Schupbach's Sporting Goods Website Redesign

A website redesign to reclaim digital control to drive in-store traffic and customer engagement.

Business Challenge

Schupbach's Sporting Goods faced several critical challenges with their outdated website:

Poor User Experience: The outdated visual design and disorganized content made it difficult for customers to find information, resulting in low conversion rates.
Lack of Mobile Optimization: The website was not responsive, creating barriers for on-the-go customers.
Product Showcase Limitations: As a firearms, archery, and sporting goods retailer, Schupbach's struggled to showcase new inventory (particularly firearms and bows) due to social media restrictions - Meta repeatedly removed their content and limited their account activity.
Information Architecture Issues: The site's poor organization made it difficult for customers to find information about products, services, and staff expertise.
Missed Opportunity for Expertise Showcase: The company's knowledgeable staff and industry expertise wasn't effectively highlighted on the existing site.
Low Search Visibility: Poor SEO implementation limited the store's online discoverability.
Accessibility Concerns: The site presented barriers for users with visual impairments.

Approach

Our approach focused on creating a modern, functional website that solved Schupbach's unique challenges:

Comprehensive Discovery: Conduct thorough UX audit and competitive analysis to identify specific pain points and opportunities.
User-Centered Design: Prioritize intuitive navigation and information architecture to enhance findability.
Content Strategy Shift: Move away from dependency on restricted social platforms by developing an owned-media solution for showcasing new inventory.
Mobile-First Methodology: Design with mobile users as a primary consideration.
Expertise Highlighting: Create dedicated sections to showcase staff knowledge and background.
Specialized Features: Develop custom solutions for industry-specific needs like FFL transfers.
Accessibility Integration: Build with universal design principles to serve all customers.

Research & Insights

Through UX audit and competitive analysis, we uncovered several key insights:

Customer Journey Barriers: The previous site created friction at multiple touchpoints, particularly for finding new products and specialized services.
Competitor Differentiation: Local competitors weren't effectively showcasing staff expertise, presenting an opportunity to stand out.
Mobile Usage Patterns: A significant portion of potential customers were attempting to access the site via mobile devices, particularly to check new inventory.
Content Value Gap: Customers wanted more detailed information about products before visiting the store, especially for significant purchases like firearms and bows.
Trust Factors: For firearms retailers, establishing credibility through expertise demonstration and clear information about legal processes (like transfers) significantly impacts customer confidence.
Discovery Challenges: Industry-specific search terms weren't being properly optimized, limiting organic traffic from highly motivated buyers.

Solution Design

Our solution included several tailored components:

Responsive Website Architecture: Built on Framer for optimal performance across all devices with a mobile-first approach.
Custom Product Showcase System: Developed a dedicated "New Arrivals" section with filtering capabilities and detailed product information - creating a controlled environment free from social media restrictions.
Staff Expertise: Created detailed staff profiles highlighting specializations, certifications, and experience to build customer trust.
FFL Transfer Online Form: Implemented an online form to simplify the gun transfer process for customers.
Streamlined Information Architecture: Reorganized content with intuitive navigation paths based on common customer journeys.
Enhanced Visual Design: Modernized the aesthetic while maintaining brand recognition and incorporating accessibility best practices.
SEO Implementation: Optimized for industry-specific search terms to improve visibility for qualified traffic.
Newsletter Integration: Added a subscription feature to keep customers informed about new inventory and special offers.

Business Outcomes

The redesign delivered significant value for both the business and its customers:

Platform Independence: Reduced dependency on restrictive social media platforms, giving the business greater control over their digital presence.
Modern Brand Positioning: Positioned the store as a professional, credible establishment while highlighting heritage and expertise.
Controlled Product Environment: Created a compliant space for showcasing regulated products without social media restrictions.
Scalable Digital Foundation: Built a flexible platform that can evolve with changing market conditions and customer expectations.
Enhanced Search Visibility: Improved organic discoverability for qualified traffic seeking specialized sporting goods and services.

Site launched July 2025 - metrics tracking in progress

Expected outcomes based on research and testing:

Improved customer preparation through comprehensive product information access
Reduced administrative burden via self-service features and clear information architecture
Enhanced lead quality through better pre-visit customer education
Increased organic traffic through improved SEO foundation and industry-specific optimization

Business impact metrics will be updated quarterly as data becomes available.

Strategic Value

The redesigned website delivered significant strategic value to Schupbach's Sporting Goods:

Platform Ownership: Reduced dependency on restrictive social media platforms, giving the business greater control over their digital presence.
Brand Elevation: Positioned the store as a modern, professional establishment while highlighting its heritage and expertise.
Information Control: Provided a controlled environment for showcasing regulated products in compliance with industry standards.
Market Adaptation: Equipped the business with a flexible digital foundation that can evolve with changing market conditions and customer expectations.
Long-term Asset Development: Created a scalable digital platform that will continue to provide value through ongoing refinements rather than requiring complete rebuilds.

WHAT DID I LEARN?

This project reinforced the importance of understanding industry-specific challenges that go beyond typical UX considerations. Working with a firearms, archery, and sporting goods retailer taught me how platform restrictions can become unexpected business barriers.

The biggest insight was realizing how social media restrictions were actually stunting the business's growth. By shifting focus to owned-media strategy, we didn't just solve a design problem—we solved a business sustainability issue. This experience highlighted how strategic design thinking must consider the entire business ecosystem, not just user interface improvements.

I also learned that specialized industries require deeper trust-building through design. For Schupbach's customers, expertise credibility directly impacts purchasing decisions, especially for significant investments like firearms. This reinforced my belief that effective design must reflect and support the unique value propositions of each business.

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