designer & Developer
Challenges
Ecommerce Data & Product Setup
One of the most time-intensive challenges was building out the full product catalog within WooCommerce. Even with a relatively small catalog of around 50 SKUs, each product required detailed setup including images, descriptions, metadata, and properly structured URL slugs to ensure SEO value was preserved from the previous site.
Maintaining consistency across product data was essential to creating a clean, scalable ecommerce structure that would perform well for both users and search engines.
Platform Migration & System Integration
A major technical challenge was migrating the store from BigCommerce to WooCommerce while ensuring all core systems continued to function properly.
This included integrating ShipStation for fulfillment and running multiple rounds of testing to ensure accurate shipping rates and reliable order processing. Special attention was required for Canadian shipping configurations, which added complexity to rate calculations and fulfillment rules.
In addition, the checkout experience was expanded to support modern payment options including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Affirm, creating a more flexible and conversion-friendly checkout process.
To further support long-term customer retention, Mailchimp was integrated to automate email marketing workflows, including abandoned cart recovery sequences and win-back campaigns targeting customers who had not purchased within 70 days.
Performance & Image Optimization
As this was my first full ecommerce build, performance was a key focus from the beginning. With a large number of product images required, there was a risk of slowing down the site if not handled properly.
To solve this, product images were optimized using WebP formatting and transparent backgrounds where needed, ensuring fast load times while maintaining a clean, high-quality visual presentation across all devices.
SEO & Content Preservation
To maintain existing search visibility, key blog content from the previous site was carefully migrated into the new structure. This helped preserve organic traffic and ensured that high-performing content continued to support the site after launch.
SEO considerations were also carried through product slugs, metadata, and site structure to maintain consistency and protect rankings during the transition.
Solutions
Modernizing the Ecommerce Experience
The primary focus of the project was to modernize the ecommerce experience to better support sales and improve overall usability. The previous site lacked clarity in product presentation, particularly with limited imagery that often led to customer confusion and additional support questions.
To solve this, each product was rebuilt with a stronger visual strategy, including multiple angles and views to give customers a complete understanding of what they were purchasing. This significantly improved product clarity and reduced ambiguity in the buying process.
Rugged, Purpose-Driven Design System
The new design direction was intentionally built around a rugged, outdoor aesthetic that aligns with the Montana Decoy brand. This included a cleaner layout structure, improved hierarchy, and a more modern presentation of products while still maintaining a field-ready, functional feel.
To further enhance user value, a dedicated resource section was introduced featuring embedded YouTube content. This allowed users to access product-specific guides and educational material directly within the site, improving engagement and supporting purchase decisions.
Streamlined Product Implementation
All product data was manually imported and structured to ensure accuracy and consistency across the entire catalog. This included aligning product details, images, and SEO metadata to maintain a clean and organized ecommerce foundation.
This hands-on approach ensured full control over how products were presented and indexed throughout the site.
Shipping, Payments, and Fulfillment Integration
A key technical focus of the project was ensuring a seamless transition between systems while maintaining operational reliability. This included integrating shipping logic through ShipStation and validating functionality across multiple test scenarios.
Extensive testing was conducted across different shipping destinations, including international (Canada) rates, failed payment scenarios, and real-world order flows. Collaboration with the fulfillment warehouse ensured that the transition from the previous platform operated smoothly without disruption.
To improve the checkout experience and increase conversion opportunities, the site was configured to support multiple modern payment options, including Apple Pay, Google Pay, Affirm, and express checkout functionality.
SEO and Content Preservation
To maintain existing search equity, key blog content was carefully migrated and matched within the new site structure. Product URLs, categories, and metadata were manually aligned to ensure consistency with the previous site, helping preserve SEO value during the transition.
This attention to detail ensured that the new site launched without sacrificing existing organic performance.
Outcome
This project represents a full end-to-end ecommerce build, from system integration to product architecture and user experience design. Beyond the technical execution, it reflects a major step in developing a complete understanding of how ecommerce platforms function across design, operations, and fulfillment.
Completed while working as an Interactive Designer at WolfeCo Media, where I led the design and development of this project.
Photography and Videography: Nathaniel Pittman
Strategy: Hannah Forsythe
