Outlier

There were, however, some challenges to overcome, including Shopify’s 100-variant restriction. Plus Outlier pages have huge imagery, highly-specialized (read: super cool) designs, and unique layouts. The standard product grids would not work in this case. 

Thankfully, we love to solve challenges within the constraints given. Here’s how we resolved these issues (and more) to launch Outlier on Shopify Plus. 

Challenge: The Shopify Plus 100 Variant Limit

Solution: Allow Outlier to Sell More Than 100 Variants through Custom Tooling for Product Availability Grids

The biggest issue we faced in replatforming Outlier from Magento to Shopify Plus dealt with product variants. Shopify caps the number of variants per product at 100, and some of Outlier’s products have more than this. A pair of Outlier pants, for example, might come in 25 colors and 10 sizes, resulting in 250 possible product combinations. 

In response, we wrote customized tooling into the Shopify Plus theme to allow them to sell their inventory through product availability grids. The grids are defined by size and color, and they can display more than 100 combinations on a single PDP. They also ensure that the correct variant is added to the customer’s cart. 

Product bundles are a native feature within Magento, however this is not a feature that is readily accomplished with Shopify-native functions. Migrating product bundle functionality to Shopify was done without the use of an external App, all the while being mindful of bundle constraints, such as product availability, the 100 variant workaround, and the highly customizable pricing model used to merchandise and market bundles. Our solution allows the Outlier team to add, remove and modify bundles at their discretion without the need for developer intervention.

At no time did Command C break Shopify’s 100 variant rule. Instead we worked around it to create a presentation layer that resonates with customer expectations for shopping Outlier products.

Challenge: Outlier’s One-of-a-Kind Designs and Site Layouts on Shopify Plus 

Solution: Create a Library of Mobile-Responsive Components to Be Used Throughout the Site  

Outlier is true to their company name – nothing they do is conventional. They are always experimenting. In their site layout, they grab people with big photos and fresh design. At the same time, customers have to know where they are on the site. We can’t allow people to become disoriented within the high-impact images and design. 

To accommodate Outlier’s design, Command C created a library of layout components to be used – and reused – throughout the store. This library creates a unified look and feel from the homepage to a products listing page. It helps orient customers as they shop, while also allowing for Outlier’s singular design approach. 

Further, the mobile experience shines bright. Its interface is smooth and easy. In showing product variants, for example, customers can swipe through all the options on a phone. The experience feels more like a native app than a website, without the added barrier to entry of a native app. 

Challenge: Deliver Continuous Site Experience to Long Standing Fans

Solution: Launch Standalone Order History Archive and Custom Process to Migrate Gift Certificate Data

One of the great benefits of replatforming is it gives companies the opportunity to streamline data into a new site. As a result, the new site performs much faster and gives customers a better experience. To achieve cleaner data and minimize friction between platforms, retailers sometimes decide not to transfer order history data into their new platform. Importing order history data can introduce a lot of legacy quirks into site administration – and even the frontend customer experience.

Order history is important to Outlier customers. They want to be able to access not only years of previous order history, but also years of historical product data. In other words, they want ready access to product specification and styles that have long been discontinued. To solve for this, Command C helped Outlier create a standalone archive that presents longtime customers with the opportunity to browse not only their own purchase data, but all of Outlier’s history of groundbreaking product design.

Also on the topic of customer service, when it came to migrating gift certificate data, we ran into a small, but significant issue. The gift codes in Magento had more characters than the Shopify Plus system allowed. 

One common solution to this problem is to simply create new gift codes and email each customer to notify them of the new code. But this can cause a lot of potential friction with customers. Instead, with Shopify Plus, we were able to implement tooling that allows people to use the gift codes they already have. Now customers can seamlessly apply legacy gift codes to orders that are created on the new site. Gift certificates are the ultimate statement of brand appreciation, and it was crucial to keep these customers in the flow with as little friction as possible.