Vanhie: From physical experience to digital growth accelerator

How ClickForest guided a 100-year-old store into a new digital era with a smart webshop strategy, UX audit, campaigns, and conversion optimization.

Quote about the collaboration

"Vanhie was facing a major digital leap. Frederiek combined his knowledge of retail and e-commerce with a hands-on approach that delivered immediate results."

Challenge: An established store of almost 100 years, thousands of square meters in size, but with limited online visibility and a webshop that was more of a hobby project than a core business.

Approach: ClickForest combined a comprehensive UX/UI audit (Hotjar), redesigned the in-store customer journey, restructured the online offerings, and implemented tailored digital campaigns.

Physical and digital transformation

Michael Vanhie enlisted ClickForest to prepare the store and webshop for the next generation. The physical store was completely redesigned: garden machinery and outdoor cooking were given their own zones, while the ambiance creators for indoors and outdoors were placed in an inspiring setting. Thanks to a sophisticated customer journey, visitors now discover all of Vanhie's assets, both inside and out.

Digital strategy & UX audit

Using Hotjar heatmaps and recordings, we fully mapped customer behavior on the existing webshop. Based on these insights, the site was redesigned with clear categories for garden furniture, wellness, ambiance enhancers, and outdoor cooking. Every step was focused on improved user-friendliness and higher conversion rates.

New menu structure & logical layout
Loyalty program & smart discount strategy (Shopify marketing)
SEO optimization & smooth navigation (SEO for e-commerce)

Online campaigns & conversion boost

With targeted Meta campaigns (Facebook & Instagram), Google Search, Google Display, and Shopping, Vanhie became visible to every target group: from garden enthusiasts to wellness fans and hobby cooks. Thanks to smart retargeting campaigns and personal follow-up, Vanhie's online share grew at record speed.

Acquire new customers through social media & search engines (Performance marketing)
Repeat customers through loyalty program
Increased revenue through sharp seasonal promotions

The result: the online store grew from a supporting role to an essential driver of the core business. The client has since become a loyal ClickForest fan and also engages us for individual AI and strategy training courses.

+130% increase in online store sales

After the relaunch, the number of purchases through the online store skyrocketed.

Increase store visits & exploration

The redesigned customer journey led to more store visits and increased spending per customer.

Loyal customers

The loyalty program and personal approach turned shoppers into returning customers.

Customer quote

"The collaboration with ClickForest not only launched our webshop but also breathed new life into our entire business. Frederiek's personal approach truly works!"
– Michael Vanhie, Vanhie.be

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