Chemical Guys, based in Southern California, is a global leader in car care products. Specializing in high-quality car care chemicals and detailing accessories, they cater to both beginners and professionals. With a worldwide reach that includes over 1.2M followers on Instagram, Chemical Guys is more than just a brand—it's a lifestyle known for exceptional customer support and expertise in detailing.
Challenge
Chemical Guys faced significant platform and operational costs with their existing enterprise ecommerce platform.
The complexity of the system made it exceedingly challenging to maintain a clean code base that could be easily updated.
The company was also facing a costly and complex platform upgrade.
Compounding the issue, their SEO agency identified over 100 unresolved SEO issues, with nearly 50 categorized as major or critical, that their development company was struggling to address on the existing platform.
As a large enterprise with millions of rows of historical data, numerous customizations, complex integrations, and being a highly active ecommerce site, migrating to a new platform presented a formidable challenge.
Proper timing and execution required deep ecommerce expertise.
Solution
Advancements in Shopify’s enterprise capabilities made it a compelling option for Chemical Guys.
Shopify’s simplicity, paired with its ability to accommodate enterprise-level customizability, offered an opportunity to streamline operations.
Analysis revealed that migrating to Shopify would cost less than half of an upgrade on their existing platform, with a significant reduction in ongoing operational expenses.
The migration also provided an opportunity to eliminate technical debt and resolve the identified SEO issues.
Strategy
A detailed feature-function ledger was created to map all existing and required website functionality.
Previous migration documentation was reviewed to pre-emptively address potential challenges, and existing issues were cataloged for resolution during the migration.
Tasks were meticulously documented, assigned in task-tracking software, and coordinated with a Gantt chart outlining an eight-month timeline.
We also evaluated third-party vendors and planned transitions to Shopify-compatible solutions, such as Klaviyo and Gorgias, to enhance performance and reduce costs.
This rigorous planning established the foundation for a seamless execution.
Execution
The migration process involved detailed planning and collaboration, with a focus on preserving functionality, resolving technical challenges, and optimizing performance across all aspects of the website.
Each step was carefully managed to ensure a smooth transition without disrupting operations.
Google Search Console screenshot showing impact of new Shopify Site.
Design
The existing branding and look and feel were translated into Shopify’s default theme, with enhancements to customer experience, including a redesigned Product Details Page (PDP) optimized for engagement and conversions.
Development
Chemical Guys required significant customizations to support their unique business needs. We leveraged third-party apps where applicable and custom-developed additional functionalities as needed.
Third-Party Apps
Essential apps such as a Store Locator, Klaviyo, Gorgias, and third-party review tools were installed and seamlessly integrated into the new platform.
Data Migration
Migrating millions of rows of historical data was a critical component of the migration. Data was imported and kept updated throughout development using a combination of Matrixify and custom scripts, ensuring continuity.
Marketing Tags
We corrected numerous measurement issues from the previous site, setting up advanced tracking code to accommodate Chemical Guys’ enterprise-level requirements.
Checkout
The checkout process was customized to align with Chemical Guys’ prior platform, with custom apps for features like address verification. Payment options, tax settings, and split shipping configurations were collaboratively implemented with their internal team.
Configuration
We handled general configuration settings, privacy policies, and other requirements necessary for a smooth launch.
ERP Integration
We collaborated with Chemical Guys’ internal team who integrated their ERP and shipping systems, ensuring seamless operation post-migration.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The site was designed and developed with SEO in mind, providing a strong technical foundation.
Using CDSEO - All-In-One SEO App for Shopify, we updated all titles and meta descriptions, added rich schema, and implemented noindex tags where applicable.
Effectively, we addressed all previously reported technical SEO issues and then some, facilitating proper indexing by Google and other search engines.
Content
All existing content—collections, products, pages, and blogs—was successfully migrated.
Additionally, over 600 pages of new content were developed and implemented in collaboration with Chemical Guys’ internal team and their SEO agency.
Redirects
The platform migration resulted in a URL change, and redirects from previous URLs to new URLs were paramount for maintaining links and SEO ranking.
Redirects presented a significant challenge, with multiple variations having been used on their existing platform, and a total of 18 variations of historical URLs identified, many of which were never redirected.
URLs were consolidated from databases, web archives, Google Search Console, customer scrapers and log and csv files.
Redirects were established using a combination of programmatic and manual methods, with ongoing monitoring and corrections made post-launch to eliminate any remaining 404 errors.
Results
Chemical Guys’ migration to Shopify was executed on-time and under-budget.
The results included:
- A significantly reduced migration cost compared to upgrading their previous platform.
- Lower overall operational costs, improving profitability.
- Elimination of technical debt, establishing a clean, maintainable code base.
- A solid SEO foundation with all identified issues resolved.
- Enhanced SEO through the addition of 600+ pages of new content.
- Streamlined development, making future updates and improvements easier.
The successful migration empowered Chemical Guys to optimize their ecommerce operations, positioning them for long-term growth and scalability.
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