Redesigning the Billiards Cue Experience on Shopify
Alejandro Gonzalez
Overview 👀
Client: CueandCase.com
Project Duration: 12 weeks
Role: UX Designer
Tools: Figma, Shopify
✨ See detailed case study: https://alexux.net/p/cue-and-case
Introduction
Redesigned the product navigation for Cue & Case, a leading pool stick brand, to create a user-centered experience while driving business goals. For novice players, I introduced a budget-friendly category under $200, and for experienced players, I structured navigation by brand for easier discovery. To support business objectives, I featured the brand’s own products prominently in the navigation, boosting visibility and traffic. The result was a streamlined, intuitive shopping experience that catered to players of all skill levels while increasing brand engagement.
Project Process
Discovery & Customer Research
The project began with a series of discovery workshops, where we collaborated with the Cue & Case team to understand their business objectives and customer demographics.
Cue & Case’s product line primarily includes pool cues and accessories, appealing to three distinct customer groups:
First-Time Buyers: Novices looking for affordable options to start their billiards journey.
Billiards Enthusiasts: Regular players seeking quality and variety.
Professional Competitors: Advanced players and professionals requiring high-end, performance-driven products.
Our primary objectives were to define the business goals, identify the needs of these customer segments, and design an experience that effectively catered to all three groups.
Information Architecture and Wireframes
The original product taxonomy was convoluted and some categories went more than 4 layers deep. I simplified navigation by consolidating and creating collections that resonated with each customer segment. I created collections filtered by budget to target novice players, and other categories representing well known brands for brand-savvy intermediate and advanced players. I also elevated certain categories to promote brands the buinsess wanted to prioritize.
For wireframes of all key page templates, I designed pages for both desktop and mobile that were aligned with customer needs, business goals, and followed best UX practices for Ecommerce.
Creative Hand-Off
Once each batch of wireframes were approved, I then handed off my designs to the Creative Designer, where she then applied global styles and imagery to bring the high fidelity comps to life.
🔥 Checkout the live site here: CueandCase.com
“We are excited that for the first time ever, customers can shop for all of their billiards needs in our new D2C shop. Shopify has proven over and over for Escalade Sports that it is not just a platform, it’s a catalyst for our brands’ success. Working with CQL and adding Cue & Case to Shopify’s multi-site framework, we benefited from a bespoke design, a quick launch timeline, a consistent UX, and the standardization of our backend operations, preparing us for the incredible growth to come!”
- Courtney Marchino, Cue & Case Brand Manager
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Posted Dec 11, 2024
Redesigned Cue & Case’s website, focusing on optimizing product discovery for novice and experienced players while promoting the brand’s own products.
