The brief
Client
- WUFORIA
Work & Expertise
- Design/Development
- Branding & Marketing
- Ecommerce Strategy
Role & Company
- Founder/Developer
New York
Pet parents have endless choices, but too many are generic, poorly merchandised, and disconnected from the quality and design today’s modern dog owner values. Independent pet brands often create beautiful, functional products with purpose — yet they’re spread across separate sites with inconsistent shopping experiences, limited visibility, and varying levels of trust.
I set out to build a premium retail experience that solved this fragmentation while allowing me to apply and demonstrate my full‑stack eCommerce expertise. The result was Wuforia: an editorial‑meets‑retail concept designed to spotlight small, design‑forward pet brands under one elevated, highly shoppable platform while delivering a seamless, trustworthy path from discovery to checkout. The goal was not only to curate products but to create a brand, UX, and operational system that could stand alongside the best modern retailers in any category. I developed the brand’s ethos, visual identity, UX/UI, and merchandising framework, then engineered the operational backbone using automation and vendor partnerships to scale efficiently.
As a dog parent to two poodle mixes, I wanted a retail concept that reflected the same care and intention I look for as a consumer. The aim wasn’t simply to launch another store, but it was to show how full‑stack eCommerce expertise can create a differentiated, editorial‑driven retail model that resonates with discerning customers. Throughout, I leveraged AI as a force multiplier, not to replace expertise, but to accelerate idea development, uncover deeper insights, and validate strategic decisions at every stage while maintaining quality and intent.
Story-Led Shopping
Every aspect of a customer’s journey draws a path from discovery to delight—where tailored suggestions meet the mission to make good brands easy to find.
The work
Built on a purposeful ethos and elevated visual identity, Wuforia’s merchandising strategy unites style, function, and joy for discerning dog owners who value both design and intention. The site’s UX/UI was built as mobile-first on a Shopify theme with extensive customization capabilities, allowing me to code enhancements that improved mobile navigation and speed without requiring a heavy dev lift.
I sourced and vetted over 40 suppliers through Shopify Collective and Canal, selecting partners who aligned with Wuforia’s values: design‑forward, quality‑driven, and committed to dogs’ well‑being. I created onboarding SOPs, aligned policies to ensure a consistent customer experience, and mapped out vendor integrations for automated fulfillment.
Merchandising required consolidating and optimizing 2,400+ products (over 12K SKUs) into a single, customer‑friendly taxonomy. I architected a filter and categorization system that streamlined product discovery, implemented trust benefits to reduce friction at checkout, and built collections that align with real customer intent and values — from purpose‑driven and seasonal needs to founder stories and cause‑based shopping — while structuring them to maximize SEO visibility..
Every product pages was optimized like a mini-editorial with ‘meet the brand’ content, integrated cross‑sell and upsell opportunities, and value‑driven cues tied to our State of Happy pillars. I architected data sources for smart product displays, driving personalized recommendations and increasing AOV.
Customer acquisition was fueled by a Google Ads strategy centered on high‑intent feed‑only campaigns segmented by price, margin, and performance. I leveraged the SEO value of pop culture‑aligned products (e.g., Marvel, Disney) to build keyword momentum, resulting in first‑page rankings within 90 days.
Klaviyo powered lifecycle and trigger‑based email campaigns that not only nurtured existing customers but also engaged cold audiences — strengthening their confidence in Wuforia through brand storytelling, segmentation, and A/B‑tested messaging that drove repeat purchases and boosted conversion.
The Results
- 2,400+ products merchandised and automated from 40+ independent, design‑forward brands
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12,000+ SKUs structured for discoverability, SEO, and conversion
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$68–$100 AOV, supported by margin‑tiered Google Ads segmentation and upsell architecture
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3.5x–5.6x ROAS on paid acquisition, with additional sales driven organically through optimized product feeds and search‑friendly attributes
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First‑page keyword rankings in under 90 days, fueling both paid and organic growth
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Sub‑$20 CAC through high‑intent feed‑only campaigns
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Early sales momentum validates the model’s ability to win trust and capture demand without heavy ad spend
Takeaway: Wuforia demonstrates how thoughtful merchandising, streamlined operations, and integrated paid + organic marketing can turn a crowded category into a competitive advantage creating meaningful differentiation and growth.