North Sails

Sailing into uncharted waters isn't for everyone, but North Sails isn't just anyone. Pioneers in sailmaking and rooted in innovation, they've been carving their path since 1957. Born from the ambition of an American sailor and founded on a San Diego pier, North Sails has evolved to become the world's leading sailmaker in a mere six decades.

North Sails is a symbol of quality and innovation in the design and manufacture of sails for all types of sailing, from cruising and racing to superyachts. In our latest collaboration, we tackled the challenges of improving conversion rates, tailoring user journeys, and implementing a unique 'request a quote' feature for custom sails. This particularity reflected their business's bespoke nature, where quality and customization are paramount. They needed a relentless partner for this digital voyage, and that's where we came in.

Tailoring the experience.

Struggling with an outdated hybrid setup of BigCommerce and WordPress, North Sails sought a more adaptable and responsive platform. By leveraging Shopify Native's robust features, we developed a custom solution tailored to their specific needs, enabling them to function with greater efficiency.

The challenges were multifaceted. One of the primary goals was to optimize the 'Request a Quote' form to boost conversions for their custom sails, a vital aspect of their business model due to the bespoke nature of their products. 

They also aimed to streamline user pathways to prevent misleading affluent customers. Clarifying the user journey was crucial to ensuring that potential customers seeking premium sails were led in the right direction.

Increasing non-custom sail sales was another significant focus. With a growing demand in this segment, North Sails sought strategies to enhance sales while maintaining their core business.

By addressing these challenges, we achieved North Sails' goals through the flexibility and robustness of the Shopify Native platform, positioning them for success in a competitive market. 

User journey transformed.

For North Sails, a company engaged in two distinct lines of business - custom sails and non-custom sails - the importance of UX design was crucial. They needed a user journey that made sense to their diverse client base and guided them to the right sections with precision. To achieve this, we collaborated with Analogue under the guidance of their Creative Director Julian, along with our in-house designers, Justin (UX) and Jaap (visual).

The challenge was to prevent any confusion for affluent customers seeking to purchase premium, expensive custom sails. Our approach aimed to ensure that these high-value clients would not be inadvertently led towards non-custom sail options. Through careful design and navigation strategies, we crafted a user journey that intuitively guided visitors towards the most relevant offerings based on their preferences, preventing any misleading interactions.

As the UX journey progressed, another challenge emerged: market segmentation. How does one tailor an ecommerce experience to cater to diverse markets, each with its own set of product availability criteria? North Sails offers a diverse range of products, and they needed a way to guide customers based on where they were shopping from. Some locations have options to order specific products directly, while others only show a form to request a quote for a custom sail. We took on this challenge, creating a smart system that recognizes each user's location and displays the appropriate options. This not only makes shopping more personalized but also simplifies the process on North Sails' online platform

North Sails now stands equipped with an elevated digital platform that mirrors their dedication to innovation and customer satisfaction. We're proud of this partnership and look forward to more successful collaborations ahead.